Marks & Spencer shoppers have been issued a two-week warning by the department store.
The retailer has issued a deadline to shoppers who have gift vouchers that they will no longer be valid to spend in store from two weeks’ time.
From October 1 2025, paper gift vouchers will no longer be accepted in any M&S stores and any balance left on them now must be spent before Tuesday, September 30 or the value will be lost forever.
You don’t necessarily need to burn the balance if there’s nothing you want to buy yet. Instead, you can exchange the paper voucher for a normal gift card as long as you do so before September 30. But if you fail to do this, you won’t be able to exchange them after the deadline.
M&S says on its website: “From 1st October 2025, M&S stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland will no longer be accepting paper gift vouchers as a payment type.
“All paper gift vouchers must be spent by 30th September 2025.
“Up until this date, you can spend your paper gift voucher on products in-store, or exchange the paper gift voucher for a gift card which can be used both in-store and online.
“If the total value of paper gift vouchers to be exchanged is £100 or less, this can be done by our colleagues in-store.
“If the value of paper gift vouchers to be exchanged is over £100, you should get in touch with our contact centre on 033301480000.”
Otherwise, normal gift cards or e gift cards remain valid past October, and are valid for 48 months from the date of purchase (or 60 months in Ireland).
Another gift card rule governs returns. Returns gift cards are only valid for 35 days from the date of issue, so if you get an item refunded to a gift card you must spend it within 35 days or you’ll lose the balance.
M&S adds: “All standard gift card and e-gift card terms and conditions are applicable to this e-gift card. However, the card expires 35 days from the date of issue.”
