Marks & Spencer has landed dozens of new meat, poultry and fish products in stores, in its latest move to reinvent itself as a destination for the weekly family shop.
The retailer has launched 30 fish products, including 10 additional species, and upgraded another 51. The Grocer understands the aim is to rival the appeal of a local fishmonger.
In meat and poultry, 52 lines have been added, as M&S targets the midweek family shop.
Winning more family shoppers is a key pillar of M&S’s plan to double the size of its food business, a goal it set in 2019 as a five-year vision. Since then, its grocery market share has risen from about 3% to about 4.5%, not counting Ocado, which begain offering M&S’s range in 2020.
Latest Worldpanel data showed M&S’s grocery sales growing faster than any other UK supermarket, rising by 14.8% year on year in the 12 weeks to 6 September 2026. Ocado was second-fastest, with its sales up by 13.3%.
“Before we started our transformation of M&S Food, customers told us that they wanted us to be better at having options for midweek family meals,” said M&S Food MD Alex Freudmann as he revealed the latest moves on Linkedin.
“They said we didn’t have what they needed for their shopping lists.
“Today, as part of our journey to becoming a shopping list retailer, Antonio Schiorlin [M&S head of trade for meat, fish & poultry] and team have reset two of our biggest categories: fish and meat. They were in store last night, working shoulder-to-shoulder with store colleagues to execute the changes.
“In fish, we’ve launched 30 new products, upgraded 51 and added 10 additional species. The range is easier to shop and cook, with 15 British species represented.
“In meat, poultry and bacon, we’ve dropped more prices (such as on diced beef) and launched 52 new lines, such as the UK’s first dry-cured nitrite-free bacon and a brilliant range of family chicken (like our Spiced British Chicken Thighs).”
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