Shoppers heartbroken as M&S discontinues one of its popular perfume dupes

The Sun

28-04-2025

SHOPPERS have been left heartbroken after M&S discontinued one of its popular perfumes.
The posh supermarket is well-known for creating bargain scents that smell similar to high-end perfume brands.
But one of the perfumes in its range is no longer available in stores, much to the dismay of a customer who had been trying to stock up.
They wrote on X: "Oh M&S please don't say this has been discontinued? Blue samphire and cassis perfume, I love it."
The supermarket then responded: "Hi Amanda, I'm sorry to say this has now been discontinued. Our Beauty Team have instead suggested the new Warm Bergamot, which you might like".
The Blue Samphire and Cassis perfume had come in a 100ml bottle and sold for £8.
It was described on the M&S website as a "unique, heady fragrance" that "brings together samphire's wild, ocean-inspired scent and the sweet, berry notes of cassis".
The scent came in a deep blue glass bottle.
Although the perfume is no longer available at M&S, it is currently selling on eBay for £29.95 - much more than its original retail price.
Shoppers can still get their hands on other popular perfumes in the supermarket's range, though.
For £8, you can also get the Pink Pepper scene which is described as "fresh, uplifting and feel-good".
The description reads: "Vibrant orange blossom mingles with floral pink pepper and intoxicating jasmine, all layered over a sweet base of patchouli, vanilla and amber musks."
Shoppers say it is a great dupe for Lancome's La Vie est Belle, which costs £97 for a 50ml bottle.
There is also Sweet Pistachio, which has notes of pistachio, tuberose and warm tonka bean.
It's said to have "soft, nutty notes with a touch of floral sweetness".
This one is widely considered to be a dupe for Huda Beauty's Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato, which costs £79.
Meanwhile Fresh Mandarin has a zingy citrus scent, with notes of fruity cassis, orange flower and mandarin.
M&S says: "This develops into a floral heart of jasmine, rose and ylang ylang with the sweetness of tonka bean, rounded off with a creamy amber, vanilla and sandalwood base."
Best perfumes from M&S
M&S has now become one of the high street's coolest retailers.
Fabulous' Beauty Writer, Mia Lyndon, tried and tested the latest perfumes from Marks and Spencer.
"This summer, M&S introduced several new beauty brands to its shelves and extended its own-label offerings, meaning it's becoming one of the best beauty retailers on the high street.
And the new Provenance perfumes piqued my interest; starring seven fragrances from earthy sandalwood to sugary rose - they're some of the best-value fragrances I've reviewed this year.
Costing just £16 each, here are my favourite perfumes from the new collection..."
Provenance No.1 Citrus Soleil Eau de Parfum Set
Sugary, sticky and fresh, Citrus Soleil smells like a mouthful of boiled sweets with sparkling notes of lemon peel and orange blossom. It gives you an instant hit of sunshine.
Provenance No.2 Neroli Blush Eau de Parfum Set
Crisp and floral, Neroli Blush smells like fresh laundry and powdery pink musk. With sumptuous notes of jasmine with tangy grapefruit, it's perfect for hunkering down this autumn/winter.
Provenance No.3 Coastal Breeze Eau de Parfum Set
Coastal breeze smells like the first breath of morning air. It's totally unisex, it stars seaweed and crisp white musk, striking a balance between sweet and cool.
You can read the full article, where Mia shares her thoughts on every perfume in the collection - here.
It comes as M&S is dealing with a major cyber attack that has left it unable to take orders on both its website and app.
The incident began a week ago when customers were unable to use contactless payments in store or pick up click-and-collect orders.
On Friday, the supermarket said it was halting taking online orders as part of its "proactive management of the incident".
It said it was "working extremely hard" to restore its online operations and that stores remain open and ready to serve customers.
The full product range is still available to browse online and it's understood shoppers can still get the M&S range through the Ocado website as normal.