Marks & Spencer is making a major play for the weekly family shop, launching more than 30 new value food products this month as it directly challenges the UK's 'big six' supermarkets.
A Strategic Shift Towards Value
The retailer, traditionally associated with premium own-label offerings, has significantly expanded its budget-friendly ranges. The new additions for January 2026 focus on core family staples, including 500g and 750g packs of 5% fat beef mince and 1kg bags of frozen sweetcorn.
M&S asserts it is now the fastest-growing grocer among families, according to till receipt data from analysts Worldpanel. Supporting this, YouGov figures indicate a three percentage point increase over the last two years in families likely to consider shopping at M&S Food, while perceptions of value have improved by 10 percentage points.
Sales Surge and Bestselling Bargains
The strategy is clearly resonating with shoppers. Sales across M&S's value lines, which include 'remarksable value', 'dropped & locked', and 'bigger pack, better value', rose by 20% in the third quarter of last year. The 'remarksable value' range alone has doubled in size since 2023.
Some of the biggest hits with customers include:
- Loose bananas at 90p per kilogram.
- A substantial 1.5kg lasagne for £9.
- A dozen free-range eggs priced at £3.30.
The retailer reported that sales of its beef mince have skyrocketed by 80% since it was moved into the 'remarksable value' line. Over 40 products have been added to the value ranges since 2023, such as Select Farms red cooking onions (£1.10) and 1kg of traditional Scottish oats (£1.25).
No Compromise on Quality, Says M&S
M&S has been keen to stress that these are not basic 'entry level' products. A spokesperson stated the ranges offer the 'same high-quality products customers expect from M&S but at a lower price point', enabled by direct investment from the retailer. The company has an ambition to double the size of its food business and pledges continued investment in these value lines.
Kara Greatorex, Chief Commercial Officer at M&S Food, explained: 'For M&S, becoming a shopping list retailer is about offering core ingredients and products at the right price without compromising on quality.' She noted that there are now over 250 products across M&S Food's three dedicated value ranges.
Competitive Landscape and Food Inflation
This aggressive move by M&S comes as all major supermarkets battle to attract customers during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NIQ shows food inflation increased to 3.3% in December 2025, up from 3% in November and far above the wider shop price inflation of 0.7%.
In the fiercely competitive market, discounters like Lidl are also gaining ground. Worldpanel figures for the 12 weeks to December 28 show Lidl's market share grew by 0.5 percentage points to 7.8%, with sales up 10%. In comparison, M&S grocery sales saw a strong 7.2% increase over the same period year-on-year, indicating its refreshed value focus is already delivering growth.
