All Marks & Spencer articles
Marks & Spencer is one of the most revered names in UK retail. Michael Marks and Tom Spencer opened the retailer’s first store, a Penny Bazaar, in Leeds back in 1894. It made its reputation in the early 20th century by selling only British-made products, selling clothing and food under the St Michael brand. In the 1970s and 1980s, M&S pushed into international markets including the US, Canada and France. The retailer has focused on becoming more digital, shelling out £750m to snap up a 50% stake in Ocado Retail in February 2019 - a deal that allowed it to sell food online for the first time.
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NewsWHSmith chief executive sees ‘exciting opportunities’ in American airports and UK hospitals
WHSmith chief executive Carl Cowling said he sees “exciting opportunities” for growth across North American airports and UK hospitals, following the retailer’s preliminary results for the year to August 31.
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AnalysisAre job cuts, store closures and inflation really inevitable after Labour’s Budget retail ram raid?
From “disappointing” to “clobbered”, the retail backlash to last month’s Budget has only grown with every passing day. The next question is what the sector will do in response?
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NewsM&S expands beauty takeback scheme to 100 stores across the UK
M&S has expanded its beauty takeback scheme to an additional 60 stores in the UK in its latest push for circularity and sustainability.
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NewsM&S has overtaken Waitrose for the first time in the critical pre-Christmas period
Marks & Spencer has overtaken Waitrose as the grocer Middle England for the first time, as well as outstripping every other supermarket in sales growth.
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Opinion‘Grocers’ Budget anger is understandable, but passing on the pain to consumers would be unforgivable’
The supermarkets have led an uncharacteristically brutal retail response to the recent Budget. While grocers have every right to feel aggrieved, Hugh Radojev writes, they’d do well to have a good hard think before passing costs onto their consumers
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AnalysisBudget backlash: Sainsbury’s boss warns tax rises will lead to higher prices
Despite posting surging profits and sales at the half year, Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts became the latest retail boss to warn that Labour’s all stick and no carrot approach to business will lead to higher prices.
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VideoMarks & Spencer unveils clothing and home Christmas advert
Marks & Spencer’s seasonal ad for its clothing and home categories has aired today, carrying the message ‘Christmas starts here’.
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AnalysisWhy Marks & Spencer is confident on growth despite £60m Budget ‘double whammy’
After smashing interim results expectations, Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Machin sees plenty of opportunity to keep up momentum across the board – despite unwelcome extra costs following the recent Budget.
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Retail Navigator AnalysisMarks & Spencer (Financials)
Marks & Spencer’s ‘reshape for growth’ programme continued to deliver robust results in the 52 weeks ended 30 March 2024 (FY2023). Group statutory revenues jumped 9.3% to £13,0401m with group sales including consignment sales climbing 9.4% to £13,109m.
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NewsM&S profits and sales soar as strong food and clothing sales drive growth
Marks & Spencer’s profits and sales have soared, driven by strong sales performances from its food and clothing businesses.
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InterviewQ&A: Chelsea Peers founder on continuing to capitalise on the loungewear boom
Retail Week sat down with premium pyjama and loungewear brand Chelsea Peers founder Tom Pyne, to discuss the ongoing boom of loungewear, the importance of a broad customer base, and how third-party partners have been the key to success.
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VideoM&S doubles down on Dawn French in latest Christmas ads
Marks & Spencer has launched its 2024 Christmas food advert, featuring twice the amount of beloved actor and comedian Dawn French.
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Opinion‘Next’s membership of retail’s billion club is likely to be longer-lived than some’
Big-name retailers have made profits of £1bn only to fade afterward. Next looks likely to beat that trend, argues George MacDonald
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Retail Navigator AnalysisMarks & Spencer (Strategy)
Marks & Spencer’s plans to install self-checkouts to all its fitting rooms means customers won’t have to queue twice, helping remove friction from their in-store experience and giving them choice on how they shop.
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NewsM&S is going to add self-checkouts to all of its fitting rooms
Marks & Spencer is set to add self-checkouts to all of its fitting rooms to prevent customers from queuing twice while shopping.
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NewsM&S boss Stuart Machin: Raising taxes at budget ‘easy way out’ for government
Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Machin has urged chancellor Rachel Reeves to not take “the easy way out”, after reports that the government is considering raising the national insurance paid by employers in the upcoming budget.
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InterviewQ&A: How M&S director's back-to-the-floor experience is now changing the business
Marks & Spencer people director Sarah Findlater has just finished a three-month stint working in store again.
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NewsMarks & Spencer to launch collaboration with designer Bella Freud
Marks & Spencer is gearing up to launch its exclusive collaboration with fashion designer Bella Freud later this week.
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AnalysisRevealed: The UK’s top grocery innovators and what’s key to their success
As the most competitive retail sector in the UK, nothing comes easy for the grocers, making innovation and transformation an essential part of supermarket strategies as they fight for share of wallet.
Here we reveal three of the winning grocery innovations explored in Retail Week’s latest report, The Grocery Innovators: Redefining Food Retail -
AnalysisFestive face-off: Who will win the health and beauty battle this golden quarter?
With high street giants like John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Boots upping their beauty game in the run-up to Christmas, Retail Week looks at who is winning the health and beauty battle this golden quarter