Marks & Spencer has grown from a “penny stall” in Kirkgate Market in Leeds into one of Britain’s leading national retailers, with close to 1,000 UK stores. It offers its own-brand clothing, homeware and food, with a focus on durability and quality. In clothing, M&S is best known for its lingerie.
The food part of the business is what’s currently driving growth, with food revenue up 4.5 percent in Q2 2017, compared to a 0.5 percent dip in revenue from clothing and home. Many stores are standalone “Simply Food” stores. This year, the M&S food and department store, have for the first time advertised under the same single campaign tagline; “Spend it well”, a campaign focused on the importance of enjoying life, an attitude that has relevance across a range of age groups. While M&S has a reputation for quality and trustworthiness, its clothing range has frequently been considered bland, an association the brand has sought to overcome through collections designed by celebrities such as Alexa Chung and David Gandy. The British model Twiggy was a long-time brand ambassador. M&S offers online shopping, click and collect, banking and domestic energy services, but is primarily seen as a High Street shopping destination. M&S has had varied success internationally; it currently operates 454 international stores in 55 markets across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Marks & Spencer is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is in the FTSE 100 index.