Loyal M&S customers 'flock back'

Marks & Spencer is hailing detailed customer analysis which shows loyal shoppers are spending more as proof that it is turning the corner in its clothing range, following a lukewarm response to last week’s sales figures.
The retailer, which revealed a 9% slide in half-year profits to £261.1m, with clothes and homeware sales down 1.5%, is under pressure to restore fashion sales over the Christmas period.
And an analysis by Kantar shows things could be moving in the right direction. The company studied M&S customer behaviour over four rolling 12-week periods, ending September 29. In the final 12 weeks, clothing sales were almost flat. Although customer number continued to fall, those who bought clothes, bought more than before. It found older customers – those aged 55 and over – and younger customers were both spending more.
M&S also cited the appearance of model Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley in its advertising as boosting the appeal of the brand among the under-25s.
One retail analyst told The Sunday Times: “The product really is better, store environments are better, and the loyal customer is spending more.”
M&S chief executive Marc Bolland added that success of its sorbet pink-coat – the centre-piece of the autumn/winter collection – was “something that’s rarely happened at M&S in the past 20 years”.

Loyal M&S customers ‘flock back’

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