We’ve seen M&S champion quality and speciality when it comes to fresh produce – and that’s what customers come to them for. But the firm has also acknowledged the ever-increasing pressure to deliver their offer more sustainably; is it possible the retailer can overhaul their approach and innovate to overcome this? Summer’s on the way – could a certain red fruit be an impactful place to start this transformation?

When approaching the tomato fixture in M&S’s flagship Marble Arch store, the selection is relatively humble. Amongst one loose on-the-vine variety, sit a several plastic flow-wrapped packs containing varieties including bespoke Dutch hybrid ‘Santini’, British vine ripened claret, plenty of ‘Piccolini’ (the retailers adopted name for well-known variety of cherry tomato piccolo) in both red and mixed colour formats. 3 organic varieties are distinguished by their cardboard tray in place of the traditional plastic punnet, however, are still enveloped in plastic; at least the everyday round and cherry tomatoes are contained in a single bag and forgo the additional plastic punnet…

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Considering M&S can boast claims such as being the world’s first and only carbon neutral major retailer (3), the amount of plastic in their produce fixture could be considered brand damaging. If M&S were to start somewhere in plastic reduction, fresh produce seems logical. Greengrocers have started to recognise the millennial backlash against plastic has positively influenced footfall in independent establishments, selling locally sourced loose fruit and vegetables. It’s estimated 3000 greengrocers have closed between 1997-2008, however modern-day foodies are supposedly following in the footsteps of TV chefs and are now more inspired by freshness (2). As touched upon in the previous post, M&S are trialling plastic reduction in their Tolworth store and re-introducing greengrocers to the shop floor. If this image is becoming favourable to a younger generation, this may be a way to widen their customer base and tap into nostalgia and tradition that may resonate with their core customers.

But how can M&S do this differently, and in a means specific to tomatoes? An unavoidable by-product of tomato farming is the excess vine and leaves, which becomes available in large quantities before being typically composted or wasted at the end of each growing season. It has been explored whether this can be used for functional purposes; in 2015, packaging firm Solidus Solutions piloted boxes made from tomato plant board, after identifying comparable properties to conventional paper and wood fibres (7). By removing water from the plant, fibres can be combined with wood and paper to create functional packaging. More recently, Waitrose were first to market in bringing tomato plant packaging to a retail setting as an own label initiative, following successful trials in 2017 (5). While this is a massive leap forward for the firm, the new packaging is restricted solely to their organic duchy range and is still wrapped in plastic.

While the ship may have sailed for a first to market concept for M&S, there is still opportunity (and perhaps an urgent need) to expand on this idea. Industry publications have scrutinised M&S for their complacent attitudes towards plastic packaging, describing the retailer as “the worst” when it comes to unnecessary usage of plastic (1). If sufficient fibres are available, the retailer could potentially convert all plastic trays to tomato plant trays – and capitalizing on positive media attention surrounding their Tolworth trial – ditch the flow wrap and cement themselves as the first retailer to offer a totally plastic free tomato fixture. But why all this effort, why not fully channel the ‘Tolworth’ approach and make tomatoes an entirely loose offering? WRAP have conducted research into plastic packaging in fresh produce and discovered banishing packaging entirely may in fact be detrimental to our food. “Free flow tomatoes are associated with higher waste at the retail stage due to the damage caused by citizen handling” (6, p. 32) which may potentially contribute to the wider issue of food waste. While this is beginning to be recognised, this is not well communicated to customers; visual merchandising reflecting the packaging relaunch, headed with “we’ve changed how we look” and a brief summary of the necessity to package tomatoes in this way, is the most clear and concise way to deliver the message that M&S are actively addressing concerns surrounding plastic while maintaining the quality their customers expect.

Findings have further supported viability of plastic substitutes; an edible coating, consisting of mango kernel, starch, and sorbitol was shown to keep tomatoes mould free for 18 days, pretty good considering standard shelf life is up to 14 days from harvest to end of display and domestically, can be up to 11 days at room temperature. In terms of flow wrap, alternatives have also been explored using bitter-cassava; although not as effective as plastic, the fruit remained an acceptable colour and weight throughout the experiment. In the event this is unachievable in the short term, M&S could address the plastic elephant in the room by directing customers attention to their plastic recycling incentives. The retailer is attempting to divert plastic destined for landfill by allowing customers to deposit non-recyclable plastics in new recycling bins; to make this even less work for customers, an additional opportunity could be created for customers to dump their plastic at the till. This presents a dual benefit – tomatoes will maintain optimum quality by retaining protective plastic packaging up until display, while customers have greater visibility of the brands plastic recycling incentives with M&S making it easier for them to contribute. Collected materials will be recycled in a variety of ways, either as fittings and furnishings in stores or even as playground equipment to be distributed throughout schools. The initiative is currently under trial, however as more plastic is collected, this will in turn be transformed into additional bins to expand the scheme nationwide (4).

It may not seem packaging is an obvious route to showcase innovation for M&S, particularly as the quality and uniqueness of their products is so centric to their value-proposition. Why not stick to what they know and pursue the next ‘Santini’, or develop a novelty variety of tomato that tastes like a cucumber? Well, we’ve seen other retailers have already begun to mimic this approach, which marginally removes the ‘special’ from speciality; additionally, these novelty varieties often have such limited availability, retailers need to actively revolve their speciality selections in order to maintain interest. Moreover, large scale growers such as Thanet Earth in Kent have stated many retailers, including M&S, are no longer prioritising speciality varieties, as they may only stick around for a season and never really take off. It’s also incredibly costly to lay the foundations for small-scale trials and eventual roll-out of new crops and that still doesn’t guarantee they’ll actually make it to launch. Therefore M&S may win more acclaim through more impactful plastic reduction, enhancing their existing ethical credentials while avoiding risk associated with growing new varieties.

So have greengrocers had their day, or are we going to see a resurgence? Regardless, M&S must continue to pursue sustainable initiatives as part of their corporate social responsibility and continue to show customers they’ve earned their stripes as Britain’s most sustainable retailer.

Reference List

(1) Blythman, J. (2018). Watch out, M&S and Waitrose: plastics addiction doesn’t sit well with premium positioning. The Grocer. [online] Available at: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/home/topics/environment/ms-and-waitrose-need-to-get-over-their-addiction-to-plastic-packaging/567612.article [Accessed 12 May 2019].

(2) Horton, H. (2018). Greengrocers claim millennial backlash against plastic has sparked boom in their trade. The Telegraph. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/30/greengrocers-claim-millennial-backlash-against-plastic-has-sparked/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

(3) Marks & Spencer (2012). PLAN A REPORT CONFIRMS M&S AS FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL MAJOR RETAILER. [online] Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/2012/plan-a-report-confirms-mands-as-first-carbon-neutral-major-retailer [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

(4) Marks & Spencer (2019). M&S TO TURN PLASTIC INTO PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WITH NEW PLASTIC TAKE-BACK SCHEME. [online] Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/5c2f8d617880b21084450f5e/m-and-s-to-turn-plastic-into-playground-equipment-with-new-plastic-take-back-scheme [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

(5) Waitrose (2018). Tomato Vines to Create Innovative Packaging. [online] Available at: https://waitrose.pressarea.com/pressrelease/details/78/NEWS_13/9797 [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

(6) White, H. and Stanmore, T. (2018). Evidence Review: Plastic Packaging and Fresh Produce. [online] Banbury: WRAP. Available at: http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Evidence%20Review%20Plastic%20Packaging%20and%20Fresh%20Produce%20171218.pdf [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

(7) Whitworth, J. (2015). Solidus Solutions makes solid board packaging from tomato plants. Bakery and Snacks. [online] Available at: https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2015/09/02/Tomato-plants-get-new-life-with-fibres-used-in-solid-board-packaging [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

In a society where we expect full shelves, whatever the weather, and constant availability regardless of the season, retailers face a continuous challenge to offer a range of fresh produce that satisfies our high, if not idealistic expectations. With further ethical pressures encompassing sustainable sourcing and environmental welfare, we explore whether Marks & Spencer are cream of the crop when it comes to fruit and vegetables. 

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Considering most customers come to M&S for convenience, store formats including Simply Food’s and some smaller Food halls within department stores, prioritise shelf space to range products predominately for ‘food for now’ and ‘food for tonight’ customer missions, such as sandwiches, prepared salads and ready meals. In conjunction with an absence of fresh counter services, M&S may not necessarily be top-of-mind when it comes to freshness. However, where produce is present, the full range features numerous varieties of basic and speciality fruits & vegetables, in both catch and fixed weight formats. The offer evolves slightly to reflect the seasons – some are even marketed as limited edition, like Flavorking Plums – but is largely consistent thanks to imports.  

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M&S are still firm advocates of sustainable UK farming however; unless intrinsic to foreign climates, as much of the 10,000 tonnes of the vegetables, salads and fruit the retailer source yearly are grown on UK soil (5). Optimum quality is often dictated by seasonality, but through M&S’s trusted ‘select farms’ supplier partners, customers benefit from extended availability of seasonal crops, with quality above other retailers. M&S invested in construction of 50 acres of polytunnels at Cobrey Farms (their exclusive supplier of British asparagus) to lengthen the season, reducing reliance on imported Peruvian crop, whilst keeping up with customer demand (4). Consumers can therefore look to M&S as a trusted, more consistent provider of British produce; considering for every kilogram of imported asparagus, 10kg of CO2 is emitted (4), fuller shelves aren’t the only plus point to this initiative.  

Another championed M&S select farmer is John Myatt, who’s farm has supplied British strawberries to M&S for almost 25 years; the length of this relationship suggests the retailer values expertise of trusted suppliers and invest in the right growers, who pursue continuous improvement to maintain market leading quality on behalf of the brand. In addition to the high specifications against which the berries are harvested to ensure the highest quality, Myatt grows varieties that are only available at M&S, differentiating the retailers fresh fruit offer from its competitors, enhancing the brand’s value proposition of quality and exclusivity. Stating named growers on pack allows customers to monitor where their food comes from, providing greater transparency around provenance; this additionally builds trust into the M&S brand as customers have greater visibility of the supply chain, which may contribute to greater perceived value in purchasing M&S produce, through vicariously supporting British farming. 

Innovation is intrinsic to M&S’s value proposition; consumers expect M&S to be ahead of the pack for ‘new to me’ concepts, the retailer both acknowledge and respond to this by aiming to renew approximately 30% of product ranges each year (7). Aspects of this however are challenging in produce; the nature of the portfolio means volumes are not necessarily consistent and variations are hard to predict as a result of seasonality or changes in customer demand (8). In a category where it’s therefore difficult to reinvent the wheel, the retailer has focused on novelty products to attract attention and establish a point of difference; take grapes – agronomists spent years crossing varieties to create unique flavour profiles, including Candy floss and Tutti-frutti, and even engineered crop that emulates flavours of other fruit, including mango and strawberry (3). The launch of stoneless avocados tapped into the millennial craze for all things ‘avo’ and were marketed as a solution to the increasing first world problem of “avocado hand” and the rising number of injuries seen in A&E as a result of removing stones from Avocados – even the skins are edible, how low maintenance! And innovation hasn’t just covered product – ground-breaking technology was applied to loose Avocado’s; labelling information was etched onto fruit’s skin with lasers instead of stickers, to save 10 tonnes of paper and five tonnes of glue every year (10). Although these exclusive varieties and practices generate headlines and arguably drive footfall, availability is often so limited, the lasting impact of these launches may amount to no more than 15 minutes of fame for M&S; and as the big 4 begin to catch up – Asda have since developed ‘Candyfloss’ grapes (1) – the novelty may soon wear off.

Knowing that sourcing, piloting and up scaling specialist variety crops is turbulent, time consuming and expensive, M&S are perhaps better suited to investing their time in recipe led innovations; we know their customers value convenience and while placing high importance on quality, aren’t always necessarily scratch cooks. Unless more products like the low maintenance avocado can be rolled out, the hybrid fruits are more likely to be overlooked and considered a ‘fad’, with no real functional benefit.

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In light of the ongoing war on plastic, consumers are much more conscious of the environmental impacts of their purchases; 78% of people now expect food companies to ensure all food packaging in the UK is sustainable (9). Sustainability is integral to M&S’s ethos; trials being executed within their Tolworth store, whereby over 90 produce lines have been stripped of their plastic packaging, are part of ongoing commitments to reduce total plastic usage and combat food waste. The expanded range of loose produce, now devoid of unnecessary plastic, is sold catch weight, giving customers more flexibility to pay only for what they need; brown paper bags have replaced the usual plastic counterparts positioned alongside loose produce, and smaller items such as loose berries are being merchandised in compostable punnets. In addition, use-by and best-before dates have been eliminated, to encourage consumers to act more instinctively before deciding to throw food away. Greengrocers have also been stationed on shop floors, offering guidance on preparation and storage, which may help to drive footfall around the fresh produce fixture through positive customer engagement (6). It should be noted not all customers will appreciate having their shopping experience lengthened; as identified earlier, their predominant customer missions are for ‘food for now’ or ‘food for tonight’, largely purchased during the lunch break or on the commute home from work. This may actually be considered inconvenient by those with clear purchase intentions not seeking an inspirational or interactive shopping experience.

As mentioned, a large part of modern consumer perception surrounding food purchasing is linked to waste. Fruit and vegetables have the largest waste rates compared to all other food commodities, usually attributed to low aesthetic appeal, poor storage and overproduction (2). Retailers including Morrisons and Lidl are actively addressing this, through sale of ‘Wonky veg’ products, which allow crop otherwise out of specification to be sold at lower prices. With M&S’s brand identity synonymous with quality, comes necessity to uphold rigorous product specifications at the expense of rejecting perfect tasting produce for the sake of aesthetic appeal; although this compliments their value proposition for best in the market quality, it overlooks the responsibility of the food industry to drive down food waste, and leaves little scope to incorporate ‘wonky’ products into their offer. Despite existing sustainability initiatives, consumers may forge negative connotations with perfectly shaped produce. 48% of us would buy unconventionally shaped fruit and veg, provided they were good quality (8), however it should be questioned if an M&S customer would still identify a misshapen item as ‘high quality’; as awareness of food waste continues to increase, will M&S be forced to adapt their offering in line with its competitors, despite the risk it may devalue the M&S brand?

One thing’s for certain – M&S are likely to continue to stay at the forefront of specialist varieties, novelty hybrids and technical innovation, but in a climate of ever-increasing environmental awareness, how long will it be before strict strawberry standards begin to leave a sour taste in our mouths…

Reference List 

(1) ASDA (2017). Our limited edition fruit flavours are a great way to get kids to try healthier snacks. [online] Available at: https://corporate.asda.com/blog/2017/08/15/our-limited-edition-fruit-flavours-are-a-great-way-to-get-kids-to-try-healthier-snacks [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].

(2) Dobson, M. and Edmondson, J. (2019). Ugly vegetables are a major cause of food waste. The Independent. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/ugly-vegetable-food-waste-fruit-vegetable-a8825311.html [Accessed 31 Mar. 2019].

(3) Feld, O. and Borland, H. (2018). M&S is selling candy floss, mango, strawberry and tutti frutti flavoured grapes. The Sun. [online] Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/7175724/marks-spencer-candy-floss-flavoured-grapes/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].

(4) Marks & Spencer (2017). Farming for the Future – Annual Report – November 2017. [online] London: Marks & Spencer. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/plan-a-our-approach/mns-farming-for-the-future-report-nov2017.pdf [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019]. 

(5) Marks & Spencer (2019a). Fruit, Vegetables & Salad Crops. [online] Marks & Spencer. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/sustainability/food-and-household/product-standards/raw-materials-commodities-and-ingredients/fruit-vegetables-salad-crops [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].  

(6) Marks & Spencer (2019b). M&S TRIALS PLASTIC-FREE PRODUCE AS IT ACCELERATES PLASTIC REDUCTION PLAN. [online] Marks & Spencer. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/5c2f8d617880b21084450f5e/m-and-s-trials-plastic-free-produce-as-it-accelerates-plastic-reduction-plan [Accessed 23 Mar. 2019].

(7) Marks & Spencer (2019c). Supplier Management. [online] Marks & Spencer. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/sustainability/food-and-household/supplier-management [Accessed 12 May 2019].

(8)Mintel (2014). Fruit and Vegetables – UK – September 2014. [online] London: Mintel. Available at: http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.ucb.ac.uk/display/718064/ [Accessed 31 Mar. 2019]. 

(9) Mintel (2018). Food Packaging Trends – UK – March 2018. [online] Mintel. Available at: http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.ucb.ac.uk/display/886361/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2019].

(10) Morley, K. (2017). Avocados with laser-printed labels go on sale at M&S in bid to cut paper waste. The Telegraph. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/19/avocados-laser-printed-labels-go-sale-ms-bid-cut-paper-waste/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].

Throughout its 135-year history, Marks & Spencer has cemented itself as arguably one of the most iconic British brands on the high street. From a humble Penny Bazaar in Leeds, M&S has evolved into a premium food retailer with approximately 1,000 stores (7) and an emerging online business; renowned for high quality, innovative exclusive own label products (6), these are fundamental in fulfilling their commitment to make every moment special (4).

This is not just any Store…

Headlines may appear bleak, “100 stores to close by 2022” (3), but from M&S’s roots as a high street institution, frequented by regular Saturday shoppers from middle-Britain, today’s store estate is shape-shifting to fit modern life. M&S capitalises on the diminishing ‘weekly shop’, their predominant customer base ‘topping up’ their fridges and cupboards (8), namely those with less routine lives that cannot necessarily plan what they eat a week ahead. Simply Food stores facilitate this; usually located in high footfall, more accessible areas including city centre rail & petrol stations, they satisfy hungry, time poor commuters that head straight to the food to go or ready meal fixture, seeking convenience to minimise time preparing meals. Conversely, as part of the M&S magic inspiring customers to indulge and eat well, the emergence of standalone foodhall’s, many now adjacent to car parks, facilitate bigger basket sizes suited to shoppers cooking for special occasions (or those simply with higher spending power), crossing the road for higher quality than that of their regular supermarket, who don’t necessarily have the skills of a scratch cook; people who organise dinner parties but then say “Shall we get something posh from M&S?” or the once-a-year Christmas dinner shoppers loading Pembrokeshire turkey’s and luxury chocolates into the car boot, because they trust M&S to deliver low maintenance, special food for special occasions – before returning to the big four to feed their families less elaborately during the rest of the year.

The shopping experience is more relaxed than the carnage of an Aldi or Lidl, nobody wrestles with towers of cardboard boxes, shelves are meticulously stacked in neat rows; aisles and fixtures are easy to navigate, divided into distinct categories clearly denoted by discrete signage. This is arguably better suited to both the stereotypical ABC1 50+ female and single young professional target consumers; on one hand, she’s perhaps an empty nester that works part time while her husband earns a full time wage or is even retired, therefore she has more cash to spend and more time to enjoy spending it. Despite the likes of Aldi snapping at the heels of M&S with ‘almost-as-good’ quality for half the price, this demonstrates part of the M&S value proposition therefore is enrichment of time spent in store; shopping is much less demanding when its clear what’s on the shelf in front of you and you know exactly where to find it. Furthermore, the strict, clinical layout facilitates ease of shop for the ‘grab-and-go’ consumer; knowing within a shelf where their desired lunchtime vices will be, contributes to the overarching solution of convenience that M&S offer.

Online, the retailer has made up ground against dynamic competition, launching a one-hour food delivery pilot offering a limited range of ready meals, tapping into the rapidly growing use of services like Deliveroo and Just Eat. Up to 4100 products including grocery items are also available for delivery within 2 hours (12). Thanks to technology, stores are getting speedier too; in 2018, M&S launched ‘Mobile, Pay, Go’. Now operational in 6 Simply Food stores, customers scan each item using an app, then pay via their smartphones for transactions up to £30 (8). It’s promising to see a brand (until recently) reluctant to embrace digital advancement, adapt to create a more seamless customer experience for those too time poor to ponder over an oven fresh loaf.

This is Not Just Food…

Since the inception of foodhalls in the 1930’s, M&S has forged a reputation as a pioneer in innovation. The brand is synonymous with numerous first to market launches, encompassing fresh poultry, chilled ready meals and pre-packaged sandwiches (5), all of which are now commonplace on any supermarket shelf. Nonetheless, subsequent emergence of competitive copy-cat own label top tier offerings from the likes of Aldi and Lidl, perceived by shoppers ‘as good as’ for a fraction of the price, have caused customers to question whether what they’re paying for is really worth it, threatening M&S’s relevance as a premium food retailer. In an age whereby brand loyalty is fickler than ever, M&S have been forced to reassess its product offer to re-establish a genuine point of difference and their quality credentials. Cue striking new sub-brand ‘Plant Kitchen’, which disrupted the market as the UK’s first own label range of vegan products; the selection of convenience led products includes quirkily named ‘No Pork Sausoyges’, ‘Cauliflower Popcorn’ and ‘No Beef Burgers’ (see video). Aside from the fact one in eight Brits now identifies as vegetarian or vegan, emerging attitudes surrounding mindfulness and eating, specifically reduced meat consumption (11), explain why Plant Kitchen has such universal appeal and proves M&S still have their finger firmly on the pulse of social and culinary trends, essential if they wish to stay ahead of increasingly-innovation-savvy competitors and be considered market leaders for special and different.

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As M&S food store formats differ, offering a tailored product selection across each type helps satisfy a broader range of missions and individual customer needs. For example, someone visiting a Simply Food station store on their daily commute is likely purchasing dinner on their way home; stores will therefore be ranged with less fresh product and a condensed range of more convenience led items. In contrast, larger/standalone stores are ranged more abundantly and aim to inspire customers; Foodhalls combine “the accessibility of a supermarket with the creativity of a specialist” (9) and are better equipped to communicate the inspirational aspect of M&S’s value proposition. Flagship stores make the best use of ‘event’ zones and out-posted products or stalls offering tasting samples, more suited to new or seasonal launches (10); however in standard department stores and smaller foodhalls, this does tend to become more of a promotional space used to ‘shift’ more goods on offer and entice people through from the neighbouring jeans and jeggings section. Regardless of how neatly this is put together, isn’t stockpiling goods at the front of a store a standard approach used by every other supermarket? Not so much of a point of difference here, although application of other competitor approaches are more calculated. To further increase inclusivity, branded goods have been introduced to foodhalls in the last decade; customers save time not having to go elsewhere to complete their shopping and M&S in turn are more equipped to facilitate bigger weekly shops (1). While this risks detracting from the ‘Only at M&S’ component of the value proposition, it’s helping the retailer grow into more than just a ‘top-up’ destination, to be more relevant to families and younger homeowners and create more longevity in it’s consumer base; M&S must still be conscious not to over-saturate their shelves with brands, or this may start to dilute the brands exclusive own label food offering.

This is not Just Shopping…

The array of M&S’s premium offering is evident upon entering a store, however unless you’re a regular customer, and not one of the ones in a hurry to grab a sandwich or ready meal, the scope of its revolving newness is not widely communicated – until last September. In an additional bid to engage more than their traditional 50+ female customer and become digitally savvy, the retailer commissioned ‘What’s New at M&S Food’; featuring household names Amanda Holden, Rochelle Humes, Paddy McGuinness and Emma Willis, the monthly films champion new products, which the celebs sample before choosing their individual favourites. The content is published exclusively on platforms including Instagram TV and is the first instance of social-first marketing for the brand (8), another way to more effectively reach a younger demographic; the celebrities’ favourites, as well as recommendations by store employees, are highlighted by shelf edge labels in store to promote advocacy (2). The retailer is aiming to leverage the celebrities respective social media following to strategically target a new audience; the likes of these 4 faces are most relatable to generation-x or millennials, particularly young families. These are the customers M&S are desperate for; more consistent, bigger basket shops, more open to new ideas and without sounding morbid – a longer lifetime to potentially retain loyalty throughout maturity and into retirement years, which will ultimately reestablish a sustainable customer base.

So next time you think of that trademark velvet voice, crooning “This is not just food”, ask yourself if what your eating is making your moments special… and perhaps ask M&S what’s new…

Reference List

(1) Marks & Spencer (2009). Marks & Spencer to sell branded grocery and household products. [online] Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/2009/marks-and-spencer-to-sell-branded-grocery-and-household-products [Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

(2) Marks & Spencer (2018a). M&S launches new “My M&S Favourite” campaign backed by over 50,000 foodhall employees. [online] Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/2018/m-and-s-launches-new-my-m-and-s-favourite-campaign-backed-by-over-50-000-foodhall-employees [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].

(3) Marks & Spencer (2018b). M&S UK Store Estate Update. [online] Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/2018/m-and-s-uk-store-estate-update [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].

(4) Marks & Spencer (2019a). About Us. [online] Marks and Spencer. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].

(5) Marks & Spencer (2019b). Archive food trends. [online] Marksandspencer.com. Available at: https://www.marksandspencer.com/c/style-and-living/archive-history-food-trends [Accessed 20 Feb. 2019].

(6) Marks & Spencer (2019c). History. [online] History. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/history [Accessed 20 Feb. 2019].

(7) Marks & Spencer (2019d). Key Facts. [online] Marks & Spencer Corporate. Available at: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/investors/key-facts [Accessed 13 May 2019].

(8) Mintel (2018). Supermarkets – UK – November 2018. [online] London: Mintel. Available at: http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.ucb.ac.uk/display/931328/?highlight [Accessed 17 Feb. 2019].

(9) Robothan-Jones, R. (2015). M&S Food: Creating a category of one. [online] London: WARC. Available at: https://www.warc.com/content/article/apg/ms_food_creating_a_category_of_one/105186 [Accessed 13 May 2019].

(10) Tesseras, L. (2017). M&S’s Nathan Ansell on proving the value of customer experience. [online] Marketing Week. Available at: https://www.marketingweek.com/2017/02/10/ms-proving-value-customer-experience/ [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].

(11) Waitrose & Partners (2019). Food and Drink Report 2018-19. [online] Bracknell: Waitrose & Partners, p.6. Available at: https://www.waitrose.com/content/dam/waitrose/Inspiration/Waitrose%20&%20Partners%20Food%20and%20Drink%20Report%202018.pdf [Accessed 22 Feb. 2019].

(12) Wood, Z. (2017). Marks & Spencer launches online food delivery service. The Guardian. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/22/marks-spencer-launches-online-food-delivery-service [Accessed 22 Feb. 2019].