Packaging Digest

M&S reports 5% food sales growth in second quarter

M&S revealed a cautious outlook for the remainder of the year as trading was likely to remain challenging, but said the second quarter had seen sales growth across all sectors of the business.

Food sales grew by 5.2% in the 13 weeks to 2 October and general merchandising by 8%.

"Customers are returning to quality," said chief executive Marc Bolland.

"In food, they are responding well to better value and innovation and in clothing are increasingly choosing M&S’s great fashions ad quality that lasts."

M&S’s statement comes a day after Sainsbury’s reported 5% sales growth for the quarter. On Tuesday, Tesco revealed that pre-tax profit rose by 12% in the first half of the year.

M&S said that it had launched 370 new food products during the quarter including ready meals, grocery products and biscuits.

M&S Q2 SALES

Total UK 6.5% (5.3% like for like)
Food 5.2% (3.7% like for like)
Clothing 7.8%
Home 9.3%