Marks & Spencer news

In partnership with Wasabi, M&S will trial sushi counters in five stores.  Sushi concessions becoming a supermarket staple Four of the five trial stores will be in London, and are due to open before Christmas. Within food-to-go, sushi is a popular healthy and convenient choice for customers. UK grocers are choosing to partner with specialist counter operators, ensuring expert in-store ...

Marks & Spencer has reported solid growth in its food business, helped by new store openings, better ranging and stronger promotions. New stores fuel progress in food In the 13 weeks to July 1st, UK food sales increased by 4.5% as new Simply Food stores performed ahead of expectations. Performance was also boosted by the late timing of Easter, without which food sales would only have increa...

Marks & Spencer has announced full year results for 2016/17, reporting total group sales of £10,622m, up 0.6% on the previous year which was a 53-week period.  Taking a 52-week comparison, growth was stronger up 2.2%, with UK sales on +1.3% up to £9,442m and international sales on £1,180m up 10.7% (driven by a weaker pound).  However, profitability was down, with group adjusted operating profit f...

M&S has announced that it is to launch an online grocery trial in the autumn, as the retailer plans to grow its food business. Can no longer ignore the fastest growing grocery channel M&S has confirmed that it is to launch an online grocery delivery trial this autumn, with a team of executives currently drawing up plans for it. Up until now, offering an online grocery service has not made e...

M&S unveils plans to open 36 new stores as part of its five-year store plan. Reshaping the estate Marks & Spencer has announced plans to open 36 new stores over the coming six months as part of a broader move to reshape its retail estate and grow its food business. 34 of the new site openings will be dedicated food stores, with the remaining 2 clothing, home and food stores.  The announc...

Ahead of our forthcoming retail safari on 23 March, we look at four key areas of learning from London's innovative retail landscape. 1.Growing food-to-go in retail  Food-to-go in London is a hotbed of activity and innovation. Leading retailers are closely following the trends, and in some instances driving them, so London provides a great case study in highlighting food-to-go implementation...

We've been visiting some of London's latest concepts and locations to share some of the latest thinking in food-to-go. Princi, 135 Wardour Street While Princi isn't a new addition on Soho's Wardour St, Starbucks' 2016 acquisition of this Italian concept certainly caught our eye. And, if you can't make it to its Milan heartland, this London outpost is the next best thing. In common with S...

Reporting its Q3 trading performance for 13 weeks to 31 December Marks & Spencer has announced total Groups sales up 5.9%, with its UK business up 4.5%, under-pinned by like-for-like sales of +1.9%.  Within the UK it was (for once) sales in Clothing and Home categories that drove the performance, benefiting from better ranges and availability in the crucial Christmas trading period. Clothing ga...

M&S has announced a major shift in strategy that will see the retailer refocus on growing its food business faster, reduce its estate of clothing and home stores and close loss making operations in international markets. The changes follow the conclusion of a strategic review announced by new chief executive Steve Rowe in May. Sharp fall in half year profits M&S experienced a sharp fall in ...

M&S UK has reported a -4.3% drop in LFL value sales in Q1, with total sales down -1.1%. LFL food sales decline for the first time in 26 consecutive quarters Like-for-like food sales have declined by -0.9% in the 13 weeks ending July 2nd, with this year's timing of Easter a particularly prominent determiner of this negative performance. Total food sales grew by +4%, buoyed by the acc...