Marks and spencer Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marks and spencer - Coursework Example According to the survey conducted by Neilson in May, 2009, the U.K grocery sales grew by an average of 5.1%. This was the result of several promotional offers that enhanced the value buyers get from grocery shopping. Marks and Spencer registered a growth of 3.6% which was half that of competitors such as ASDA and Sainsbury (Appendix 2). The 35-55 aged women segment was reinforced when a new transformational leader (Rose) took the office and the company launched the "Per Una" range (Jobber, 2009). Its target market has been the affluent, 30 plus age group, mostly business executives. The European markets suffer from the ageing population syndrome. Facing a skewed population pyramid and an ageing population, the age profile in European markets is expected to shift to the higher scale in next 5 years, with a greater percentage constituting the over 65 age bracket (McNally, D., 2011) The participation rates of women and the older segments (through delayed retirements) are expected to be a dominant trend. There have been growing concerns regarding obesity which has become a cause of concern for majority of consumers in the U.K (Mellentin, 2010). Consumers are now looking for food with less fat content, or one which is sold fresh. The trend is shifting towards consumption of organic (hormonal free poultry). There has been a trend towards ‘going green’ in the advanced economies with the European Commission exercising significant influence to make businesses as environmentally friendly as possible (Mellentin, 2010). It offers a wide and assorted range of products including food, clothing, home accessories, beverages and financial products. There is emphasis on corporate image rather than teenage specific and youth-friendly apparel. Competitors such as Asda are strengthening its customer relationships through its online website, and Tesco