Doncaster shopper's shock as M&S sells mince pies - which have to be eaten by October

High street giant Marks & Spencer has come under fire for selling festive treats so early that they have a sell by date of October on them.

Christmas puddings, festive cakes and chocolates have all also gone on sale – just as children return to school after the summer break.

There was widespread ridicule over Marks & Spencer’s festive £2.75 boxes of mince pies — decorated with pastry holly leaves — which have a best before date of October 6 woth one bemused shopper saying: “The world has gone mad.”

One 72-year-old shopper surveying an aisle of Yuletide treats at the M&S in Doncaster said: “I just don’t get it.

“Summer is not even over, and the kids are barely back in school.

“Who wants to be scoffing a mince pie in September?

“Nothing says ‘Christmas’ like having to wolf your mince pies down by early October — when we’ve not even started thinking about Halloween.

“The world has gone mad, and M&S are not helping.”

Other Christmas items on shelves already include Santa-shaped chocolate bars for £1, choc festive bears at £3, packs of elf lollies for £3 and nets of golden coins for £1.25 — though these have sell-by-dates beyond December 25.

There have been growing grumbles in recent years about the rush for Christmas starting earlier and earlier, with several retailers coming under fire for releasing festive stock as early as August.