M&S Expands Value Chicken With £36m Boost
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has increased its financial commitments to British chicken farming by 33 percent, equivalent to GBP 36 million, as demand surges for its Remarksable Value chicken products. The retailer’s sustained focus on value-driven offerings has fueled a 20 percent sales increase across its Remarksable Value, Dropped & Locked, and Bigger Pack, Better Value ranges.
The Remarksable Value range includes more than 100 everyday essentials such as bread, milk, and Oakham Gold chicken at competitive, market-benchmarked prices. Complementing these are Bigger Pack, Better Value selections featuring larger formats of customer staples like pasta, sauces, and fresh produce, while the Dropped & Locked initiative secures lower prices on key household items without compromising on M&S quality standards.
The expansion of M&S’s value-led food strategy necessitates additional Oakham Gold farms, alongside new breeding and rearing facilities. This growth not only supports British agricultural jobs but reinforces M&S’s commitment to delivering high-welfare food at an accessible price.
“Our customers are increasingly looking for products that deliver great value without compromising on quality. The success of our Remarksable Value chicken range proves that you don’t have to sacrifice welfare or taste for affordability,” said Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of Food at M&S. “By expanding our British farming commitments, we’re supporting UK agriculture while meeting growing demand for high-welfare foods.”
M&S remains the first and only national retailer in the UK to sell 100% RSPCA Assured fresh chicken, including its exclusive slower-reared Oakham Gold birds. These chickens benefit from enhanced welfare conditions such as more space, a multigrain diet, and natural environments, resulting in richer flavor and more succulent meat.
The retailer is also an early signatory to the Better Chicken Commitment and continues to expand its sustainability goals through its Plan A Farming program. Under this initiative, M&S works closely with Select Farmers to implement regenerative farming practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and enhance animal welfare while protecting long-term food security.
M&S has reaffirmed its support for British agriculture by sourcing 100% British chicken, beef, pork, and milk. The company also maintains a longstanding partnership with 2 Sisters Food Group, collaborating on product development, supply chain efficiency, and food donation programs aimed at tackling food insecurity.
Customer preferences are also shifting. According to Kathryn Turner, Director of Product Development at M&S Food, sales of thighs and drumsticks are rising as shoppers seek more flavorful, collagen-rich cuts and embrace slow cooking trends. Turner noted that M&S’s slower-grown chicken delivers a richer taste in dishes like casseroles compared to standard poultry.
The extended farming commitments are expected to raise M&S’s annual wheat requirements from 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes, as the expanded flock will be supplied from the Southwest of England and Scotland.
