Marks & Spencer to push for Christmas party profits
November 2009
M&S has a plan for bumper festive food sales by introducing a bargain vol au vents and fritattas offer and cash in on the party season.
They are aiming for a 20 to 30 per cent increase in party foods sales this Christmas using three-for-two and half-price offers.
The offers would attract shoppers to M&S food halls and Simply Foods outlets in addition to an increase in party food sales of almost £40m.
An earlier marketing campaign was a great success as it attracted first time food shoppers and encouraged existing customers to buy additional goods by offering dinner for two for £10. The party foods initiative is to become part of a huge promotional drive by the company before Christmas.
Last week M&S reported a small improvement in interim profits to £298.3m.
Food promotions such as “Dine in for two for £10”, run by M&S sold 4.5m meals over the half year. M&S is now doing everyday dining deals such as the Pizza Meal Deal for £5. It also announced a £10m campaign which will feature celebrities like Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders, Stephen Fry and John Sergeant.
M&S has been a favourite party food for shoppers since long but the retailer’s Christmas campaign will also be perceived as retaliation against rivals who have made inroads into its market share in the last few years.
Food sales at M&S declined as customers traded down to supermarkets. The group’s chairman, Sir Stuart Rose, however, has made recovery a priority and recently launched an advertising campaign comparing his store’s prices with those of Waitrose.
Michelle Williams from Artemis Solutions Group who specialise in recruiting for the Food and Beverages Sector comments “The food promotions coupled with advertising is a bold initiative of M&S. It is bound to get the customers’ attention”
