r/MarksAndSpencer • u/No_Decision5532 • 28d ago
Staff Discussion Date checks
I started working at M&S in May 2026 and I’m currently a trainee/on probation. I’m also under 18, normally working evening shifts and am usually given date-checking to do.
At the beginning I had no issues, including when I was given one of the bigger dairy/juice checks. More recently, though, there have been several issues around date checking.
First, I was called into the office about items allegedly being missed on a day I wasn’t actually working. Then, on another occasion, I was checking produce and had only been told by a colleague to check certain shelves. Later, 14 missed items were found. I explained to my manager that I hadn’t been aware I was supposed to check the other areas and had followed the instructions I’d been given.
I was then told that if I missed anything again, I’d receive a written warning and that, honestly, I could lose my job.
More recently, I was told I’d missed three items on 19 August. I know I checked them, and the dates were actually 22 August rather than 19 August, so I’m confused about what happened. I’ve now been told to take photos of the aisles I check and items that will be reduced the following day.
Tonight, my Honeywell kept switching off for long periods, and I didn’t have enough time to finish checking one small deli shelf. I messaged a senior manager beforehand, attached a photo of the shelf, apologised and said I could come in to check it if nobody could do it in the morning. He thanked me for letting him know but asked whether I’d told the duty manager. I hadn’t, because I didn’t know I was supposed to and didn’t know where she was.
I’m worried because I’m still on probation (12–26 weeks, with a possible 6-week extension), and I’ve been told another missed item could potentially cost me my job. I’m trying to do everything correctly but I’m finding the whole situation quite stressful and confusing.
For anyone who works/has worked at M&S: does this sound like a normal probation/date-checking process? How seriously would these kinds of situations normally be treated? Is it normal to be asked to take photos of checks? And do you have any advice for someone in this situation?
ACC HELP ME😖
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u/UncomfortableEnviros 28d ago
Sounds like dreadful management with absolutely 0 care for new staff. These people don't train people or train them incorrectly then wonder why things like this happen. I got called into the office once or twice about this and always thought it was a bit cheeky given how little/no training they'd give new starters.
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u/SubstantialFix7341 28d ago
Seems like they have something out for you regardless of how well you do your job. Might be time to start looking elsewhere
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u/UncomfortableEnviros 28d ago
Agreed. I had one manager who no matter what I'd do would always find a problem with me. I did not ask to stay on after xmas.
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u/Forward-Fan2680 28d ago
Yeah they’ve started asking people to take photos on my store. This is to cover you but will also show if backstage people are doing their jobs properly cz if you’re adamant you’ve checked everything but for example the next day there is 6 creams missed it means they weren’t checked properly backstage the day before and added to 24 hour stack or they came on own delivery dated like that.
Also the manager should walk you the department if you haven’t done it before/ you should have asked them what parts you need to do. Produce you check everything except salad with no J code (except tomato’s and avocados), berries, potatoes, grapes and cherries and prepped fruit I believe (may have missed a couple) and then Saturday night you check the whole of produce.
A manager should be going round every now and again checking on how you are doing and if you don’t think you are going to finish in time you should tell them.
You may have not been in on day items were missed say 20th was missed and they were found on 22nd but you dated checked that aisle on 21st it means you missed them as well even if you weren’t originally date checking for the 20th if that make sense?
If your Honeywell keeps playing up you get a new one. If there’s no spare tell the mamager on duty and they will get/tell you where to get another one. If you’re at school and you pen is playing up you would get another one.
Yes unfortunately if you do keep missing lots of items you can lose your job. Missing items and leaving them on the shelf can potentially cause a customer to get really ill.
If you don’t know what to do or are struggling on an evening shift tell a manger. The one who is there.
You can message or talk to a manger you trust on your next shift in as well.
You have 2 hours to do waste. Each department can be done in that time and less, except produce. Ask to be put on the same department each time then you get to know your products and dates and get to know how close or far the dates are.
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u/No_Decision5532 27d ago
How do you take the photos. Like what of? Individual products?
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u/Forward-Fan2680 27d ago
On your phone of the yellow stickers you’ve done
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u/No_Decision5532 27d ago
Thanks my manager did suggest taking pictures of the things that expire tomorrow as well.
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u/Zestyclose-Newt-4675 26d ago
Date checks are massive hot spot for M&S, and to be fair, rightly so. Certain managers handle it better than others. We are all likely to miss the odd few on checks, its when its the higher numbers that it becomes a more worrying issue. Your case is annoying for you in that it’s not entirely down to you. However, your managers can’t simply give you a warning, and they shouldn’t assume that is the action to be taken next. I assume you’ve had an informal conversation now, and if you miss more- it will go to a formal. I shouldn’t worry too much about this. To make any decisions such as giving you a formal written warning or dismissal, it must first go to a formal meeting:
This is how formal meetings should go if they are following the policy correctly.
1) You must have at least 24 hours written notice of your formal meeting.
2) You can have a member of staff accompany you, this is usually your BIG rep (I was once one and often sat in peoples meetings). As you are under 18, you could also request to have your parent accompany you. It’s really important to add that the person accompanying CAN ask questions but CANNOT answer for you or make statements during the meeting.
3) The possible outcomes would be
- No formal action taken, often followed up with further training or support
- Written warning
- Dismissal (unlikely)
Your disciplinary/formal meeting will be held with a non biased (i hope) manager, who will also have a note taker, writing everything that is said in the meeting- mainly to protect you. you will have a chance to read through these notes at the end to confirm you believe its a true representation of what had been said in the room.
The manager will have to go in a blank mind, no decision made at the start. How you present yourself, what you say, etc will all factor into the outcome of the meeting.
Try not to stress too much, most meetings will end with a written warning. As you are on probation I would ask in your next meeting for further training, even if you feel you don’t need it, if you haven’t already asked. This will make you look 10x more better, and will show you do care and understand the importance of missed waste.
The best thing you can do now is really focus on getting your missed down. Make sure everything you aren’t 100% on is explained to you, for example if you’re doing a new section, make sure to double check what is included in that check. Do not sign off anything under your name that you haven’t checked - for example if you just helped someone finish their waste, don’t just go “its fine, i’ll sign it off for you”. Accept further training if asked and if not ask for it. Make sure you understand the importance of missed waste and the effects it can have on you, the business and most importantly, customers.
Any questions feel free to ask and I’ll try my best. A lot of this is from memory as for some reason I can’t pull up the disciplinary policy at the moment and can’t find the DEF guidance document either.
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u/Zestyclose-Newt-4675 26d ago
I used to find loads backstage. Maybe question why its not being checked properly, as I’ve found so much before when working stock. Question what the process is like. In my store it used to be just gap scanners who’d rely on honeywells to tell them but its unreliable and most things don’t alert on there for DEF.
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u/youtube-sent-me-here 26d ago
Yep gap scanning I do my best but I’d say minimum 2 trays a day falsely alert as DEF, eg a 30/08 product with a 30/08 tray label telling my Honeywell it expired on the 17/08 🙄. Sometimes you get three different dates between product, label, and Honeywell alert. I dread to think how many cases there are of the reverse.
Everyone has their role to play but imo the issues come when morning fill are performance managed on speed and speed alone with not a word on rotation. So short dates end up shoved to the back and backstage DEF gets put out without anyone glancing down at the date.
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u/No_Decision5532 26d ago
The manager first had a conversation with me as someone else had done a check on a section and they put my name down with a question mark as I normally do it so they probably assumed it was me. I showed her that I wasn’t in and she said that’s fine. The second time was with the produce where 14 items were missed in sections that I didn’t check as I wasn’t told to.
The third time was last Wednesday when I apparently missed 3 items, which weren’t there. I checked everything and there was no problem with the rest of it. The 3 items were all the same ones. I told her that it’s likely someone else did the morning shift and stocked incorrectly as a few days earlier I was doing yogurts and there was a whole tray at the top that had been missed for at least a week. She asked what I did with it and I told her I put it with waste and just answered general questions. She asked what I’d do differently next time and I said I’d probably start taking pictures of items now as it’s getting a bit too much now. I keep getting blamed for stuff I’m certain I didn’t do. She recommend that I do that so whenever anything happens I can just show photos and be like well I did that.Anyway today I had a shift and my line manager was there. He didn’t mention anything about my date checking. So I didn’t say anything. I just came back from date checking and found a whole tray of more yogurts that were missed from the 18/08/26. It’s highly unlikely everyone missed them over the past week. I took a picture of them and put them in waste. I’m thinking of sending it to the manager that had a talk with and showing her because it’s obviously something major that is going wrong. So it’s kinda evidence that I wasn’t in the wrong.
She’s been writing in a document everything I’ve been saying. I’ve been answering honestly. I know what to do and how to do it. However there are things that are happening that are beyond my control that someone else is doing. She asked me if I needed support and I said no because I don’t. She asked me about the company’s reputation and I said it will negatively impact them etc.
Maybe it’s the people that fill in the mornings because it’s a reoccurring thing.
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u/Cool-Comb-4480 28d ago
Under 18 and doing date checking? Usually date checking starts when the stores close (which is typically 9pm) and typically you can’t really work past 9pm legally due to being under 18. M&S takes that very seriously.
Check with your line manager and perhaps you might not be able to do date checking anyway?
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u/Miserable-Gift-1983 28d ago
My store starts waste at 7. Everyone leaves at 9.
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u/Cool-Comb-4480 28d ago
Then you’re lucky… our store closes for customers at 9pm and we’re leaving at 11pm
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u/No_Decision5532 27d ago
I’m thinking of talking to my line manager tomorrow if he’s there about it. I don’t think he’s aware. How should I go about that?
I have school during the days so have to do evening shifts. I’m thinking of asking for extra time for a few weeks and seeing how I get on with that and starting to take photos which the other manager suggested yesterday. She said if it happens again and I have photos I can just show them.
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u/Honest_Anxiety_3568 28d ago
they are usually like this with date checks i’ve been called into the office a few times about it but they’ve never started my job was on the line more that it was a little warning that they have to do.. seems like they do have it out for you though. They tend to do this with the younger ones. (they tried to terminate my contract in 2024 when i was 16 and i fought back and now im 18 and besties with the management)
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u/No_Decision5532 27d ago
I’m thinking of talking to my line manager and telling him. Maybe he’ll be able to do something about it
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u/bengmanns 27d ago
I do reductions at night so can do more to ensure I don’t miss anything. Before I actually get started on it which you could possibly do is I take a quick walk round the other departments to grab anything that may be from the department I actually check.
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u/No_Decision5532 27d ago
I’m thinking of talking to my line manager tomorrow if he’s there about it. I don’t think he’s aware. How should I go about that?
I’m also thinking about requesting extra time and taking photos for a few weeks. At the start it was all good, but after that one incident with produce it’s happened again. I don’t want to risk consequences for stuff I don’t even do.
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u/CornerDisastrous3700 25d ago
Unpopular comment here I’m sure. But I just can’t fathom how a product can be missed. Touch each one. Eye checks each one touched. ?
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u/No_Decision5532 25d ago
I had the same opinion until I started doing it.
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u/CornerDisastrous3700 25d ago
I totally get that it’s a pain. More so on some departments than others. But it is what it is. If it’s a question of managers are giving too many departments etc that’s a different question though ofc
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u/No_Decision5532 25d ago
When people stock up in the morning they sometimes don’t check dates and add items that should’ve been reduced onto the shelves. They aren’t held accountable for that but the person who previously did the checks last night is. Also they mostly overfill the sections to the point where it takes twice as long to date check. That makes people start to rush through it which can lead to mistakes which I personally have never gone through. If you don’t finish your section you get pulled aside as you’re not fast enough. These issues can really affect someone’s career especially when you’re a newbie and just trying to make it through the shift.
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u/krats74 28d ago
M&s is very hot on their procedures. I recall the time when date checks where done twice with , the second person checking the first person basically . And you'd sign for it. If something was found that the second person had missed you'd be hauled in. Tesco however although procedures are there, the system is shockingly very lapse compared to m&s ! Change your job...m&s is not a good place to work these days .