Marks & Spencer is ahead in the race to attract Valentine’s Day shoppers, according to a new study.
Research* by product intelligence business Vypr found for a special Valentine’s Day meal, M&S is the most-chosen supermarket for dinner ingredients (15%), just ahead of Tesco (14%).
M&S also leads for dine-in deals, with 18% of respondents planning to shop at the retailer for their Valentine’s meal, compared with 14% for Tesco.
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The Vypr statement said: “In the context of cost-of-living pressures, this suggests shoppers are not abandoning premium retailers altogether, but instead trading up selectively for a single, special occasion.
“Valentine’s Day appears to be treated as a contained indulgence, where shoppers are willing to spend a little more on fewer items rather than commit to the much higher cost of eating out.”
The study also found that only 65% of consumers plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year and for those who do, eating at home is the top choice.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, said: “With January being the longest wait till pay day after Christmas, consumers are feeling the pinch with thoughtful gestures rather than large gifts.
“With this trend we thought that cook-at-home kits could be popular this year, but they remain of lower interest with 42% of shoppers interested in them, with Italian (10%) and Indian (8%) the most appealing cuisines.”
He added: “Overall, the research shows that while Valentine’s shoppers remain pragmatic, the success of Marks & Spencer highlights how premium grocers can still win during a cost-of-living squeeze.”
The findings were based on a survey of 1900 nationally representative consumers were surveyed in January 2026.
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