Marks & Spencer is one of the UK's largest retailers. It has a background in clothes retailing and has more recently moved into other areas such as food and furnishings. It sells only under its own brand with well-known names unable to gain even a foothold in its stores. Marks & Spencer first moved outside the UK in 1975 when it established stores in France and Belgium. In 1988, it expanded further in the USA by acquiring Brooks Brothers clothing stores and Kings supermarkets. By 1990, Marks & Spencer was moving into Spain followed by the Netherlands in 1991. Outside the UK Marks & Spencer has been somewhat less successful in the past, paying for expensive acquisitions. However, it has now developed a smaller store format for its overseas outlets and has franchised some outlets. It now has a chain of around 150 such stores around the world with the Hong Kong and French stores especially successful. Marks & Spencer claims to be proud of the "made in the UK" badge which can be added to the majority of its products. For international markets the company has remained with this policy although it is now moving towards developing French food suppliers, especially for fresh produce, for its stores in France. The group operates 155 stores in Canada under both its own name and through its ladies fashionwear chain, d'Aillard. The most demanding move for the group is imminent with the Japanese market under study.
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Marks & Spencer Marks & Spencer plans to add a further 1,700 jobs this year in order to support rising sales, and it also wants to double the number of stores in continental Europe to 70. 21-May-97 Marks & Spencer is to introduce a mail order clothing catalogue next spring, initially in regional trials. 02-Apr-97 Marks & Spencer is to open a franchise in the United Arab Emirates later this year, its first venture in the Gulf region. 07-Feb-97 Marks & Spencer is purchasing the Gyle shopping centre in Edinburgh for £122m, so that it can control development of the site. 10-Jan-97 Marks & Spencer is test-marketing gold jewellery in 11 stores, and hopes to set up departments in 40 stores by next Christmas. 21-Nov-96 Marks & Spencer is planning to take on 2,000 extra staff at its stores, in order to improve customer service. 06-Nov-96 Marks & Spencer is to launch a range of vitamin and mineral supplements in its first step into the healthcare market, a move seen as a threat to Boots. 29-Oct-96 Marks & Spencer is planning to launch a franchise chain in Australia, initially centred in Sydney. 18-Oct-96 Marks & Spencer is introducing cheap personal loans of up to £3,000 for customers who use its charge card. 24-Jun-96 Marks & Spencer plans to open a further two stores and refurbish 14 in the UK this year, and create over 1,000 jobs. 22-May-96 Marks & Spencer is to open its first Czech franchise in Prague later this year, with more cities to follow in the next few years. 01-May-96 Marks & Spencer is preparing plans to open stores in Korea, Taiwan and Australia, from its regional base in Hong Kong. 27-Mar-96 Marks & Spencer is selling its 85-strong Canadian chain of D'Allaird's stores to Comark, and its Canadian strategy will now be to replicate its successful UK format. 06-Mar-96 Marks & Spencer is moving into Germany, with a Cologne store due to open next autumn. 22-Jan-96 Marks & Spencer may extend its new food delivery scheme to central London branches. 13-Jan-96 Marks & Spencer is withdrawing a batch of clothing incorrectly labelled as UK-made but in fact made in Morocco. 05-Jan-96 Marks & Spencer is retaining Sir Richard Greenbury as chairman for at least three years. 18-Dec-95 Marks & Spencer is to start franchising in South Korea, and is also looking at possible opportunities in China. 11-Oct-95 Marks & Spencer financial results for the full year to Mar 97: Sales £7840.0m (£7230.0m last year). Pre-tax Profit £1102.0m (£966.0m last year). 23-May-97 Marks & Spencer financial results for the first half to Sep 96: Sales £3530.0m (£3250.0m last year). Pre-tax Profit £430.0m (£385.0m last year). 08-Nov-96 Marks & Spencer financial results for the full year to Mar 96: Sales £7230.0m (£6810.0m last year). Pre-tax Profit £966.0m (£924.0m last year). 24-May-96