UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has unveiled a trial run of its new one-hour online food delivery service in an effort to improve its food and grocery portfolio.
The new service will be available at the company’s store in Camden, London, and is restricted to members of its Sparks loyalty scheme.
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Customers at the Camden store can get groceries delivered within two hours, while orders for selected items such as drinks, desserts and the retailer’s ‘dinner for tonight’ range will be delivered within one hour.
Items are expected to be delivered for free to customers within a three-mile radius, provided the minimum order is worth £10.
The company has also launched a click-and-collect service at its store in Woodley, to allow customers to pick-up ready meals and groceries in one and two hours respectively.
The development is in line with M&S’ announcement this year to begin trials of its online food delivery service.
At that time, M&S chief executive Steve Rowe was quoted by media sources as saying: “It has not cost us anything over the last five years by not being online with food. 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 about 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.”
