I shopped at Morrisons for the first time—I was surprised by 1 thing

Morrisons is a popular supermarket chain in the UK, founded as an egg-and-butter stall in 1899. It quickly became one of the UK’s biggest grocery retailers, and it’s reported to now have nearly 500 large traditional supermarkets, as well as convenience stores. It’s known for its in-store butchers, bakers, fishmongers and salad bars, though some services have recently been reduced or closed as the company restructures.

Having never lived near a Morrisons, I’ve never completed a full weekly shop in one, but that all changed last week. I decided to make the 40-minute drive to see what the supermarket was all about, but I’m not sure I’d return.

Upon first impressions, I found it to be like any other supermarket, with fresh fruit and vegetables and ample choice. 

I was also highly impressed with their salad bar, though much of it needed a top-up. The options were still great, with the tomato pasta one of the nicest supermarket pastas I’d tried.

However, navigating the store only grew stranger, and I felt like I had stepped back in time. 

It felt old-fashioned and dingy, and despite having a great in-store bakery, I was confused about why Morrisons felt so behind the times.

There were also lots of basic range food items, with little to no new items I hadn’t seen in other supermarkets.

I thought Morrisons had a reputation for value, but many items were no cheaper than rivals, and in some cases, even more expensive.

Without the low prices or the modern feel, I found it hard to see any appeal, besides the salad counter and in-store bakery.

That said, this could have just been my local supermarket, so I’d be intrigued to visit another soon to see if it’s similar. 

The homeware section was another disappointment. While other supermarkets now offer decent ranges of kitchen items, small furniture, and seasonal home goods, Morrisons had very little to browse. 

It felt limited and outdated, giving shoppers a few reasons to linger beyond the food aisles.

It seems it’s not just me that feels this way either, with one Mumsnet user claiming her local store had “gone downhill” last year, while another said their local was “miserable”.

Despite still managing to complete somewhat of a food shop, I can’t see myself returning anytime soon.