Marks & Spencer Review 2025: UK Retailer Quality and Value Analysis

There's something interesting about brands that span multiple product categories. Marks & Spencer has been a cornerstone of British retail for over a century, operating in food, fashion, and home products. The brand was named the UK's most trusted retailer in 2025—despite a major cyberattack earlier in the year—which says something about the strength of brand trust. But that trust varies significantly by what you're buying.

Food receives consistently high praise, with M&S named top supermarket for quality. Fashion and home products show more mixed results—style perception has improved, but quality concerns remain. This review examines where M&S excels, where it struggles, and whether the brand deserves your investment across different product categories in 2025.

Quick Summary

What is Marks & Spencer?

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is a British multinational retailer founded in 1884. The company operates in food, fashion, and home products, with a strong focus on own-brand merchandise. M&S has maintained a reputation for quality, especially in food, and was named the UK's most trusted retailer in 2025.

Company Background & History

M&S has a long history in British retail:

• 1884: Founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer
• 1900s-1950s: Grew into major British retailer, known for quality
• 1960s-1990s: Expanded food business and maintained fashion focus
• 2000s-2010s: Faced challenges but maintained brand strength
• 2020s: Continued focus on quality, especially in food, with fashion improvements
• 2025: Named UK's most trusted retailer despite cyberattack challenges

Quality Analysis by Category

Quality varies dramatically between M&S product categories. Understanding these differences is crucial for making informed purchasing decisions.

Food & Fresh Produce

Food is where M&S truly excels:

• Top Supermarket Rating: In the Which? supermarket survey (Oct-Nov 2024), M&S earned the top spot for in-store supermarkets, with high scores in "quality of own-label and fresh items" and being the only supermarket to get 5 stars in those categories
• Strong Sales Growth: In the 13 weeks to 27 December 2025, food sales rose sharply: +5.6% like-for-like, powered by innovation, quality upgrades, strong seasonal lines, and value-for-money initiatives
• Own-Brand Excellence: Own-brand products are seen as distinct and hard to replace, contributing to strong brand trust
• Fresh Produce Quality: Fresh produce, ready meals, in-store bakery & deli receive consistently high praise

Fashion & Apparel

Fashion shows mixed results:

• Improved Style Perception: In Autumn/Winter 2025, style perception scores—particularly in womenswear—hit record levels, especially among shoppers aged 18–34 and 35–54. The company has focused on refreshing ranges, collaborating with designers, making styles more contemporary, improving fit and variety.
• Quality Concerns: Despite improved perception, Fashion, Home & Beauty underperformed in recent financial results. Customer reviews show complaints about poor quality materials, mis-sizing, shrinkage after washing, fit issues, and a decline in durability.
• Execution Issues: While design and style are improving, execution (quality, consistency, fit) remains imperfect

Home & Beauty

Home and beauty products show variable quality:

• Some Quality Products: Some homeware and beauty products are well-regarded, especially higher-end ranges
• Durability Concerns: Durability, finish, and value logic are common concerns
• Overpromising: Some products may overpromise vs. actual quality in materials or features

Pricing & Value for Money

Value proposition varies by category:

Food Value

Food offers excellent value for quality:

• Quality Justification: High food quality justifies premium pricing for many customers
• Value Ranges: M&S has introduced ranges like Remarksable Value and Bigger Pack, Better Value that have seen strong growth (≈20%) in food offering
• Own-Brand Value: Own-brand products provide distinct quality that's hard to replace

Fashion & Home Value

Fashion and home value is more mixed:

• Style Improvements: Improved style perception improves value proposition
• Quality Concerns: Quality issues may not justify premium pricing for some items
• Value Comparison: Which? survey acknowledged that M&S scores well overall but is slightly weaker on "value for money" compared to competitors like Aldi or Tesco

Customer Satisfaction & Service

Customer satisfaction varies by division:

• UKCSI Ratings: In the UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) mid-2025, M&S was overtaken by John Lewis. M&S's food division scored about 85.6/100, non-food about 85.4, placing them 5th and 6th in their categories
• Trustpilot Reviews: Many issues with delays, delivery errors, misleading descriptions, problems with refunds, quality concerns after use/wash
• Operational Challenges: Online & delivery challenges remain, often dragging down perceived quality of experience

Recent Challenges & Strengths

M&S has faced both challenges and successes:

Challenges

• Cyberattack: A major cyberattack in early-to-mid 2025 severely disrupted online operations, especially fashion/home categories. Trust and online expectations have taken hits.
• Supply Chain Issues: Data/stock disruption have undermined performance in some categories
• Quality Consistency: Fit, durability, and product consistency complaints remain common. Brand positioning and product design gains risk being undone by perceived shortcuts in materials or quality control.

Strengths

• Food Excellence: Food offer is a standout: innovation, freshness, quality are consistently praised
• Brand Trust: Brand trust remains high. Many customers remain loyal; many perceive M&S products as differentiated
• Style Improvements: Clothing & homeware ranges are being edited; core product improvements; store revamps; more contemporary styling
• Value Initiatives: Value ranges like Remarksable Value have seen strong growth

Marks & Spencer vs Competitors

M&S vs John Lewis

M&S vs Next

Who Should Shop at Marks & Spencer?

Marks & Spencer is best suited for:

• Food quality seekers: Those who prioritize excellent food and fresh produce quality
• Own-brand fans: Customers who value distinct own-brand products
• Fashion style seekers: Those interested in improved contemporary styles
• Trust-focused buyers: Customers who value brand trust and reliability

Marks & Spencer may not be suitable for:

• Budget-conscious food shoppers: Those seeking maximum value may prefer discounters
• Quality-focused fashion buyers: Those who prioritize consistent fashion quality
• Online-only shoppers: Delivery and online issues may be frustrating
• Consistent quality seekers: Those who want reliable quality across all categories

Tips for Shopping at Marks & Spencer

If you're shopping at M&S, here are strategies to maximize value:

• Focus on food: Food offers best quality and value
• Try fashion in store: Fit issues make in-store trying important
• Look for value ranges: Remarksable Value ranges offer good value
• Check own-brand products: Own-brand items often offer best quality
• Read recent reviews: Check recent customer reviews for specific items
• Shop during sales: Sales can improve value proposition
• Consider alternatives: Compare with competitors for value
• Set category expectations: Understand quality varies by category

Making the Right Choice

Marks & Spencer offers excellent food quality and strong brand trust, making it a top choice for food shopping. The brand's food division consistently receives high praise, and own-brand products are seen as distinct and hard to replace. For food quality, M&S is hard to beat.

However, fashion and home products show more mixed results. Style perception has improved significantly, but quality concerns—fit, durability, materials—remain. The brand is making progress, but execution still needs work.

For those prioritizing food quality, M&S is an excellent choice. For fashion and home, consider trying items in store, focusing on improved contemporary styles, and setting realistic expectations about quality. For those interested in fashion-focused alternatives, check out our Next review for comparison of fashion quality and value.

Frequently Asked Questions