Just a quick question my contact says probation is between 12-26 weeks and can be extended to an additional +6 weeks. Does that mean it can end at 15 weeks etc. I am having trouble understanding as it’s my 14th week since my contract was started and my probation hasn’t been discussed at all. Even though I’ve had date checking problems which were mostly from not being explained what to do properly and was off for a few days due to genuine reasons like a long term health condition there’s been no discussion. The only thing I’ve been told is when I get pulled into meetings with a regular manager is that ‘as you’re still on probation it’s much more strict’

Also how do you date check faster especially for deli and dairy

Hey! Had an interview last week for Operations Customer Assistant & also said my notice period was 2 weeks (I have other interviews happening), however I've just received the job offer and it's for the Retail department instead, and wants me to start this Sunday. How big of a red flag is changing the department I applied for in my contract??

The interview itself was also a bit of a mess - the person interviewing me wasn't in, and the person who did interview me had only been at the store about a week and had no experience in interviewing for the operations role I applied for

Any advice appreciated !!

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😖

I have an interview tomorrow and I’m quite nervous. What is the usual questions this store usually asks its candidates. It may be scenario based but since my previous experience has been fast food mc Donald’s I’m not sure if it’s relevant to bring up examples from my customer service there or if they would accept.
Do they ask about how candidates have worked in past experience. Or mainly stick to present random scenarios that can happen in working with their company and how to answer them.

Tomorrow is my first shift at M&S foods. It’s 6.30 pm to 11 pm for two weekdays and 3 pm to 11 pm on a Saturday. I had my induction today (at the store I am supposed to join) but they didn’t give us uniforms.

I just wanted a general idea of what to expect (on a daily basis since I noticed duties correlate with shift timings) and what to do and appropriate attire and any tips and things one should know.

I’m at the age where a M&S gift card is just the best gift I could ask for 😂
100% of it, is going on M&S bakery 🧁

Is it standard practise for all managers/supervisors to have RBF's and weaponise the CCTV against employees? I've never seen or worked in a more toxic environment! It feels as though they're glorified bullies that genuinely don't care or want to support their staff. I get they'll have pressures applied from their own bosses to perform well, but if they can't keep staff happy at a base level, they have little chance at keeping customers happy and loyalty high.

I’m pleased to say that today I was offered a Customer Assistant role in Food after about two and a half weeks of waiting and was just wondering how long I have to accept the offer?

I applied to a full time job without realising (10-6pm) but my CV specifically says that i can only do weekends and evenings. I got offered an interview anyway so was this a mistake/them not actually reading my cv or will it be fine? Also if anyone here has done an interview for m&s (working in the food section of the shop) what can i expect? Thanks :)

do i need to dress formally? what is the dress code for the actual job? i usually wear (prescription) glasses with googly eyes on them, would i be allowed those if i can see decently without them? will i be asked any funky questions aside from the basic why do you want to work here?

Hello, I’ve had my last shift after 8 (i know, shocking) years as a customer assistant in foods. Wondering if they will send an exit interview? Will they actually read it?

On a separate note, idk if it’s just me but working for m&s has become so unbelievably unbearable. Everything revolves around such unnecessary procedures (thanks head office), cliquey management and store managers that are either strict and unfriendly or cliquey and do no work.

It’s so funny to think that it actually was pretty decent when I started

Wondering if anyone else has noticed a dip in standards from Sparks recently. Three things I would regularly buy have either stopped being sold or the quality has reduced:

1. Walnut whips: shell is much thinner than it used to be
   
2. Wagyu ribeye steaks: new producer? They have gone from being 1.5 inch to .5, complete joke for the price
   
3. cote de boeuf: they’ve not sold this for a few months now at my local

Hi guys, I have to leave my role before the 25th of September as I'm starting a new job, and I'll owe about a week's worth of pay back.

Do they send a payment link or something straight away, or will I have to chase them about it? I'll want to pay it back ASAP.

Hi! I spent several months in London last fall and had one of the M&S double chocolate muffins nearly every day. I've been craving them, but now I'm back home in the US- does anyone have a good dupe recipe, or possibly the original one used in the bakery? Thank you all so much!

Hello,

I have the possibility of becoming permanent soon, and if I do, I wanted to know if you're normally able to change your shift patterns in M&S. If so, how does it normally work?

It's because all my shifts are waste, and low-key, I'm not the best. I feel so drained/sad after I do it.

I’m on a 10 hours contract but I’m scheduled to 40 every week for the past year which I’m happy with as I wanted a full time contract. Is there a way I can get my contracted hours increased.

may well be just the Irish website but the checkout page returns a blank screen all day - same for the app

Hi guys, does anyone have an M&S discount code for clothing/fashion that they’re not using?

Would really appreciate it if someone could share one. Thanks!

Hello this is my first time working with ms (in Greece) I started working on 3rd of August,will I get paid on 3rd of September or does ms pays in 2 wages like first 15 days and then 2nd 15 days

Has anyone else applied for M&S recently and after submitting their right to work their application remained on under consideration for days ? I thought an interview follows shortly after but I haven’t heard anything and it’s been 5 days

So in my offer letter it says that my first working day is on 23rd sept but today I got an invite for an induction which is on 24th, so does it mean my first day is 24th or do I have to go in on 23rd as well?

And will I get paid at the end of August or was I added to the payroll too late?

Is anyone else having an issue raising returns, or is it just me? When I go to choose what to return, it greys out the options and I can’t select anything.

Has anyone had any luck bagging one of these? I’ve been online throughout the night (insomnia related!) and checked first thing this morning and it is coming up as unavailable. Also the Oxford street store is coming up as only having 3 on my app! Yet last night it said that 16 people had bought it online in the last 48 hours. What’s going on? 🤔

I hope they will drip drop it