M&S suffers food sales slump

M&S has revealed that food sales have grown at their slowest rate for two years. The retailer blamed the slow down on the heatwave experienced in the UK this summer.

Chief executive Roger Holmes admitted that the group had failed to cash in on the summer like other retailers, such as Tesco and Morrisons.

Analysts said that the group's smaller stores had limited flexibility to introduce special seasonal products at such short notice.

Observers have suggested that the retailer's heavy reliance on potato and pastry-based ready meals may also have been affected by the rise in popularity of the Atkins's diet.