Marks and Spencer has announced plans to sell products from a range of up to 400 leading food and household brands from next year.
Following a successful trial of selling branded products in 43 stores in the North East and South East, the retailer has decided to introduce well-known brands such as Heinz, Coca-Cola, Kelloggs and Nescafe across their UK store network.
M&S said it will initially focus on sectors where it has no presence or its own-brand range has a low market share, such as alcohol, confectionery, laundry, pet food and personal care. But it stressed that none of its own-branded products will be dropped from its line-up.
Stores in the trial regions will be the first to see a full roll out, starting later this month, with the rest following from January.
Commenting on the move, John Dixon, executive director of food at M&S, said: “There are some products that we could simply never compete with, like Marmite and Kit Kat, and other areas where, while we have a great M&S equivalent, the leading brand dominates the market.”
“Adding the nation’s favourite brands to our mix offers our customers more choice and strengthens our position as the UK’s leading quality food retailer .”
M&S Chairman Sir Stuart Rose added: “Our customers are at the heart of this decision – they lead increasingly busy lives so buying those essential, must-have branded products at M&S will help save them time.”
“It will be so much more for convenient for our customers to get what they need from M&S rather than having to go elsewhere.”
The announcement comes as the chain revealed profits of £298.3million for the six months to September 26, beating City forecasts and exceeding last year’s figures.
