M&S shoppers go wild for bizarre fruit that's leaving them completely divided

The Sun

7 days ago

M&S shoppers are going wild for a bizarre hybrid fruit that's leaving them divided.
Social media is awash with posts and pictures of the citrussy creation - but not everyone is keen on the concept.
The posh retailer has brought back its Limelon, shaped and tasting like a melon with a hint of lime.
But customers and foodies have been left divided over the £3 buy.
Some are massive fans, branding it "delicious" and saying they "can't wait" to try it on Facebook.
But others have flat out rejected the concept, with one calling it "disgusting" and another saying they were left unimpressed.
Shoppers on M&S' website are similarly divided, with one saying it was "tasteless and ended up in (the) bin" and another plainly calling it "weird".
But others said it was "extremely juicy" and another a "game changer".
Shoppers keen to give the limelon a try can order it for home delivery via Ocado, which sells M&S products.
Posts on TikTok and Facebook suggest it's available in stores as well, but it's not clear if it's on sale across all M&S branches.
Neither is it clear when the limelon was first launched but reports suggest it made its first appearance on shelves in 2020.
We have asked M&S if the fruit is back permanently, what the calories are and when it was first launched and we'll update this story when we have heard back.
Four ways to save money at M&S
Shoppers on the lookout for limelons in stores can find their nearest M&S branch via - www.marksandspencer.com/store-listing.
If you are buying one, shoppers are recommended to keep it in the fridge.
As ever, you should always shop around before buying any product as you might find it cheaper elsewhere.
Trolley.co.uk is a useful website for comparing the price of supermarket items.
We looked on the site and found there are other supermarkets selling limelons, and you can get them cheaper elsewhere.
Sainsbury's is selling one for £2.50 while Morrisons has one for £3.
OTHER M&S NEWS
M&S said this week it will dish out treats to customers after a cyber attack devastated its systems leaving some services down for weeks.
The retailer said over 1.8million customers will receive birthday gifts this month, including those who missed out in May and June.
Its Sparks loyalty scheme is also fully back online, it has confirmed.
The retailer said staff can enjoy 30% off for four days across Fashion, Home and Beauty products as well - 10% higher than the standard 20% discount.
It comes as the retailer tries to recover from the cyber incident which cost it £300million in lost profits and left it crippled.
Timeline of the attack
Saturday, April 19: Initial reports emerge on social media of problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect services at M&S stores across the UK. Customers experience difficulties collecting online purchases and returning items due to system issues.
Monday, April 21: Problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect persist. M&S officially acknowledges the "cyber incident" in a statement to the London Stock Exchange. CEO Stuart Machin apologises for the disruption and confirms "minor, temporary changes" to store operations. M&S notifies the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and engages external cybersecurity experts.
Tuesday, April 22: Disruptions continue. M&S takes further systems offline as part of "proactive management".
Wednesday, April 23: Despite earlier claims of customer-facing systems returning to normal, M&S continues to adjust operations to maintain security. Contactless payments are initially restored, but other services, including click-and-collect, remain affected.
Thursday, April 24: Contactless payments and click-and-collect services are still unavailable. Reports surface suggesting the attackers possibly gained access to data in February.
Friday, April 25: M&S suspends all online and app orders in the UK and Ireland for clothing and food, although customers can still browse products. This decision leads to a 5% drop in M&S's share price.
Monday, April 28: M&S is still unable to process online orders. Around 200 agency workers at the main distribution centre are told to stay home.
Tuesday, April 29: Information suggests that the hacker group Scattered Spider is likely behind the attack. Shoppers spot empty shelves in selected stores.
Tuesday, May 13: M&S revealed that some customer information has been stolen.
Wednesday, May 21: The retailer said disruption from the attack is expected to continue through to July.
Tuesday, June 10: The retailer reveals it's bringing back online shopping - but click and collect still not available.
Tuesday, July 1: M&S boss says the company is hoping to have online operations running 'fully' within four weeks.
Online shopping has since returned across England, Scotland and Wales, but Northern Irish customers are still waiting for an update.
Last week, three teenagers and a woman were arrested in the UK as part of an investigation into the attacks.
They have since been released on bail.
M&S also recently announced it is increasing the number of products sold in larger family packs across its aisles.