UK | M&S has seen a shift in shopping behaviour this month, with early demand across both its Food and Home categories indicating that consumers are preparing for Christmas earlier than in previous years.
The retailer’s Christmas Food to Order service opened last week, with more orders placed in the first week than in any other year since the service launched.
Over 56,000 orders were placed on the first day alone, +7 percent increase on the year, and almost 15 percent of collection slots have now been filled.
Early bestsellers include the Collection Rolled Sirloin & Ribeye of Beef Roast, the Collection Salmon & Prawn Terrine and the Oakham Turkey Breast Joint. The Collection Dashing through the Snow dessert was the most clicked-on product on M&S.com.
In Home, sales in the “Christmas Decorate” category are up +67 percent year-on-year, driven by strong demand for decorations and lighting. The top 10 festive lines are selling 40 percent more volume than the same period last year.
New additions, including M&S Iconic food-themed decorations, have also contributed to this growth, alongside the Percy Pig Wreath Decoration, currently one of the best-selling lines, with sales up 30 percent year-on-year. Ninety percent of this year’s range is priced at GBP 5 or less.
Customer insight from M&S showed that 28 percent of shoppers plan to decorate more than usual this Christmas – up from 26 percent in 2024 and 25 percent in 2023, reflecting an intent to protect the festive season.
“We keep close to our customers, speaking with them often so that we know how they feel and what’s important to them. Right now, they are prioritising spending time with family and friends and protecting celebrations – looking forward to and planning a special Christmas at home is more important than ever,” said Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food.
“We’ve seen this insight play out with more people ordering M&S Christmas Food to Order during its opening week than ever before. Special products for a family celebration at home are proving especially popular with The Reindeer Dashing through the Snow Dessert being the most clicked-on product, and our Oakham Turkey Breast Joint for 6-8 people is our most ordered turkey so far.”
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Dining and Cooking