Marks & Spencer is making a decisive play for the weekly family shop, significantly expanding its range of value food items to position itself as a direct competitor to the UK's 'big six' supermarkets.
Data Shows Shift in Family Shopping Habits
The retailer, traditionally associated with premium own-label products, now claims to be 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 now likely to consider shopping at M&S Food. Perceptions of value at M&S among this group have improved by a notable 10 percentage points in the same period.
New Value Products and Soaring Sales
This month alone, M&S has launched more than 30 new value products. These include core family staples such as 500g and 750g packs of 5% fat beef mince and 1kg bags of frozen sweetcorn. The strategy is clearly resonating: 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 has doubled in size since 2023, with over 40 products added. Bestsellers include loose bananas at 90p per kg, a 1.5kg lasagne for £9, and a dozen free-range eggs priced at £3.30. Notably, sales of the beef mince have surged by 80% since it was moved into the 'remarksable value' line.
Quality Remains Paramount in Value Push
M&S has been keen to stress that these are not basic 'entry level' products that cut corners on quality or portion size. Instead, the company states they offer the same high-quality products customers expect from M&S but at a lower price point, enabled by direct investment from the retailer.
Kara Greatorex, chief commercial officer at M&S Food, said: "For M&S, becoming a shopping list retailer is about offering core ingredients and products at the right price without compromising on quality." She highlighted that there are now over 250 products across M&S Food's three value ranges.
Broader Supermarket Price War Intensifies
M&S's move comes amid fierce competition among major supermarkets, all vying to attract households still grappling with the cost-of-living crisis. According to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NIQ data, food inflation increased to 3.3% in December, up from 3% in November and far exceeding the wider shop price inflation of 0.7%.
In the 12 weeks to 28 December, Lidl made the greatest market share gain, adding 0.5 percentage points. Meanwhile, grocery sales at M&S were 7.2% higher than the same period a year earlier, underscoring the momentum behind its strategy. The retailer has stated its ambition to double the size of its food business and will continue to invest in its value offerings.
