M&S suffers first sales decline in years

The retailer suffered a 0.7 per cent fall in sales caused by a 5.1 per cent decline in its non-food business.

Internationally, M&S said it had seen 0.9 per cent sales growth. However, the figures were based on a constant currency basis – meaning the declining value of the euro was not taken into account. With currency fluctuation, international sales dropped by 3.5 per cent.

M&S blamed issues around stocking its best-selling items and the poor weather for the decline in non-food sales.

M&S chief executive Marc Bolland said the company was “taking steps” to deal with the difficult trading environment for its general merchandise business.

Following the announcement M&S said that its head of general merchandise, the non-food part of it business, was to be replaced.

Staff shuffle

Kate Bostock will leave the position of executive director of general merchandise in October, to be replaced by current executive director of food, John Dixon.

The company has also appointed Belinda Earl, the former chief executive of Debenhams, Jaegar and Aquascutum, as a new “style director”.

Current director of retail Steve Rowe has been promoted to executive director of food and Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, previously group president at The Estee Lauder Companies, has been appointed to the new role of corporate director of strategy implementation and business development