One of the most ethical supermarket chains (4/5 Green Stars) Most of my Drogheda shopping breaks down as follows: • Fruit and veg in various places (wherever I can find organic and packaging-free food) • Bits and pieces from the health food shop on Stockwell Lane • Goodies and a few staples from Marks & Spencer OK – it’s mostly goodies. I do also like some of the prepared food from M&S, but I generally prefer to cook. Which goodies? Well, beyond the mince pies, crackers and chocolate biscuits, I like the potato farls from M&S and think they serve as a good example of why I choose food from there. Tesco, Lidl, etc., all sell potato farls, but they generally contain palm oil of dubious origin. Similarly, there are lots of tempting-looking cookies and cakes at Aldi and Lidl, etc., but I always hesitate to buy them because of ethical concerns over ingredients like palm oil, cacao, eggs, etc. But that brings up another point: the cakes etc., from Aldi and Lidl may be “tempting-looking” but often they disappoint. Bakewell slices from “Holly Lane” are sickly sweet and barely worth eating. Sure, the prices at Aldi and Lidl are low, but M&S sells close-to-expiration items that are around 50% off – shopping here is pretty affordable when you’re flexible about what you buy! And it really is a necessary solution to food waste – most of the other stores just trash food at the expiration date. But even at regular prices, I’d much rather buy from M&S – most of the items are more ethical and just taste way better than equivalent items from Lidldi. Several of the items from M&S look boring but actually really good – the almond cookies are a good example. I would never have tried them until a friend recommended them, and now I several items taste much better than the packaging would suggest – they even made tasty rice cakes! But a major reason to support M&S is because the company tries (a lot harder than Aldidl) to do the right thing. Here’s more about that….. I’m giving Mark’s and Spencer 4/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact for the following reasons: • M&S pledged to double sales of vegetarian and vegan products by 2024. This is really key for dealing with climate change. • A carbon neutral business (in M&S’s own operations) since 2012 • 13 M&S stores have a packaging-free refillable grocery concept, Fill Your Own. • M&S aims to have 100% of food packaging being recyclable by next year. • M&S received a good score from the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare. • Ethical Consumer gives M&S its best rating for supply chain management. • Sourcing of cacoa, coffee, and palm oil (when used) is better than most supermarket chains. There is still room for improvement, though… • All workers in the M&S supply chain have the right to join a union and engage in collective bargaining. • Supplier factories are audited at least annually by third party, independent auditors • Back in 2015, M&S was the only major retailer to have committed to implement a process to ensure that clothing suppliers are able to pay workers a fair living wage (e.g., in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka). • As of 2019, M&S sources 100% of its cotton from more sustainable sources (Better Cotton initiative). • M&S sells a lot of food items at around 50% discount when close to expiration, helping to deal with food waste.

The prices are without doubt some of the most expensive I’ve ever seen in the food department. If that’s what Brexit does to a UK company no thanks. I used to love M&S what a pity.

Great, coffee shop excellent service staff only one very helpful throughout my time, placing a second order as i felt so relaxed.

I had the cream tea and I recommend it because it's good value for money. I was lucky the cafe wasn't busy so it was nice and quiet (at around 5pm).

A lady called Phillapa looked after me today she is is marvelous she made sure everything that I was buying fitted properly as I am 80 I really appreciate the care she gave thank you

I wish to compliment your staff in Drogheda store today 27th July. I was served by Patricia who was helpful curteous at the till. Then the lady in the cafe was cheerful and also very helpful. Altogether a most uplifting shopping experience. Your lucky to have such nice staff.

This is without a doubt The Worst M&S I have ever used over 30yrs! Woeful Food Hall and everything about to go off. Terrible selection and layout compared to other M&S stores.....Santry or Liffey Valley M&S is more like Drogheda store should be. Today I waited more than 5mins whilst the only cashier Open explained how the App can be downloaded whilst 10+ people waited in the queue to the Gentleman before me. The Gentleman then felt obliged to apologise, which he shouldn't...

Always a pleasure to shop here. Impeccably turned out staff that keep the customer at the forefront. Yes they are more expensive than the other big players, but what you pay for is what you get. There has been three managers that I have had the opportunity to deal with and they have been excellent. I really do wish they would be bigger but no worries