M&S Criticised For New Collection

Marks & Spencer’s new spring/summer collection – the first ranges over which new chief executive Stuart rose has had control – were severely criticised yesterday by on of the City’s leading analysts, according to The Telegraph. In a report to clients, Tony Shiret of Credit Suisse First Boston attacked the company’s “quite shoddy” women’s t-shirts and “tacky” men’s formal trousers, and called its new Limited Collection “a mess.”

He concluded: “Our main view remains that no real progress is being made and that the financial engineering of the business continues to expose the weakness of M&S’s existing positioning.” Despite the fact that the Marble Arch store was being visited by senior executives, including marketing director Steve Sharp, Mr Shiret said that the store standards were disappointing. “Execution standards were very weak again, particularly on product labelling, point-of-sale material and size availability.”

Mr Shiret further stated that the Per Una range by George Davies was ‘the one indisputably strong area of the store, which was being heavily shopped. We thought the layout and range were excellent.” Referring to the Limited Collection, he added: “This was a mess in our opinion. There were few signature products and the promotion/display were terrible. Prices were also too high.”

Click Here: Malaysia Rugby Shop

M&S declined to comment on the report.