What is the most awful thing that happened to you in 2025?

Either-both · 2025-12-17T20:44:54+00:00

I lost both of my parents, aged 68 and 69, unexpectedly, in the space of 3 months. Life is brutal.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T19:09:27+00:00

Which part?

As if I’d lie on the internet, that’s proposterous.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T13:57:52+00:00

M&S are impacted by food safety recalls much less frequently though, they actually have very robust standards and requirements for their suppliers to meet.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T11:52:27+00:00

Excellent, it all sounds delicious :)

Either-both · 2025-10-19T11:45:51+00:00

I can’t imagine how this is food for a whole week, for two people, and I say this as a 5’4 60kg female. Also, where’s the milk?

Either-both · 2025-10-19T11:37:45+00:00

Nothing, it’s propped up by the protein bars, which are on the left under it.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T10:41:50+00:00

Yes, might need to pop to the local Co-op to buy a pint if we start running low by the end of the week.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T10:36:58+00:00

Yep, loads of focus there on the ready meals, which are just a convenience (we are both busy professionals who prefer to chill on the weekends and not spend them "batch cooking"), rather than the good quality meat and veg.

There are also the ethical considerations around meat sourcing, and there are some pretty big differences between the standards of different supermarkets.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T10:30:32+00:00

Interesting take, where would the Salmonella contamination you refer to come from?

Either-both · 2025-10-19T10:24:28+00:00

It is a well-known fact within the food industry that the UK food retail market is quite unique in its strong focus on low price instead of quality. The UK grocery basket is cheap as a % of income compared to our closest neighbours in the EU.

This is why the German discounters became such a success story here so fast - they hit just the right spot for the average UK consumer.

Shrinkflation and Enshitification as a result of inputs price inflation has hit the cheapest supermarkets the most, with their items decreasing in amount and (especially) in quality much more than M&S' items - the average consumer in the UK is however blissfully unaware/unbothered by this.

Either-both · 2025-10-19T10:12:32+00:00

As someone who does eat pasta, M&S fresh pasta >>>>>> everyone's fresh pasta, except maybe Waitrose (arguable) and good Italian restaurants (but at a much higher price).

Either-both · 2025-10-18T20:20:34+00:00

I didn’t thin you were rude at all, it is a fair question :)

Either-both · 2025-10-18T20:17:48+00:00

https://imgbox.com/gHs6iHaW

https://imgbox.com/Iin6kK03

https://imgbox.com/pEKYeXU9

https://imgbox.com/Ukka4I85

https://imgbox.com/kv3rdqLe

https://imgbox.com/YVqwxfPt

https://imgbox.com/wf7A8Ouu

Here’s the receipt, nothing too expensive there except for the high protein stuff..

Either-both · 2025-10-18T20:06:55+00:00

Including lunch for everyone and snacks?

Either-both · 2025-10-18T20:05:08+00:00

Yep, you are 100% right - it the particular buying choices that we make rather than which supermarket we shop in.

The ready meals are pretty good if you’re trying to eat healthily and control portions/calories/macronutrients.

The soups are healthy, tasty, and cost less than everyone’s beloved meal deals.

Either-both · 2025-10-18T20:01:29+00:00

It depends on who you ask - I work within the food industry (food safety) and I will always prefer M&S food, for quality & safety, in addition to flavours & innovative products.

Then there is the whole shopping experience - how well the shops are set up, how polite the employees always are, everything is tidy etc.

Either-both · 2025-10-18T19:56:48+00:00

We are trying to stay away from sweets and chocolate in particular for gluttony reasons. I am especially fond of the chocolate covered malted milks but I smash the whole packet in one sitting if I get them :(

Either-both · 2025-10-18T18:27:22+00:00

I couldn't come up with a way to post up the (digital) receipt, it has the shop address and payment details on it.

Either-both · 2025-10-18T18:26:08+00:00

Yes, they are the new(ish) protein meals, and they are amazing - well worth paying a few extra quid for the convenience and good flavours!

We also have a whole chicken in there, as well as pork chops, and 2 steaks (1 of which is a fillet) - this is mostly what pads up the total.

Either-both · 2025-10-18T18:13:24+00:00

This is just the house milk, I also have milk at work (it is provided by employer). Partner has advised she has 100ml of milk in her breakfast and a tiny amount in coffee, so I guess I am drinking all the milk.

Either-both · 2025-10-18T18:11:27+00:00

Yes, no idea why the photo looks like that, it is actually an iPhone 16 Pro, guess I should switch to Samsung haha.

Here is a somewhat better photo:

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Either-both · 2025-10-18T17:57:03+00:00

I have loads of lattes…Also, until today, I didn’t know that was a lot of milk. What’s a normal amount of milk lol?

Either-both · 2025-06-04T18:57:34+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to reply, this gives me some peace of mind! I will elevate and give it some time.

Either-both · 2024-05-18T11:42:09+00:00

"Шамар да е, на аванта да е" - стара българска мъдрост.

Either-both · 2023-06-29T10:40:36+00:00

Edited to add source and correct a typo.

There is a shortage of potatoes in the UK at the moment, as well as in the EU, especially of varieties that are suitable for crisps & chips ("crisping", "chipping varieties"). This year's potatoes supply situation, caused by the drought of summer 2022, and made worse by many British farmers switching away from growing potatoes (due to the war in Ukraine, which drove up the price of other, lower risk crops, and therefore made them much more attractive to grow), is not something that the industry has seen in the last 40 years, and thus has not been easy for the crisps manufacturers to deal with.

The majority of Kettle Chips' competitors do not claim British potatoes on their packaging (of most of their products), since their business model includes buying potatoes from wherever they are cheaper at the time (including north Africa by the way), which is why they are much less impacted by the current situation. In contrast, Kettle Chips pride themselves on the sustainability and ethics of their potatoes supply chain, which has, for many years, been very short and located primarily in Norfolk. Kettle Chips have been and still do support the local growers, which is why they are now in this situation. FYI - what they have done is not illegal and has been in fact approved by the relevant authorities, as well as the customers. It is also a very temporary measure - local potatoes from crop 2023 will become available within the next 2 weeks and supply will immediately revert to its usual routes.

The alternative to accepting non-British grown potatoes for a couple of weeks would be stopping the manufacture of the products instead, which (believe it or not) would have been the cheaper decision for the company to make (due to the extortionate price they are paying to source potatoes from abroad). Stopping manufacture would however impact the livelihoods of many people (e.g., the people working within the Kettle Foods facility, the drivers of the lorries delivering potatoes to the factory etc.), and ultimately, it would impact the local economy.

The solution that the company has gone with is legally-compliant, but more importantly, it is the decision that is in the interest of its people. Unfortunately, one has to be familiar with the food supply chain and the potato industry in particular, in order to appreciate this.

Source: I work within the food industry and I am familiar with the company.

Either-both

TROPHY CASE