Last week, after years of lacklustre performance, Marks and Spencer announced that in the last 16 weeks food sales have grown by 5.2% on a like for like basis. This is a better result than Sainsbury, or Tesco, or Asda. With a 3.7% market share Marks is still tiny, but what makes them worth watching is that historically they have set the pace in food innovation. What Marks started others followed, and food buying has been transformed as a result. They were, for example, pioneers in ready meals, leaders in getting exotic fruits and vegetables in the shopping bag, and the company that made a sandwich lunch something special.
They then lost their creative edge, and competitors not just copied but improved on what they had done.
Does the recent food performance mean they have got their edge back?
Marc Bolland their new chief executive said that growth was down to a combination of aggressive price cutting offers and innovation, with 370 new lines being launched in the last three months.
Certainly they are promoting heavily. A wall of special offers greets the shopper. In the meat area, there were bacon, chicken, sausages, small beef joints, and the ever present mince all priced at 3 for £10. There were offers in fruit and veg, fish, ready meals, desserts and wine. In this they are no different from any other supermarket.
What about the innovation? The offer is certainly more exciting than it was, with ever more exotic combinations of flavours in a ready meal, and even more indulgent biscuits and cakes. There were also some new ideas such as “One Pot Casserole” where diced beef, ready peeled and chopped vegetables, and a cook in sauce could all be purchased for a fiver, thus encouraging shoppers to try something other than mince, with minimum hassle.
Importantly, the merchandising was good, with green coloured “new” stickers highlighting every new product.
The question is whether enough has been done for Marks to regain its position as leader in food, and the answer just now, is probably not. What is on offer is a variation on a theme rather than a genuine breakthrough. There is a limit to the amount of exotic and indulgent food that people will buy, either through monetary constraints or the inability to stomach yet another fancy meal.
It will be interesting to hear in November how Mr. Bolland intends to take the business forward. Premium indulgence leavened with price cuts is fine, but more will be needed to keep M&S food sales moving ahead.
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