In October, M&S became the first major high street coffee retailer to offer coffee and all hot drinks in a paper fibre cup and lid, which is 100% recyclable in household and on the go recycling.

Having launched in 20 stores – from next month, the paper fibre coffee cups will be available in more than 300 M&S stores across the UK including M&S Cafés, vended coffee points and Marketplaces within its Foodhalls.

M&S currently has 11 cafes attached to stores in Northern Ireland, located in Newtownabbey, Ballymena, Bangor, Cookstown, Enniskillen, Foyleside, Lisburn, Newry, Omagh and two in Belfast.

Reducing plastic packaging is one of the key issues M&S customers care strongly about and the retailer has a leading track record of taking action. Last year, M&S met its Plan A target to remove 75 million units of plastic in 2023/24 and this roll out is expected to remove a further 20 million units of plastic packaging each year from M&S’ Food business.

‘SUSTAINABLE CUP OF COFFEE’

The expansion follows the introduction of new recyclable paper packaging across the range of sandwiches and toasties available in all M&S Cafes earlier this year, which removed 4.5 million units of plastic.

M&S currently offers a 50p discount on all hot drinks in its Cafes for customers who bring their own reusable cup which is the most sustainable option. However, when this isn’t possible M&S’ new cups are a planet friendly alternative.

Ryan Lemon, Regional Manager at M&S said: “Our goal is to offer customers the most sustainable cup of coffee on the high street. A takeaway coffee they can feel good about drinking because it comes in fully recyclable cups, uses delicious 100% Fairtrade coffee beans and is made with RSPCA Assured fresh milk.

“Our customers care strongly about reducing plastic and they’ve supported our move to paper fibre cups. With no impact to the taste or temperature of their hot drink – and now 100% recyclable – this is one of the ways we’re supporting our customers to make small changes in their everyday lives, which have a big impact on the environment.”

M&S uses only RSPCA-assured milk and 100% Fairtrade tea and coffee in every drink. This combined with “A Cup of Ambition” programme which donates 1p for every tea and coffee sold is reinvested in leadership and climate resilience training, empowering suppliers to create positive change for their businesses and communities.

The post Fully recyclable takeaway cups introduced across all 11 M&S Cafes in NI first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

From 1^st April, the rate of pay for UK Customer Assistants – approximately 40,000 colleagues, will increase from £10.90 to £12 per hour, marking a 10.1% increase on last year.

For UK Team Support Managers, the hourly rate will increase from £12.20 to £13.05.

This investment means that from March 2022, M&S has invested more than £146 million in its overall retail pay package, and means that every UK store colleague will be paid the Real Living Wage as their base pay.

Additionally, the retailer’s benefits package includes an uncapped 20% colleague discount across all M&S branded food, clothing and home products, and from 25^th March, this will be extended to all branded products.

‘A TRUSTED RETAILER’

Further benefits include pension contribution of up to 12%, access to a 24/7 virtual GP service and access to six free physiotherapy sessions.

As well as investing in pay for store colleagues, M&S is making substantial improvements to its maternity, paternity and adoption policies. From 1^st April, M&S will be one of the first retailers to introduce six weeks paternity leave at full pay (previously two weeks), while also almost doubling its maternity and adoption leave to 26 weeks, also at full pay, signalling a £5 million investment.

Stuart Machin, Chief Executive said that in their vision to be the most trusted retailer, they must also be the most trusted employer too.

“That’s why we’re making our biggest ever investment in our retail pay offer and increased our standard hourly rate by more than 26%,” said Stuart Machin.

“Creating a great place to work isn’t just about pay, it’s about the overall package and colleagues feeling valued and able to be their best.”

The post M&S makes ‘significant investment’ to improve retail pay for store colleagues first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Working with Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food and Farming, Farm of the Future will seek ways to rapidly decarbonise and maximise wildlife and habitat creation and will also provide the opportunity to identify where system change may be required, all within the context of continuing to produce the high-quality food for which M&S is known.

Linden Foods has been supplying M&S with beef and lamb since 1997, sourced from 1,200 farms across Northern Ireland and recently developed a unique integrated Wagyu offering for the M&S supply chain.

BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Trevor, whose 300-acre mixed farm supplies Linden Food and M&S, sees joining the Farm of the Future Programme as a great opportunity to make changes on his farm and get ahead of the some of the challenges the industry is currently facing.

“This is something the whole supply chain has to embrace, and I’m looking forward to working with M&S and receiving their direct support,” he said.

“Schemes and policies here in Northern Ireland are taking a while to get off the ground, so through this programme, I hope we can take the initiative and get a head start in transforming our farm into something that is better for the environment.”

Family-owned Skea Egg Farms, based in Dungannon, started to supply M&S in 1997 in just seven stores. Today, the business supplies M&S stores across the UK and Ireland.

As a Skea supplier, Kingsley’s Egg enterprise, which spans 16,000 free range hens and 17,000 organic hens across eight barns, felt the effects of the climate crisis. So as the Country Tyrone farmer explained, he feels taking steps to be more sustainable is more important than ever.

“I have always had a keen interest in looking into innovative ways to reduce my carbon footprint.

“I feel that every year reducing my carbon footprint is vital no matter how big or small the changes I make; it can have a massive impact on the environment both locally and globally.”

Commenting on the launch of the programme, Head of Agriculture & Fisheries at M&S Food, Steve McLean, added: “As part of our sustainability action plan ‘Plan A’, we have committed to reducing our carbon footprint to net zero by 2040. Over 70% of the emissions of our food business come from primary agriculture, particularly the livestock and ruminant sectors, so it is clear this needs real focus.

“We recognise the challenges this brings on farm, and the need to continue to produce affordable, high-quality food from sustainable supply chain relationships. We are committed to helping our M&S Select Farmers navigate these challenges, and this new initiative will enable us to support innovative approaches on seven of our M&S Select Farms, with the findings being shared across our whole supply base and the wider industry to help drive real change.

“We are committed to collaborating with our M&S Select Farmers, our suppliers and with Harper Adams’ School of Sustainable Food and Farming and look forward to working with Trevor and Kingsley to deliver this exciting project. We are confident that this collaborative approach will deliver a step-change in the industry’s approach to decarbonising food production.”

The post NI farmers join new M&S ‘Farm of the Future’ initiative to help drive net zero goal first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

The new M&S Coleraine store will open its doors for the first time at 9am on Tuesday 30^th January in the Riverside Retail Park, becoming a flagship retailer at the park.

The store represents a significant investment by M&S with 30 new jobs created in the area.

Customers who are quick off the mark on Tuesday 30^th January could be in with a chance of receiving vouchers worth up to £200 to spend in-store on the day, as well as free bags of Percy Pigs or freshly baked cookies. Every golden ticket holder will be guaranteed a win.

Customers attending the opening are being encouraged to come and join the opening festivities, which will include an in-store DJ and the opportunity to take in live baking demonstrations from popular chef and local favourite Paula McIntyre MBE.

As well as thousands of food products, the store will also offer the full range of M&S Clothing & Home products via its Collect in Store service, as well as a wine shop and in-store bakery.

Kieran McCauley, M&S Coleraine Store Manager said: “We can’t wait to cut the ribbon and welcome everyone to our brand-new foodhall. So much planning and hard work has gone into making this new store a reality.

“I would like to thank the whole M&S team for their efforts and it will be wonderful for the local community to finally be able to come and check out the results.

“There will be so much happening on our opening day and I hope everyone can come along, say hello and, of course, take the opportunity to have their photo taken with Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar!”

The post M&S Coleraine announces Golden Ticket giveaway for new store opening first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

The cheque was presented by Eddie Murphy, M&S Country Director to Judith Gilsenan, Irish Heart Foundation Commercial Director at M&S Grafton Street, Dublin 2.

The partnership, which began in 2022, has seen M&S provide promotional and fundraising support for the Irish charity, supporting campaigns to promote heart health in Ireland and raising funds to help the charity continue to deliver services across Ireland.

The partnership kicked off in 2022 with the high profile ‘Her Heart Matters’ campaign. One in four women in Ireland die from heart disease and stroke and the campaign aimed to encourage women including M&S colleagues and customers to make small, sustainable changes for the good of their heart health.

Fundraising initiatives included donating 5c from every pack of Irish berries sold at M&S from September to October 2022 during the Her Heart Matters campaign and 5c from every hot drink sold in M&S Cafés for the month of September 2023.

In February 2023, M&S support centre and store colleagues across the 18 stores in Ireland took part in the Foundation’s Run 100 campaign, with the entire company getting behind the fundraising efforts.

As part of its commitment to team members across the company, M&S arranged with the foundation to provide free blood pressure checks and information sessions on heart health to all M&S colleagues to support the health and wellbeing of everyone at M&S.

Speaking at the presentation of the cheque Eddie Murphy, M&S Country Director, Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “The partnership with the Irish Heart Foundation has been a huge opportunity for us to give back to the Irish communities in which we live and work.

“We have experienced our own colleagues’ personal stories and the impact of poor heart health, so we know first-hand just how important it is. This inspired us to get behind this partnership and it’s been fantastic to see the entire team across the country get involved, from those who took part in the Run 100 campaign to those who availed of the free heart checks.

“Now, through the generosity of our customers, our store and support centre teams across Ireland, we’re delighted to be able to present the funds raised to the Irish Heart Foundation to continue to deliver their vital services to people in every community across the country.”

Judith Gilsenan, Irish Heart Foundation Commercial Director who accepted the cheque on behalf of the Irish Heart Foundation, added: “We’re delighted to have partnered with M&S over the past year. Every year in Ireland almost 9,000 people die from heart disease and stroke, making it one of the nation’s biggest killers.

“We all know someone affected by heart disease and stroke – a friend, family member or colleague. We are very thankful to M&S and their customers for showing their commitment to the Irish Heart Foundation and helping to improve the heart health of the nation.

“This vital donation will not only help prevent more lives being affected by heart disease and stroke. It will also help provide support and care for people living with these life-altering conditions.”

The post Marks & Spencer raises €100,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.