Marks and Spencer trials one-hour delivery service
Marks and Spencers (M&S) has launched a trial for a one-hour-delivery service on selected products as the chain moves to increase its grocery offering.
The high-end supermarket is trialling the service in Woodley, near Reading, and Camden, in North London, to begin with, cautioning that the service is “not quite ready for everyone yet.”
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During the trial, the supermarket's loyalty scheme members at its store in Camden will be offered 20% off their shop and free delivery to their door within an hour.
The selected products on offer include drinks, desserts, fresh food, and the retailers“dinner for two” range.
Meanwhile, loyalty scheme members in Woodley, near Reading, are being offered a click-and-collect service with a two-hour turnaround.
Marks and Spencers have resisted calls to offer home delivery for some time.
However, amidst rising sales as shoppers warm to its premium offering, the grocery has reconsidered.
“We have started two small food online trials with selected Sparks members as we explore what works for our customers,” an M&S spokesperson said.
The high-street store is different to other supermarket brands in that it stocks just 7,000 products, compared to supermarkets like Tesco’s who stock 40,000.
However, M&S hopes that by carving out an alternative path to its high-street rivals by competing directly with companies such as Deliveroo, Just East and UberEats in the delivery of individual meals rather than full shopping baskets.
