M&S suffers dip in clothing volume and value share

TNS’s total clothing and footwear figures, Retail Week has learnt, showed M&S lost 60 basis points in volume and 40 basis points in value in the 52 weeks to December 6. M&S’s volume share fell from 11.6% to 11% in the period.

By contrast, George at Asda, Tesco and Primark all increased their share in the same period, according to sources.

An M&S spokeswoman said the figures were “not a surprise” because the equivalent 2008 figures had been bolstered by the 20%-off one-day Sales that it ran on November 20 and December 4, which were not repeated in 2009.

M&S executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose said at its third-quarter update that its clothing market share was up 20 basis points, but the time period was for just 12 weeks ending November 8.

The figures pile further pressure on M&S in the face of stiff competition. While it remains market leader in terms of share, value competitors Asda, Tesco and Primark are all biting at its heels. George at Asda and Primark leapfrogged M&S at one period last year for the 12 weeks to August 17, although M&S has regained the lead.

However, a source claimed the figures also show that M&S is actually ahead 30 basis points in value compared with the 52-week period to the end of 2007 - stripping out the effect of the mega-day Sales.

At its half-year results last November, M&S said it had made progress in areas of low market share including the launch of Indigo in womenswear to improve casualwear.