Marks & Spencer considers dropping name from stores

MARKS & SPENCER is considering dropping its century-old name from the front of its stores.

The group has changed its brand name to Your M&S at its Edgware Road store in London for a trial period.

The new green and white logo will appear at the front of the store for several months to test the public’s response to the design.

If consumers respond positively, M&S will consider replacing the name above all 440 of its British stores with the logo.

Your M&S was introduced two years ago when Stuart Rose took over as chief executive of the group and began revamping its image.

The logo appears on carrier bags, window displays and in-store signs, as well as featuring in the group’s advertising campaigns.

But M&S stressed the name change was simply “a one-store trial” and there were currently no plans to drop the Marks & Spencer name from its other stores.

The Marks & Spencer name has appeared above the group’s stores since market trader Michael Marks and wholesale cashier Tom Spencer opened their first shop in the 1890s.

After a number of difficult years, the recovery at M&S showed signs of picking up momentum last month as it reported its best sales figures for three years.

Britain’s largest retailer said sales at stores open a year or more surged 6.8% in the three months to April 1 — more than double analysts’ expectations and in spite of the tough local retail environment that has affected rivals such as Next.

It has forecast pre-tax profits for the current financial year to be in the range of £745 million (€1,073m) to £755m — around £10m (€14.5m) to £15m better than analysts’ forecasts.