Marks & Spencer
The food division of British retail giant Marks & Spencer.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
M&S Food is the food division of Marks & Spencer, offering high-quality, innovative ready meals, fresh produce, and specialty foods, known for its own-label products.
History
Marks & Spencer traces its origins to a penny bazaar established by Michael Marks at Leeds Kirkgate Market in 1884. Marks, who had migrated to England from the region of present-day Belarus, developed a low-cost retail format based on simple merchandise and transparent pricing. Isaac Jowitt Dewhirst helped Marks establish the original stall and introduced him to Thomas Spencer, a cashier and bookkeeper whose commercial skills later became central to the business. Marks and Spencer formed a formal partnership in 1894 after Marks obtained a permanent stall in Leeds Covered Market. The partnership expanded through market stalls and shops across northern England. In 1901, Marks combined his operation with Spencer’s and moved activity toward Birkenhead and the wider North West. Spencer died in 1905 and Michael Marks died in 1907, but the enterprise continued under the direction of Marks’s son Simon. Simon Marks became chairman in 1916 and oversaw the transformation of the company from a collection of penny bazaars into a coordinated retail chain. Textiles were introduced in 1926 and food in 1931. The company developed a distinctive own-brand structure and cultivated long-term relationships with British manufacturers. The St Michael label, introduced in 1928 in honor of Michael Marks, became the principal quality mark for clothing and later food. By the middle of the twentieth century, most of the range carried the St Michael identity, while the St Margaret label had previously been used for lingerie, women’s clothing and girls’ school uniforms. M&S became strongly associated with British manufacturing, consistent specifications and dependable value. Operational standards were an important part of the company’s culture. M&S established a Food Technology department in 1948, introduced a stocking measurement system in 1957, improved food labeling and phased in sell-by dates during the early 1970s. It also developed technical expertise in fabrics, sizing, washability and hosiery. Christmas cakes and puddings became part of the food offer in the late 1950s, while improvements to cakes and bakery products helped rebuild customer confidence in those ranges. During the Second World War, employees raised money for a Spitfire aircraft named The Marksman. The company’s customer-service philosophy was famously expressed through the 1953 slogan “The customer is always and completely right.” M&S accepted returns unusually generously for its era, trained staff in food hygiene and introduced store policies intended to improve safety and energy efficiency. These practices reinforced the idea that the brand represented British quality rather than merely low prices. International expansion began cautiously. M&S introduced Asian food in 1974, opened continental European stores from 1975 and entered Ireland in 1979. Canada became a major overseas experiment after 1973, eventually reaching 47 stores, but the business struggled to overcome a conservative image and differences between the Canadian and British formats. The Canadian estate was closed in 1999. French operations also underwent later restructuring, with stores sold in 2001 and a subsequent return to Paris through a combination of food and clothing locations. The 1980 launch of packaged sandwiches was one of the company’s most important product innovations. Initially offered in five shops, the concept generated substantial demand and helped industrialize a category that later became a standard part of British supermarket retail. M&S also entered the United States through the acquisition of Brooks Brothers and Kings Food Markets in 1988, although these businesses did not produce a durable international retail platform. The late 1990s marked both the height of M&S’s traditional model and the beginning of its crisis. In 1998, the retailer became the first British retailer to report more than £1 billion in pre-tax profit. Yet its success concealed growing weaknesses. Clothing had become less responsive to changing tastes, the company’s product and store systems were comparatively inflexible, and its refusal to accept mainstream credit cards until 2001 frustrated customers. The retirement of St Michael and the erosion of the old quality-value proposition further weakened the brand. The turnaround began in the early 2000s. M&S introduced Per Una in partnership with George Davies, changed its brand architecture, accepted wider payment methods, reworked its business model and sold or reorganized non-core activities. A proposed acquisition by Philip Green in 2004 failed after insufficient shareholder support. The company then pursued new store formats, international experiments, branded grocery products and renewed marketing. During the 2010s, successive management teams attempted to restore relevance to clothing while strengthening food. Plans under Marc Bolland emphasized a clearer brand identity, store redesign and increased investment, while later leadership focused on the property estate, digital retailing, food growth and improved operational discipline. A major restructuring announced in 2018 envisaged more than 100 store closures by 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated cost reduction, job losses and changes in shopping behavior. The 2020s have been defined by a more focused transformation. M&S expanded its online relationship with Ocado, renewed stores, strengthened food supply-chain infrastructure and pursued a smaller but more productive full-line estate. It also added initiatives such as clothing repairs and alterations through Sojo. In 2025, a cyber incident disrupted online ordering, payments and click-and-collect operations, creating a major operational and reputational challenge. By 2026, the company was continuing its recovery under Stuart Machin, with investment in stores, digital growth and logistics, including a planned Avonmouth distribution centre. The modern M&S model therefore combines heritage and own-brand trust with greater emphasis on convenience, availability, technology, productivity and disciplined retail expansion.
- 2026
Store and supply-chain investment continues
[5]The 2026 annual report described continuing store renewal and a planned Avonmouth distribution centre to support food growth and logistics capacity.
- 2025
Cyber incident disrupts digital and store services
[8]A cyber incident affected online ordering, payments and click-and-collect services, creating a major operational interruption.
- 2024
Clothing repairs and alterations partnership announced
[6]M&S announced a clothing-care service with Sojo, linking the brand to repair and circularity initiatives.
- 2022
Stuart Machin becomes chief executive
[3]Machin took over as chief executive and continued a transformation centered on stores, food, digital and operational productivity.
- 2020
Ocado online food partnership becomes operational
[10]Customers were directed to Ocado’s platform for online ordering of M&S food and selected clothing products.
- 2018
Radical store transformation plan announced
[7]M&S announced plans to close more than 100 stores by 2022 as part of a major restructuring of its physical estate.
- 2004
Philip Green takeover attempt fails
[1]A proposed acquisition by Philip Green was abandoned after it did not receive sufficient shareholder backing.
- 2001
Per Una launches and wider payment acceptance begins
[1]The Per Una fashion brand and acceptance of mainstream credit cards formed part of the company’s early recovery program.
- 1999
Canadian store estate closes
[1]M&S exited Canada after sustained losses and unsuccessful efforts to reposition the business.
- 1998
M&S becomes the first British retailer to exceed £1 billion in pre-tax profit
[1]The milestone represented the peak of the company’s traditional retail model before its subsequent decline.
Products and positioning
Accessible-premium British retailer focused on own-brand quality, product reliability, food innovation, dependable everyday clothing, heritage and broad household appeal.
Food retail · 1931
M&S Food
M&S Food is the group’s premium-oriented grocery and convenience-food business. It is built predominantly around own-brand products and is known for prepared meals, entertaining food, bakery, confectionery, seasonal products, wine, beer and innovative convenience formats. The business has historically used product quality, packaging, recipe development and premium presentation to differentiate itself from mainstream supermarkets. It also includes food sold through stores, digital channels and the Ocado partnership.
Clothing
M&S Collection
M&S Collection is the core clothing and lifestyle range, covering everyday womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and related products. It represents the broadest expression of the brand’s accessible-premium positioning, combining practical wardrobe staples with seasonal fashion, workwear, occasionwear and family apparel. The range is supported by M&S’s long-standing emphasis on fit, fabrication, comfort and value.
Womenswear · 2001
Per Una
Per Una was launched in 2001 through a partnership with George Davies and became one of M&S’s most important modern fashion brands. It was designed to provide more style-led womenswear than the traditional core offer, with an emphasis on feminine silhouettes, prints, occasion pieces and contemporary everyday clothing. M&S later acquired control of the brand as part of its effort to rebuild clothing relevance.
Fashion
Autograph
Autograph is a more elevated M&S clothing and accessories range. It has generally been used to express higher-quality fabrics, refined tailoring, occasion dressing and more design-led styling within the group’s own-brand architecture. The range supports M&S’s accessible-premium positioning and helps provide a premium tier above core everyday merchandise.
Activewear · 2020
Goodmove
Goodmove is M&S’s activewear and athleisure proposition. The range includes performance and leisure clothing intended for activities such as running, gym training, yoga and everyday movement. It reflects the company’s effort to participate in growing lifestyle categories while combining technical fabrics with the fit, comfort and ease associated with its broader clothing offer.
Confectionery · 1992
Percy Pigs
Percy Pigs are fruit-flavored gummy sweets shaped around a pig character and are among the most recognizable M&S food products. The line has developed into a broader character-led confectionery franchise with different flavors, formats and seasonal variations. Its playful identity gives M&S a distinctive own-brand asset within sweets and supports gifting, impulse purchases and seasonal merchandising.
Lingerie
M&S lingerie
Lingerie has historically been one of M&S’s signature clothing categories. The business built a strong reputation for fit, size availability, practical design and dependable quality, and lingerie remains an important part of the women’s clothing proposition. Earlier lingerie ranges were associated with the St Margaret and later St Michael labels before the company consolidated its own-brand architecture.
Homeware
M&S Home
M&S Home covers furniture, soft furnishings, bedding, kitchen products, dining merchandise and decorative home accessories. The range extends the brand’s quality-and-reliability proposition into household goods and is sold through selected stores and digital channels. Home has also been used to increase the productivity of larger full-line stores and broaden the group’s lifestyle relevance.
Beauty
M&S Beauty
M&S Beauty includes skincare, cosmetics, fragrance, toiletries and associated personal-care products. The business combines M&S own-brand items with selected branded products and is positioned as an accessible, convenient extension of the clothing and lifestyle offer. Beauty contributes to the group’s broader strategy of increasing customer frequency and basket size across fashion, home and personal care.
Historic own-brand identity · 1928
St Michael
St Michael was introduced in 1928 in honor of co-founder Michael Marks and became the company’s dominant own-brand label for much of the twentieth century. It was associated with consistent quality, British manufacturing and product reliability across clothing and food. The label was retired as the main brand identity around 2000, although the name later returned in limited heritage uses.
Controversies
2025
Major cyber incident
A cyber incident disrupted M&S online ordering, contactless payments, click-and-collect and related operations. The company temporarily suspended online orders, later restored website ordering and subsequently brought back click-and-collect.
2021
Backlash over M&S beans-on-toast party food
Social media users criticized Marks & Spencer for selling its “posh cheesy beans on toast” party food for £5, including objections to the price and accusations that the item gentrified a familiar dish. An M&S spokesperson defended the product and described a four-for-three offer across its fresh party food range.
2021
Marks & Spencer replaces chocolate tulip images after customer criticism
Marks & Spencer faced customer criticism over images of its Mother's Day chocolate tulips, which some customers said looked suggestive. The images were replaced with new pictures taken from a different angle.
2018
Backlash over school-uniform hijab
M&S introduced a hijab for its school-uniform range, including sizes for younger girls. The product prompted criticism and boycott calls from some customers, while others viewed it as an inclusive response to customer needs.
2013
Contactless payment complaints
Some customers claimed that M&S contactless terminals had taken payment from cards other than the card intended for the transaction. The company investigated and stated that its payment system had been tested and was robust.
2013
Checkout policy controversy involving pork and alcohol
A policy allowing some Muslim checkout employees to decline handling pork or alcohol generated customer complaints and public criticism. M&S subsequently apologized and said it would seek alternative duties where employees’ beliefs could affect checkout responsibilities.
2010
Interflora online advertising dispute
M&S’s online flower service faced legal action from Interflora over allegations involving search advertising and the use of terms associated with Interflora. The dispute raised questions about online trademark visibility and competitive advertising.
1969
Oxford Street store bombing
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine bombed M&S’s Oxford Street store in London on 18 July 1969. The event was part of a wider period of politically motivated violence and was not a commercial misconduct scandal by the company.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Clothing repairs and alterations with Sojo
United Kingdom
M&S partnered with Sojo to provide repairs and alterations for clothing, extending the brand’s services into garment longevity and circular consumption.
Outcome. The service supported M&S’s sustainability and product-care positioning, although long-term commercial impact remains to be assessed.
- 2021St Michael heritage return
United Kingdom
M&S brought the St Michael name back in a limited heritage capacity, using the historic label to reconnect contemporary products with the company’s twentieth-century quality legacy.
Outcome. The initiative functioned primarily as a heritage and storytelling device rather than a restoration of St Michael as the main corporate brand.
- 2018Holly Willoughby Must Have collection
United Kingdom
M&S appointed television presenter and model Holly Willoughby as a brand ambassador and launched a clothing collection marketed around her personal style and high-street appeal.
Outcome. The launch attracted substantial demand, but inadequate stock levels left some customers disappointed and exposed weaknesses in demand forecasting.
- 2013Best of British
United Kingdom
The Best of British range celebrated British design, manufacturing and product heritage while accompanying a wider overhaul of M&S fashion lines including Per Una and Indigo.
Outcome. It strengthened the heritage dimension of the brand and complemented management’s attempt to restore quality and style to clothing.
- 2010Only at M&S
United Kingdom
M&S introduced the “Only at M&S” marketing platform during a wider attempt to sharpen its identity, emphasize own-brand products and restore a sense of distinctiveness to the group.
Outcome. The campaign supported a broader brand and store transformation but formed part of a long-running turnaround rather than a single definitive repositioning.
- 1953The customer is always and completely right
United Kingdom
This customer-service slogan expressed M&S’s historic commitment to generous returns, product standards and a service culture that treated customer trust as a central competitive asset.
Outcome. The phrase became part of the company’s retail heritage and reinforced its association with dependable British service.
Brand decisions
2025
Increase store renewal and logistics resilience after cyber disruptionStrategyBackground
M&S entered a period of major digital disruption while continuing a broader transformation of its physical and food infrastructure.
Action taken
The company continued store rotation and announced a new Avonmouth distribution centre intended to improve food availability, logistics capacity and scalable growth.
Aftermath
The strategy placed greater emphasis on operational resilience, supply-chain modernization and productive stores.
2024
Introduce clothing repair and alteration servicesOtherBackground
M&S sought to extend the life of clothing products and strengthen its sustainability proposition.
Action taken
The company announced a partnership with Sojo for clothing repairs and alterations.
Aftermath
The initiative added after-sales garment care to the brand’s service ecosystem and supported circularity messaging.
2021
Continue long-term store closures and turnaroundStrategyBackground
The pandemic and structural changes in retail made legacy stores and conventional shopping patterns less sustainable.
Action taken
M&S announced plans for additional store closures over the following decade while continuing investment in food, digital operations and more productive locations.
Aftermath
The decision reinforced the company’s shift from estate size toward store productivity, convenience and channel integration.
2020
Accelerate digital and Ocado food partnershipStrategyBackground
Online grocery demand increased while M&S needed broader digital reach without building an entirely independent grocery-delivery infrastructure.
Action taken
Customers were directed to Ocado’s platform for online M&S food and selected clothing products.
Aftermath
The partnership expanded online access to M&S products but later generated debate over performance targets, economics and the future shape of the relationship.
2018
Announce large-scale store closure programmeStrategyBackground
M&S concluded that many legacy stores were too large, costly or poorly located for contemporary shopping patterns.
Action taken
The company announced plans to close more than 100 stores by 2022 and to reshape the estate around more productive full-line and food locations.
Aftermath
The program accelerated the move toward a smaller, newer and more digitally integrated store network.
2010
Launch brand and store transformation planStrategyBackground
Management sought to restore the relevance of M&S clothing, strengthen the overall brand and improve the productivity of stores and digital channels.
Action taken
M&S introduced the “Only at M&S” platform, planned store redesign, adjusted fashion brands and committed to significant capital investment in the store estate.
Aftermath
The plan established the basis for later store rotation and estate restructuring, although the clothing recovery remained gradual.
2008
Add selected branded grocery productsStrategyBackground
M&S sought to broaden food choice and respond to changing customer expectations while retaining its own-brand differentiation.
Action taken
The company began selling selected branded grocery lines, including products from major food manufacturers.
Aftermath
The move was later balanced by renewed emphasis on M&S own-brand products and food distinctiveness.
2004
Reject Philip Green takeover proposalM&ABackground
M&S was the target of an attempted acquisition by Philip Green, then associated with Arcadia Group and BHS.
Action taken
The company announced a recovery plan and the bid was withdrawn after insufficient shareholder support.
Aftermath
M&S remained independent and proceeded with restructuring, including changes to financial services, store formats and brand management.
2001
Broaden payment acceptance and introduce Per UnaStrategyBackground
M&S faced declining relevance, weaker clothing performance and criticism of its restrictive payment policy and traditional product model.
Action taken
The company began accepting mainstream credit cards and launched Per Una in partnership with George Davies to provide a more fashion-led womenswear offer.
Aftermath
The measures contributed to a partial recovery and Per Una became one of the company’s most important fashion brands.
Recent events
Reported
Marks & Spencer launches Nutrient Dense private-label range[19]
Marks & Spencer unveiled a new private-label range of salads, snacks and meals under the brand Nutrient Dense, comprising 20 SKUs developed with M&S nutritionists, going on sale in all Marks & Spencer outlets on 5 January.
Reported
Marks & Spencer launches Boxing Day sale[20]
Marks & Spencer launched an end-of-year sale with discounts of up to 50% on a range of items in-store and online.
Reported
M&S launches Boxing Day sale[21]
Marks and Spencer's end-of-year sale began on Boxing Day, offering discounts of up to 50% on a range of items.
Reported
Backlash over M&S beans-on-toast party food[17]
Social media users criticized Marks & Spencer for selling its “posh cheesy beans on toast” party food for £5, including objections to the price and accusations that the item gentrified a familiar dish. An M&S spokesperson defended the product and described a four-for-three offer across its fresh party food range.
Reported
M&S announces relaunch of craft beer range[22]
Marks & Spencer announced the relaunch of its own-label craft beer range in collaboration with Real Drinks, featuring five beers from three UK breweries. The beers were planned to roll into M&S stores in 330ml cans.
Reported
M&S sponsors and co-develops Cooking with the Stars[23]
Marks & Spencer is sponsoring the ITV celebrity cooking show Cooking with the Stars, which it jointly developed with producer South Shore. The series was due to air in summer 2021.
Reported
Marks & Spencer replaces chocolate tulip images after customer criticism[18]
Marks & Spencer faced customer criticism over images of its Mother's Day chocolate tulips, which some customers said looked suggestive. The images were replaced with new pictures taken from a different angle.
Reported
M&S launches Absolute Ultimate Sleep Oil[24]
Marks & Spencer introduced the Absolute Ultimate Sleep Oil, an oil version of its Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream.
Reported
M&S renames Midget Gems as Mini Gems[25]
Marks and Spencer rebranded its version of Midget Gems as Mini Gems and rolled out the new packaging to all its stores in 2021, following concerns that the former name could offend people with dwarfism.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Marks & Spencer launches online birthday cake delivery[26]
Marks & Spencer launched its first online birthday cake delivery service, offering cakes that customers can send with a personal message.
Sources43 sources
- 1Marks & Spenceren.wikipedia.org
- 2List of Marks & Spencer brandsen.wikipedia.org
- 3Marks & Spencer Our Leadershipcorporate.marksandspencer.com
- 4Marks and Spencer Group plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2026corporate.marksandspencer.com
- 5Marks & Spencer 2026 Annual Report overviewcorporate.marksandspencer.com
- 6Marks & Spencer store transformation announcementcorporate.marksandspencer.com
- 7BBC coverage of the 2018 store closure planbbc.com
- 8BBC coverage of the 2025 cyber incidentbbc.com
- 9BBC coverage of the Interflora advertising disputebbc.com
- 10Ocado online food partnership becomes operationalocadoretail.com
- 11Holly Willoughby Must Have collectiontheguardian.com
- 12Add selected branded grocery productstheguardian.com
- 13Continue long-term store closures and turnaroundbbc.com
- 14Contactless payment complaintstheguardian.com
- 15Checkout policy controversy involving pork and alcoholbbc.com
- 16Backlash over school-uniform hijabbbc.com
- 17Backlash over M&S beans-on-toast party foodyahoo.com
- 18Marks & Spencer replaces chocolate tulip images after customer criticismdailymail.com
- 19玛莎百货推出Nutrient Dense自有品牌系列esmmagazine.com
- 20Marks & Spencer推出节礼日促销theboltonnews.co.uk
- 21M&S推出节礼日促销hampshirechronicle.co.uk
- 22M&S宣布重新推出精酿啤酒系列thegrocer.co.uk
- 23M&S赞助并共同开发《Cooking with the Stars》thegrocer.co.uk
- 24M&S推出Absolute Ultimate Sleep Oilprima.co.uk
- 25M&S将Midget Gems更名为Mini Gemsasianimage.co.uk
- 26Marks & Spencer推出在线生日蛋糕配送服务bakeryinfo.co.uk
- 27M&S 扩大通过 Deliveroo 提供的送货上门服务bbc.co.uk
- 28M&S推出支持英国农民的宣传活动farminguk.com
- 29Marks & Spencer与Deliveroo合作推出杂货配送服务yorkpress.co.uk
- 30玛莎百货在Deliveroo推出杂货配送服务swindonadvertiser.co.uk
- 31Deliveroo与BP及M&S合作提供生活必需品配送yorkshirepost.co.uk
- 32玛莎百货宣布春季宣传活动上线计划prima.co.uk
- 33Marmite 与 Marks & Spencer 合作推出联名产品thegrocer.co.uk
- 34Marks & Spencer任命Eoin Tonge为财务负责人rte.ie
- 35玛莎百货在阿联酋推出食品配送应用thenationalnews.com
- 36Marks & Spencer于DXB第三航厦开设快闪店dubaicityguide.com
- 37M&S Food推出圣诞广告宣传活动kamcity.com
- 38Marks & Spencer与Clearpay合作theguardian.com
- 39Marks & Spencer 在蒂米什瓦拉开设门店zfenglish.com
- 40M&S Appoints Greencore Exec As New CFOkamcity.com
- 41Marks & Spencer launches new appointment shopping service as Covid-19 restrictions increasefifetoday.co.uk
- 42Marks and Spencer adds new addition to store in nationwide-firstpenarthtimes.co.uk
- 43Oxford's M&S one of the first stores in the country to launch opticians servicesthisisoxfordshire.co.uk
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