"My Johnny loves marmite"
Daily Telegraph--Marks & Spencer is to break with 85 years of tradition by stocking brands other than those with an M&S label. Later this year it will be possible to buy everything from Chanel perfume to Tabasco sauce from the retailer.
Its chief executive Sir Stuart Rose confirmed reports in The Sunday Telegraph from March that it would start to stock "must-have" brands like Coca Cola and Persil. It will begin with trials in about 20 stores in the north east of England from the end of July as well as a further 70 Simply Food outlets.
Sir Stuart said: "I’ve had customers come up to me and say 'Stuart, I love your food but my Johnny loves Marmite.’"
The retailer is hoping that customers who currently have to go across the road to John Lewis to buy certain make-up brands, or to Sainsbury’s to buy some of their favourite branded food products, will instead buy them from M&S.
"Hopefully customers will say, 'Well thank goodness M&S is doing me a favour and saving me doing two journeys’," said Sir Stuart
A total of 350 brands will be tested out, the details of which the company has yet to disclose. However, it will definitely include tabasco, the favourite spicing ingredient of Sir Stuart.
"I am a big fan of tabasco, but when I want to buy some tabasco I have to go to Sainsbury’s.
The idea will be rolled out to more stores if deemed a success.
Its chief executive Sir Stuart Rose confirmed reports in The Sunday Telegraph from March that it would start to stock "must-have" brands like Coca Cola and Persil. It will begin with trials in about 20 stores in the north east of England from the end of July as well as a further 70 Simply Food outlets.
Sir Stuart said: "I’ve had customers come up to me and say 'Stuart, I love your food but my Johnny loves Marmite.’"
The retailer is hoping that customers who currently have to go across the road to John Lewis to buy certain make-up brands, or to Sainsbury’s to buy some of their favourite branded food products, will instead buy them from M&S.
"Hopefully customers will say, 'Well thank goodness M&S is doing me a favour and saving me doing two journeys’," said Sir Stuart
A total of 350 brands will be tested out, the details of which the company has yet to disclose. However, it will definitely include tabasco, the favourite spicing ingredient of Sir Stuart.
"I am a big fan of tabasco, but when I want to buy some tabasco I have to go to Sainsbury’s.
The idea will be rolled out to more stores if deemed a success.