Marks & Spencer news and analysis – Page 68

  • News

    Food standalones will continue

    2004-07-17T00:00:00Z

    Marks and Spencer will unveil a radical new look for its food offer in its Basingstoke store this autumn as part of a series of initiatives to revive food sales.This will be followed in January by a new dieting concept and developments in...

  • News

    Less is more at M&S food

    2004-07-03T00:00:00Z

    Less is more will be the new mantra at Marks and Spencer’s food division as a scattergun approach to new product development is replaced with more targeted innovation, suppliers have been told.The strategy was unveiled as food suppliers were...

  • News

    M&S takes welfare high ground

    2004-06-26T00:00:00Z

    A straightforward consumer-focused quality standard is under development to give Marks and Spencer an edge when it comes to meat sales.The scheme, with the working title Project Green Pastures, was launched to farmers at this week’s Royal...

  • News

    M&S marketing director departs

    2004-06-19T00:00:00Z

    Marks and Spencer marketing director Alice Avis has left the company following the appointment of Steven Sharp to head up marketing.Sharp was a colleague of M& S’s newly-appointed chief executive Stuart Rose when they were on the board at...

  • News

    Decisions made for the future of M&S Food

    2004-06-18T00:00:00Z

    New Marks and Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose will outline his plans for the company’s food division on Thursday at an all day conference with suppliers.M&S declined to comment on the purpose of the meeting, which will be held at M&S’...

  • News

    M&S pay-offs have cost £3m

    2004-06-11T00:00:00Z

    It emerged yesterday that the cost of axing the four executive directors at Marks & Spencer has reached £3m through payment of settlement packages.The former chairman Luc Vandevelde received the equivalent of his year’s salary of about...

  • News

    Ronson may be eyeing up M&S property

    2004-06-10T00:00:00Z

    According to The Guardian today, Gerald Ronson is believed to have arranged financial backing to acquire a large slice of Marks & Spencer’s property portfolio.The property tycoon is understood to have been working on the plan to buy...

  • News

    Radice to go after M&S shake-up

    2004-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Vittorio Radice, the former Selfridges boss who developed the Lifestore concept at Marks & Spencer is to leave the company this Friday with a payoff of about £800,000.The executive joined Marks & Spencer in March last year and was recently...

  • News

    Northern Foods calm over M&S

    2004-06-05T00:00:00Z

    Northern Foods is not losing any sleep over the turmoil at M&S, new chief executive Pat O’Driscoll has insisted. Speaking as the company announced a sharp drop in full-year profit, but modest sales increases, O’Driscoll said: “We have a...

  • News

    M&S wraps up Atkins on the go

    2004-05-29T00:00:00Z

    Marks and Spencer is to introduce a range of ‘low carb’ foods to cater for customers aiming to reduce their carbohydrate intake.It has also introduced an “= low carb” logo for packaging, to flag up low carbohydrate convenience food to fans of...

  • News

    M&S poaches from clothing rival Asda

    2004-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Marks and Spencer has appointed Kate Bostock - currently a product director for Asda's George collection - to take over from Steve Longdon as boss of its womenswear department.Bostock has been product director for the George global brand...

  • News

    M&S chairman's contract was challenged before

    2004-05-12T00:00:00Z

    The Marks and Spencer board was told more than a year and a half ago that non-executive chairman Luc Vandevelde’s £450,000 pay packet and outside concerns would cause problems.Non-executive director Tony Ball, who was then also chief...

  • News

    M&S to part company with Vandevelde

    2004-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Marks & Spencer is parting company with chairman Luc Vandevelde after he said he could no longer devote enough time to the business.The M&S board is understood to have taken action after senior directors and big investors demanded that...

  • News

    Uniq buys Minsterley desserts business

    2004-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Uniq has bought the Minsterley desserts business from Northern Foods for £16.5m.Shropshire-based Minsterley is a manufacturer of own label desserts, which are sold principally under the Marks & Spencer and Asda retailer brands. It also...

  • News

    Glisten appoint former M&S boss

    2004-05-04T00:00:00Z

    Chocolate and sugar-based confectionery maker Glisten has appointed Guy McCracken as a non-executive director.McCracken is a former joint managing director of Marks and Spencer. He is currently chairman of food company Duchy Originals and a...

  • News

    Show time for M&S

    2004-05-01T00:00:00Z

    Marks and Spencer’s fruit and vegetable growers will be taking to the stand this summer during the retailer’s £1m agricultural promotion campaign.Paul Willgoss, head of agriculture, said the seven agricultural shows throughout the UK would...

  • News

    Thresher appoints new CEO

    2004-03-25T00:00:00Z

    Independent drinks retailer, Thresher, has appointed Roger Whiteside as its new chief executive.Whiteside helped set up and lead Ocado, the online grocery service supplied by Waitrose, as well as heading up Marks and Spencer’s food business....

  • News

    Positive PR and a pay-off

    2004-02-21T00:00:00Z

    Steve Crabb offers guidance to employers keen to follow M& S’s Marks and Start initiativeMarks and Spencer may have had some ‘iffy’ financial results recently, but the company shows no signs of slowing up when it comes to...

  • News

    Press round-up…ex-Somerfield chief on the move

    2004-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Former Somerfield chief executive Alan Smith could be in line to head up high street hardware chain Robert Dyas.The Financial Times reported that Change Capital, a private equity firm set up last year by Marks and Spencer chairman Luc...

  • News

    Gist on track

    2004-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Logistics provider Gist said turnover and adjusted operating profit were in line with last year despite the loss of a contract to move general merchandise for Marks and Spencer.For the three months December 31, Gist said operating profit was...