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Marks & Spencer results - Local Economies
- Indicator 4.1
- Indicator 4.2
- Indicator 4.3
- Overall commentary and examples of good practice
- Supermarket comments
Indicator 4.1
Issue: Support for the local economy
Indicator: Company policy on sourcing food 'locally'and 'locality' foods
No data submitted.
Indicator 4.2
Issue: Support for the local economy
Indicator: Local and regional sourcing and promotion
No data submitted.
Indicator 4.3
Issue: Support for the local economy
Indicator: Company policy on sourcing food 'locally' and 'locality' foods – store shelf survey
A store shelf survey of local and locality foods stocked by retailers - focusing on apples, potatoes, fresh milk, pre-packed cheese, fresh beef and fresh lamb - was conducted by Sustain and the NFWI. The final survey sample for Marks & Spencer consisted of 10 stores. This sample was smaller than desired, and had a more limited geographical coverage than desired, thereby reducing the extent to which the store survey findings can be taken as representative of the retailer’s overall performance in terms of local sourcing.
In terms of actual stocking of local and locality foods Marks & Spencer scored relatively poorly in comparison with other retailers. Thislow result probably reflects the Company’s policy of sourcing British rather than ‘local’ foods. It must also be taken in the context of the fact that Marks & Spencer food halls generally have far fewer food lines than other much larger major retailers.
None of the Marks & Spencer stores surveyed had information leaflets for customers on local food, nor any special in-store displays for any local foods. 20% of the Marks & Spencer stores surveyed (2 stores) had local cheeses. None of the Marks & Spencer stores included in the survey had local varieties of the other five foods selected.
None of the stores stocked locality apples. However 100% of the surveyed stores stocked locality potatoes and locality cheeses, and 70% stocked locality beef cuts. 40% stocked locality milks, and 30% stocked locality lamb cuts.
The average number of different varieties of locality products stocked was consistent but low: 2 varieties of locality milk, 2.14 of locality beef cuts, 2.35 varieties of locality potatoes, and 2.5 varieties of locality beef cuts. On average 7.55 varieties of locality cheese were stocked.
To score more highly, in-store information on local food to consumers would be provided, local foods would be stocked in stores and a larger variety of locality foods would be available for consumers to choose from.
Overall commentary and examples of good practice
No data submitted.
Supermarket comments
No comments were provided.
