Royal wedding helps M&S sales

Marks & Spencer reported an increase in UK sales growth today after it received a boost from bank holidays due to the royal wedding and Easter.

The retail bellwether said like-for-like sales grew by 1.7% in the 13 weeks to July 2, up from the 0.1% increase in the previous quarter.

The group grew its share of the food market after it launched new products including healthy eating options and customers snapped up party food to help celebrate the royal wedding and run of bank holidays.

It also halted a recent decline in non-food sales, including clothes and homewares.

The better-than-expected results were announced ahead of the company’s annual meeting today in which chief executive Marc Bolland faces a potential revolt over executive pay, which has been branded excessive by one lobby group.