Marks & Spencer has launched a trial of a one-hour-delivery service on selected products as it moves to enhance its food and grocery offering.
During the trial, the retailer‘s loyalty scheme members at its store in Camden will be offered 20 per cent off their shop and free delivery to their door within an hour.
Selected items including drinks, desserts, the retailer‘s “dinner for tonight” range and fresh food.
Customers who use the service are encouraged to provide feedback while M&S cautions the service is “not quite ready for everyone yet”.
Alongside this trial, M&S has also launched a click-and-collect service at its store in Woodley, seeing ready meals and general groceries ready for collection in one and two hours respectively.
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Although a fully realised online offering is still a way off for the retailer, the new trials will allow it to compete with a market increasingly focused on convenience.
“We have started two small food online trials with selected Sparks members as we explore what works for our customers,” a spokesperson said.
In April M&S chief executive Steve Rowe admitted the grocer would have to move into online grocery shopping.
“It has not cost us anything over the last five years by not being online with food,” he said at the time.
“Our customers haven‘t moved yet, but they will and we need to ensure that we are ready with the right response.
“There are unanswered questions over what this means for M&S and we have a team looking at this now with a view to undertaking a soft trial in the autumn.”
