Marks and Spencer
This coverage analyses Marks and Spencer’s strategy, performance, and influence within the UK retail market. Reporting highlights store operations, product innovation, online developments, financial results, marketing campaigns, and leadership changes. With a focus on commercial impact and competitive dynamics, it offers insights for professionals managing grocery, fashion, and homeware retailing at scale.
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Oct- 2018 -2 OctoberHigh Street
M&S launches checkout free ‘Mobile, Pay, Go’ service
Marks and Spencer has launched a new “checkout free” service called ‘Mobile, Pay, Go’ at six London stores ahead of Christmas, allowing customers to pick up lunch in “under 40 seconds”. The retailer will roll out the service, previously trialled in its Edgware Road and Waterside stores to West Hampstead,…
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Sep- 2018 -25 SeptemberAnalysis
The future’s bright, the future’s automation?
Last month high street stalwart Marks & Spencer (M&S) announced plans to overhaul its customer services department with an AI offering. Its new automated system will enable 640 of the company’s stores and 13 of its UK-based contact centres to automatically route voice calls, determine customer intent, transcribe voice calls…
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Aug- 2018 -22 AugustSupermarkets
Retailers commit to support farmers during drought
The NFU has reached out to the UK’s top nine supermarket retailers to express the difficulties farmers and growers are facing as a result of the drought brought on the by the recent heatwave. Aldi, Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Lidl and Tesco have all committed to support the farming…
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17 AugustHigh Street
Marks and Spencer replaces switchboard staff with AI
Marks and Spencer will be replacing its call centre employees with AI technology, cloud communications platform Twilio has announced. The technology will be delivered by Twilio across 640 M&S stores and 13 UK-based contact centre hubs. The project to migrate the retail chain’s switchboard operation took less than six months…
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16 AugustAdvice
How the theory of evolution will be the difference-maker for retailers
An estimated 9,500 retail shops are due to close this year and according to The Centre for Retail Research, 20,000 store jobs are set to disappear by 2020 – on top of the 150,000 that have gone since 2016. And that’s just in the UK. Elsewhere in Europe, closures aren’t…
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14 AugustHigh Street
Asda, Argos, Sainsbury’s and M&S sign up for ‘Purple Tuesday’
‘Purple Tuesday’, the UK’s first day dedicated to ‘accessible’ shopping, will take place on 13 November and will see retailers such as Asda, Argos and Sainsbury’s introduce new measures to make the shopping experience more inclusive for disabled customers. The initiative is being coordinated by the disability organisation Purple and…
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Jul- 2018 -30 JulyHigh Street
Marks and Spencer partners with Decoded to launch ‘Data Academy’ for staff
Marks and Spencer has announced it has partnered with technology specialists Decoded to create the world’s first ‘Data Academy’ in retail. The launch of the new academy is part of the ongoing transformation of M&S, as it aims to place “digital at the heart of its business”. The M&S Data…
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24 JulyHigh Street
Marks and Spencer partners with Founders Factory to invest in retail startups
Marks and Spencer and Founders Factory have partnered for the launch of Founders Factory Retail, a joint venture focused on investing and growing startups. Marks and Spencer will become Founders Factory’s exclusive UK retail partner, investing in a number of startups sourced through Founders Factory’s global network as part of…
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19 JulyHigh Street
‘Phantom hours’ costing UK businesses £37m a week
A survey of shift workers in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries has found staff to be overstating their working hours by an average of almost half an hour a week. Staff rota scheduling firm Rotaready, which conducted the survey, said these ‘phantom hours’ are costing UK businesses as much…
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18 JulyDepartment Stores
M&S partners with Octopus Energy to challenge ‘Big 6’ providers
Marks & Spencer and Octopus Energy have announced a new strategic partnership to supply energy and services under the M&S Energy brand from September 2018. M&S said the new partnership between energy industry disruptor Octopus and the department store chain is designed to create a “more progressive, digital and commercial…
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