Tag: M & S

M&S Edinburgh colleague celebrates 50 golden Christmases

Susan Jack, a shining star at Marks & Spencer’s Princes Street store in Edinburgh is celebrating a half-century of holiday magic this year.

Sales Advisor for Jaeger and Womenswear at Marks & Spencer Princes Street, Susan is celebrating her 50th Christmas working for the high-street retailer and is particularly excited about this year’s range of sparkling dresses and skirts, perfect for any festive occasion.

Susan’s M&S career began just before Christmas in 1974 at the Princes Street store, just in time for the holiday rush in the ‘Ladies Fashions’ department.

With 50 years retail experience now under her belt, Susan has witnessed incredible innovations, from the evolution of tights to the affordability of cashmere and to the sparkle of the modern-day beauty counter, particularly at Christmas. She has always been fascinated by the changing trends in customer shopping habits.

From 1994 to 1999, Susan left the Princes Street store to join the opening team at the Gyle Shopping Centre. Remarked as one of Susan’s proudest moments, she thrived in training the new store team before returning to Princes Street as a Section Manager for Womenswear.

For Susan, the Christmas season is a magical time, she reflected: “Christmas is always special, particularly watching customers come in for their Christmas food shop. It brings so much joy to the store.” 

She fondly looks back on the annual ‘turkey trot’, a term the team has coined for when Edinburgh shoppers collected their turkey and cranberry sauce! 

The Turkey ordering service was soon introduced in 1982 to enhance convenience for customers. 

As for Susan’s favourite turkey, she reveals: “The British Oakham Turkey Breast Joint is my favourite, we get it every year as it carves like a dream!”.

Susan has cherished celebrating Christmas with her colleagues over the years. From being amongst the first to sample the Christmas range as soon as it’s released, to attending January Christmas parties (a retail tradition), she has seen it all.

Reflecting on her five decades working for the retailer, Susan Jack, says: “More than anything over the years, M&S has given me confidence; I was very shy when I started, but my time at M&S has taught me how to be outgoing, reassuring me in my skills.

“I’d like to thank all my colleagues for creating such an enjoyable working environment and M&S for all the opportunities I’ve had over the last 50 years. The friendships I have made over the past five decades are truly irreplaceable and will last a lifetime.

“Watching their children grow up and become parents themselves is something I am forever grateful for.”

Store Manager Jon Cameron added; “I am immensely proud of the incredible dedication and achievements Susan has made over the past 50 years. Her unwavering commitment, exceptional service, and the positive impact she has on both our team and customers are truly inspiring.

“We are honoured to celebrate this remarkable milestone and look forward to many more years working alongside Susan.”

Exclusively for Scotland: M & S launches free sandwich campaign

  • From 17th July – 17th October, Scottish shoppers get their 7th sandwich FREE when they buy 6 – available with Sparks
  • THIS IS NOT JUST A SANDWICH: New offer in Scotland follows a host of award wins for M&S sandwiches – including the coveted Multiple Retailer of the Year Award at The Sammies Awards

From 17th July – 17th October, shoppers in Scotland can get their seventh sandwich on us when they buy six in a new 3 month campaign.

The offer is open to EVERYONE who is a member of Sparks in Scotland. Simply activate your offer in the M&S App and scan your digital Sparks card every time you buy a sandwich, wrap or roll. Collect six stamps and your seventh sandwich is free! If you don’t have the offer in your Sparks account, you can scan the QR code in an M&S Foodhall to get started.

When you’ve redeemed your free sandwich, you can start collecting all over again!

How to get your seventh sandwich on us in four easy steps:

  1. Download the M&S app
  2. Activate the offer in your Sparks account or add the offer by scanning the QR code in store
  3. Choose any delicious sandwich, wrap or roll
  4. Scan your Sparks card at checkout

Available for a limited time in 53 M&S stores and 15 Franchise stores in Scotland.

Sharry Cramond, M&S Director of Food Marketing and M&S Loyalty, said: “We’re delighted to introduce the seven for six sandwich campaign for Scottish shoppers this summer.

“With our loyalty scheme Sparks, we aim to give back to our customers with personalised offers and rewards they’ll love. I hope they’ll be delighted when they get their 7th (award winning) sandwich free! These are not just any sandwiches, and this is not just any campaign!” 

When you’re a member of Sparks, good things happen every time you shop! Sign up for personalised offers and rewards you’ll love, including money off, free treats and charity donations.

And never queue again with the time saving Scan & Shop. Simply use the Scan & Shop feature on the M&S app to scan and bag items as you go. Then pay for your food shop directly from the M&S App – no need to visit a checkout.

Download the M&S App to scan your Sparks card straight from your phone and keep track of offers and rewards.

IT’S OFFICIAL: M&S SANDWICHES REIGN SUPREME

The new Sparks sandwich offer in Scotland follows an incredible haul of wins at this year’s Sammies Awards – the ULTIMATE awards for sandwiches and food to go.

Multiple Retailer of the Year AwardThat’s right – we’re THE go-to destination for your next lunch. With 61 sandwiches, wraps and rolls to choose from, there’s something for everyone with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Healthy Eating Award: High Protein Korean Egg WrapWith a whopping 23g of protein, you won’t want to miss this one. Fiery Marinated British chicken, pickled slaw, red pepper and chilli mayo and spinach, all in a carb clever egg wrap. 
WHAT ELSE IS NEW? Be one of the first to wrap your jaws around the latest sandwiches to join our stellar line up:

Roast Chicken & Chorizo Sandwich

This is not just a Roast Chicken & Chorizo sandwich.

Generously filled with British chicken and chorizo, packed with a lemon and paprika dressing on thick cut bread.

Cheddar Cheese New Yorker Sandwich
Farmhouse Cheddar cheese, gherkins, soft cheese mustard dressing, pickled onions and cabbage with spinach, on soft seeded rye bread. 

Want a gluten-free version? We’ve got you covered!

Our Made Without Cheddar Cheese New Yorker Sandwich won GOLD at the Free From Food Awards 2024 and was developed using our award-winning Made Without New York Deli Sandwich’s soft gluten-free seeded rye bread as a base.

Cheese & Marmite® Sandwich

Your favourite Marmite® spread with cream cheese and farmhouse mature Cheddar in soft vitamin-D enriched white bread. Under 400kcals, with one sold every 20 seconds in first two weeks of launch!


Natalie Tate, M&S Food Product Development Manager for sandwiches, salads and on-the-go options, said:“At M&S, we are iconic for our sandwich quality, and we have been busy coming up with more products to add to our amazing range of products.

“Our Cheddar & Marmite® sandwich is a collaboration made in heaven (for some!) and I assure you that more people love it than hate it, as it’s packed full of farmhouse cheddar and marmite cream cheese.

“The Roast Chicken & Chorizo is selling quicker than most other sandwiches in the range, and I can see why, as it’s packed full of British chicken, chorizo, and a delicious lemon & paprika dressing on thick-cut malted bread.

“Lastly, we have reintroduced our very popular Made Without Cheddar New Yorker which also just won GOLD at the Free From Awards 2024.”

M&S stores across Edinburgh share plans for retail reopening

·         M&S stores across Edinburgh, including M&S Gyle and M&S Princes Street, get ready to welcome more shoppers back in store as customers look ahead to brighter days

·         New services launched to help customers Shop Their Way – from contact free bra fit to easier payment options

·         Sparks to boost rewards for customers for two weeks from 26th April – one customer every day in every store will win their shopping for free 

With retail reopening across Scotland this week, M&S is sharing how stores across Edinburgh, including M&S Gyle and M&S Princes Street, are set up to offer customers the inspiration and flexibility to Shop Your Way.

M&S has been continually adapting its store experience, offering products and services that local customers want after a year of significant change.

M&S stores across Edinburgh are offering a range of exciting new products and services to make shopping with M&S easier, convenient and more rewarding – from digital payment options to rewards and treats for shopping through our Sparks loyalty programme. All of this supported by standout M&S customer service in a safe and clean store.

M&S Scotland Central and East Regional Manager, Scott Munro, said: “We’re excited to welcome more customers back into our stores and look forward to continuing to serve our local community.

“Whether you’re looking for our latest Dine-In family feast or those must-have wardrobe staples to see you into summer, we have everything to help you Shop Your Way.

“With exciting new services like our contact-free bra fitting and the Scan & Shop service on our Sparks mobile app, we’re supporting customers however they choose to shop. Whether that’s browsing in store or using our click & collect service, our local team is ready to help.”

Shop Your Way: Easy and Rewarding Ways to Pay 

Following the relaunch of the M&S Sparks loyalty scheme in July last year, M&S stores across Edinburgh are marking the return of retail by offering one Sparks customer every single day for two weeks from 26th April, in every store, their whole basket or trolley of shopping for free.

As well as offering regular rewards and treats for shopping through Sparks with M&S, the mobile App also allows customers to shop in store with their phones with the Scan & Shop with Sparks service offering a quick way to pay without using the till. This follows the recent extension of Sparks Book & Shop to help customer plan ahead and book a slot to shop at a time that suits them.

Shop Your Way: Great new services and stand out service  

Outstanding customer service remains and will always be a defining feature of the M&S experience and is a key reason why customers choose to shop with M&S – from the welcoming host on the door and the brilliant operations teams behind the scenes, to the valuable in-store services offered in-store.

Bra Fit

Bra fit is back at M&S including at M&S Princes Street, the Gyle and Fort Kinnaird, allowing customers to choose between a contact-free bra fit from M&S’s expert colleague by appointment or the new option of accessing M&S’s expert service from home via a virtual appointment. M&S virtual bra fit appointments are available for any customers across Scotland.

M&S Gyle is also improving its Bra Fit service by offering customers on-the-spot payment service Pay With Me – so customers can purchase lingerie straight after their appointment from M&S’s expert Bra Fit colleagues without visiting a till.

Click and Collect

More and more customers are looking to take advantage of the flexibility and convenience of shopping with M&S across both its website and their local store. M&S is making this easier by blending these services and offering local customers free next day collection when ordered by 8pm.

M&S Cafés

M&S Cafés, including at M&S Gyle, Fort Kinnaird and Ocean Terminal, are now open as of 26th April.

All customer toilets will also be back open, with strict cleaning protocols in place to ensure the highest levels of hygiene. 

Two in 3 agree: An Apprenticeship is as good as a Degree

New research launched in line with National Apprenticeship Week (8-14 February) has revealed that more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents agreed* that an apprenticeship is as valuable, and provides a young person with equal future prospects, as a university degree.

This finding highlights a significant improvement in the perceptions of apprenticeships and solidifies the Government’s strategy in achieving greater parity between further education (FE) and higher education.

The research, commissioned by independent training provider, Babington, showed a significant improvement in the perceived value of apprenticeships in comparison to previous years; a 2016 report found that only 24 per cent of young people believed an apprenticeship could give them a better chance of getting a good job than going to university.

This is a positive step towards understanding the value that apprenticeships provide not only for individuals, but for employers and the economy. This is especially true in light of the current pandemic, in which FE will play a significant role in building a skilled workforce to safeguard our economic recovery and long-term growth.

However, there remains a challenge and a lack of confidence in how this translates to employment opportunities, particularly when it comes to recruitment. The research also uncovered that 43 per cent of 16-24-year-olds agree* that an employer would favour a university degree over an apprenticeship.

These findings suggest that while perceptions are improving within society, and positivity surrounding apprenticeships is growing, the Government and employers must work in tandem to develop recruitment practices which expel any bias towards university degrees. This collaboration will better empower learners to build skills through their apprenticeships and secure employment that will support long-term career development. 

David Marsh, CEO of Babington, said: “It is clear that the efforts of all of those within the further education (FE) sector are paying off and the Government’s strategy in encouraging apprenticeships is working.

“However, what we’re now seeing is a disconnect with employer recruitment which could have an impact on those individuals considering an apprenticeship and how it might affect their long-term career prospects.

“Therefore, we now need to focus on supporting a much wider cultural shift amongst employers and recruitment teams to ensure the parity of apprenticeships is considered at every level.

“After all, if we are to effectively embed an employer-centric skills system then we need to continue working on changing behaviours and practices and recognise the multitude of benefits and skills which apprentices can offer.”

Tracy Fairhurst, Head of Apprenticeships, Royal Mail said: “We value apprenticeships at all levels as a hugely beneficial tool to develop talent within our organisation.  There are a wide range of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships available to support career development and provide a true earn while you learn opportunity as an alternative to the traditional fulltime study at university. 

“There are tangible benefits for both employer and apprentice – the apprentice gets to know the business and the sector in depth and can see the visible impact of applying learning.  For the employer, there are commercial and bottom-line benefits from synoptic projects and fresh thinking.

“I would encourage any employer to think widely about options to fill a role to make sure you get the best return on your people investment and apprenticeships are often the obvious choice.  We intend to do far more about achieving a more balanced approach to accessing talent pools based on the very positive results we are seeing so far.”

Ann Bridges, L&D Manager at M&S said: “Our apprenticeship programmes are a vital part of our recruitment and talent strategy. For apprentices, they offer the perfect foundations to kickstart a career in retail; while for M&S, they serve to strengthen our skills & talent pipeline.

“Alongside partner Babington, in November we launched retail’s first level three data technician apprenticeship, which teaches M&S colleagues the fundamentals of how to manipulate and scrutinise data, and translate it into valuable insights that the business can act upon.

“Programmes such as this are a key way we’ll continue to grow our digital & data capabilities and accelerate our transformation to become a digital first retailer.”

M & S food redistribution scheme supports Leith charity

As the countdown to Christmas continues, Edinburgh-based charity, Empty Kitchens Full Hearts has ramped up the number of meals it is providing to those in need thanks to M&S’s food redistribution programme.

An M & S colleague app, launched at the start of the pandemic, is now used to notify charities when surplus food is available, helping to increase donations and stop food going to waste. More than 413,000 meals have been provided to charity groups in Edinburgh using surplus food donated by M&S.

Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts – a volunteer-led scheme on Ferry Road that sees professional chefs turn surplus food into healthy meals – is providing over 2,700 meals a day to the most vulnerable families in the city.

This Christmas, the organisation will be making and delivering a venison dinner so that those in need don’t miss out on a special meal.

Cathy Miller, food donations collection manager at Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts, said: “The donations we receive from M&S help us to cook fresh meals for hundreds across Edinburgh every day who would otherwise go without. M&S’s fantastic food donations really are integral to our food delivery programme.”

Jenny McPartlin, Store Manager at M&S Edinburgh, said: “It’s going to be a Christmas like no other this year and we’re doing everything we can to ensure it’s as easy as possible for local charities and causes to collect meals to feed the people who need it most, particularly as we enter the festive season when money can be a concern for many.

“When we have surplus food, our absolute priority is for it to end up on someone’s plate, through our charity redistribution programme with Neighbourly. We’re thrilled that the app has already helped to make such a difference to charities like Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts, and hope to continue to help charities across Edinburgh this season to support our local community and help prevent food going to waste.”

Since 2015, M&S stores have supported over 2,100 local causes nationwide, from food banks to youth clubs and hospices, donating 19.6 million meals so far to those in need.

 In partnership with Neighbourly the new colleague app is now in all 585 M&S stores, enabling many of them to more than double their food redistribution rates. Across the UK, more than 7.8 million meals have been donated since 1st March alone.

M&S’ digital loyalty scheme, Sparks, has so far raised almost £7 million for charities, with customers able to select from 35 charities, including the Neighbourly Foundation.

  • M&S is always looking for new partners to work with. Local charity and community groups who would like to get involved in the food surplus programme or other charity initiatives are encouraged to email mandsfood@neighbourly.com to find out more.

Largest M &S Foodhall in Scotland opens at Straiton

Marks & Spencer yesterday opened its largest M&S Food store in Scotland, in Straiton. The store’s 100-strong team welcomed customers, helping them get everything they need whilst enjoying the new M&S offer.

Located in Straiton Retail Park, the new 15,000 square foot store is home to a large greengrocer-style fresh market, offering an outstanding range of M&S Select Farms produce, lots of which is locally grown in Scotland, including Inverness-grown Rainbow and Baby Carrots, and Arbroath-grown sweet Strawberries. The store also offers a pick your own eggs station where customers can self-select any number of eggs, tailoring their box to their preference according to egg size, type and yolk colour.

The store will be led by Store Manager, Thomas Tierney, alongside his team of 100 colleagues. Now open, the M&S team will be working hard to offer the community the very best service, drawing on M&S’s 135 years of serving the British public.

To help celebrate the opening and relaunch of Sparks, M&S’s customer loyalty scheme, the team will be treating seven customers over seven days to their shopping, totally for free. One recipient will be chosen at random each day, and whatever is in your trolley will be complimentary!

M&S’s previous location in Straiton will close the day before, in line with the new opening, with colleagues moving across to the new store. The relocation to a larger site will provide customers with a bigger and better Food offer to enjoy.

Store Manager, Thomas Tierney, said yesterday: “We’re delighted to open our new store in Straiton today. The last few weeks have been spent putting the finishing touches in store and making sure all our measures are in place to support customers, so they can shop with confidence.

“It’s brilliant to now be open in time for the festive season – chatting with customers today it’s fantastic to see them get excited about our new Christmas products, as well as shop for all the essentials. Our new store also offers Click & Collect, which means customers can shop for the full Clothing & Home collections via M&S.com.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the team, who have been amazing getting the store ready. We’re all so excited show the community all that Scotland’s largest Food store has to offer.”

Local customer, Lisa Whigham from Loanhead, was one of the first customers through the doors. She said: “I’ve been an avid shopper at M&S for years and I now feel spoilt for choice with all that my local M&S has to offer.

“The pick your own eggs station is particularly exciting – I love that I can now choose my perfect yolk for poached eggs, and know which ones are best for frying!”

M&S Straiton offers thousands of M&S’s quality and great value food products, from daily essentials and fresh produce, to dinner favourites and ready-to-go family meals.

The new Food store also has everything customers will need for a truly delicious Christmas meal, along with all the trimmings. Shoppers will be able to pick up M&S’s sweet and savoury showstoppers, from the Our Best Ever Mince Pies to the Scottish Salmon Pastrami.

M&S Straiton offers the full range of M&S Clothing & Home products via its Click & Collect service. Customers can opt for next day pick up if they order online by 10pm the night before on M&S.com and the store will also offer hassle free returns. With over a thousand free car parking spaces, the store is ideal for convenient Clothing & Home collection.

The store is located at Foodhall Unit 2B, Straiton Retail Park, Loanhead, Scotland EH20 9PW, and is open Monday – Friday, 8am – 9pm, Saturday 8am – 8pm and Sunday 9am – 7pm.

M&S Straiton will offer extended shopping hours which will gradually increase up until Christmas and from the 21st – 23rd December, the Food store will be open until midnight.

7000 jobs to go at M & S

Marks and Spencer announces 7000 job cuts over next three months:

We are today announcing important proposals to further streamline the business both at stores and management level.

As previously outlined Clothing & Home trading in the stores remains well below last year, with online and home delivery strong.  It is clear that there has been a material shift in trade and whilst it is too early to predict with precision where a new post Covid sales mix will settle, we must act now to reflect this change.

We have also learnt that we can work more flexibly and productively with more colleagues multi-tasking and transitioning between Food and Clothing & Home. The deployment of our leading store technology package developed in partnership with Microsoft has also enabled us to reduce layers of management and overheads in the support office.

As a result we are today embarking on a multi-level consultation programme which we anticipate will result in a reduction of c. 7,000 roles over the next 3 months. These will include departures in our central support centre, in regional management, and in our UK stores, reflecting the fact that the change has been felt throughout the business.

We expect a significant proportion will be through voluntary departures and early retirement. In line with our longstanding value of treating our people well, we will now begin an extensive programme of communication with colleagues.   

Concurrently we expect to create a number of new jobs as we invest in online fulfilment and the new ambient food warehouse and reshape our store portfolio over the course of the year. 

The cost of the programme including redundancies will be reflected in a significant adjusting item to be included in the group’s half-year results.  The streamlining programme is an important step in delivering on our cost savings programme and ensuring we emerge from the crisis with a lower cost base and a stronger more resilient business. 

Chief Executive Steve Rowe commented: “In May we outlined our plans to learn from the crisis, accelerate our transformation and deliver a stronger, more agile business in a world in which some customer habits were changed forever.

“Three months on and our Never the Same Again programme is progressing; albeit the outlook is uncertain and we remain cautious. As part of our Never The Same Again programme to embed the positive changes in ways of working through the crisis, we are today announcing proposals to further streamline store operations and management structures.

“These proposals are an important step in becoming a leaner, faster business set up to serve changing customer needs and we are committed to supporting colleagues through this time.”

Group revenue: constant currency

% change to LY19 weeks to 8 August 201
13 weeks to 8  August 201
8 weeks to 8 August 201
Clothing & Home -49.5-38.5-29.9
Food-1.12.52.5
International-31.9-24.6-19.9
Group-19.2-13.2-10.0
Clothing & Home.com32.042.239.2
 M&S.com38.946.940.7

James Macsween Addresses the Haggis at Gyle M&S

James Macsween, Managing Director at Macsween and guardian of our national dish, put on a Burns Night performance as he addressed the haggis in M&S’s store at The Gyle shopping centre.

Customers were treated to this one-of-a-kind shopping experience which saw the haggis piped into the foodhall and highland dancers put on a show. Lots of tasters of M&S’s Burns Night range were on offer for all as locals celebrated Scotland’s age-old tradition.

Macsween makes an exclusive recipe of their sensationally popular haggis especially for M&S.

With new delicious additions such as Haggis, Neeps and Tatties en Croute, as well as traditional favourites, including the signature haggis especially made by James Macsween, M&S has everything you need for a Burns Night feast to remember.

Macsween has been supplying M&S with phenomenally tasty and succulent Haggis and Vegetarian Haggis products since 2012. As the innovators behind the first ever Vegetarian Haggis 35 years ago, there is now a Haggis for everyone to devour on Burns Night with M&S Food.

M&S serves two million customers a week across Scotland and has served Scottish customers for over 100 years – the first store opened in Dundee in 1918.

M&S has a network of over 40 food suppliers based in Scotland, who work with more than 4,000 farms and supply fantastic products across the while of the UK.

Over 2,500 of their products are made from raw materials sourced from Scottish producers.

M&S first began sourcing from Scottish food producers in the 1930s and the supply base has gone from strength to strength.

DON’T FORGET there’s another opportunity to enjoy a Burns Supper this weekend at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre: