The opening date of a massive new M&S store with a “market-style” foodhall at the Trafford Centre has officially been confirmed.
After it was revealed all the way back in January that the retailer would be relocating from its old unit and taking over the former Debenhams site inside the Greater Manchester shopping mall, the date that the brand-new M&S ‘mega store’ will finally open its doors at the Trafford Centre has now officially been confirmed.
And it’ll be in business just in time for Christmas, so shoppers can get stuck in to buying all their festive food and gifts before the big day arrives.
Opening as part of M&S‘ ongoing plans and wider investment to regenerate vacant sites in major UK shopping centres, the new M&S Trafford Centre store spans across a whopping 98,000 sq ft of commercial space.
A massive new M&S store is opening inside the old Debenhams site at the Trafford Centre this month / Credit: M&S
Shoppers are being told to prepare themselves for an even bigger and better store, with “spacious and stylish” new Clothing, Home, and Beauty departments, a brand-new M&S Cafe, and the star of the show being the all-new foodhall.
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Aiming to “appeal to local families”, customers at the new Trafford Centre store will be able to browse in “wider, brighter aisles” and with “a clear line of sight across the store”.
The new market-style foodhall will stock the full M&S Food range, and there’ll also be free designated car parking to make shopping “more convenient”.
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The new M&S Trafford Centre store will open on Thursday 30 November.
Speaking ahead of the new store opening, Store Manager Laura Smith, who’s worked for M&S for 25 years now, said: “We are really excited to announce that the new M&S Trafford Centre store will open on November 30th, and I can’t wait to welcome the local community to visit the store later this month to see it all for themselves.
“Whether you’re looking for a big family food shop, the latest autumn / winter styles from our Clothing, Home and Beauty departments, or a mid-shop pit stop in our amazing new M&S Café, we’ve got you covered.”
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There’ll be a huge ‘market-style’ foodhall, new cafe, clothing department, and more / Credit: Trafford Centre
The opening of the new Trafford Centre store comes after M&S has also opened a number of other new foodhalls this year as part of its aim to deliver 100 “bigger, better food stores”.
180 new jobs will also be created by the opening of the new store, with staff at M&S’ existing Trafford Centre store transferring over to the new location once it opens at the end of the month.
Featured Image – M&S
Shopping
Tesco confirms it will review ‘unfair’ Clubcard rule after shopper complaints
Emily Sergeant
Tesco is said to be ‘actively reviewing’ one of the rules of its Clubcard loyalty scheme.
Following shopper complaints and long-term campaigning by consumer champion Which?, Tesco has announced that it will be looking into the rule that prevents shoppers under 18 years of age from signing up to its popular Clubcard loyalty scheme.
Which? research found that shoppers must be 18 or over to join loyalty schemes at Tesco, and other major supermarket chains like Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose, whereas at the at Co-op, you only need to be 16.
And then at the Co-op again, and also Sainsbury’s, if you’re added to a parent or guardian’s account, you can be even younger.
Meanwhile, over at popular high street drugstore chains Boots and Superdrug, you only need to be 13 to sign up to their popular loyalty schemes.
Tesco has confirmed it will review its ‘unfair’ Clubcard rule after shopper complaints / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
This discrepancy is why Which? has been urging supermarkets to lift ‘unfair’ restrictions on who can sign up to their loyalty schemes, saying it has ‘repeatedly called’ for action after revealing that millions of people are excluded from accessing lower prices at some of the UK’s biggest retailers due to age, address, or digital access requirements.
Tesco has said in a statement that it is ‘actively reviewing’ Tesco Clubcard with the intention of making it available to under-18s ‘this year’.
According to Which?, Tesco has been rather ‘vague’ on exactly when the change for under-18 shoppers might come into effect, but says customers who don’t have a Clubcard can still find value using its Aldi Price Match and Everyday Low Prices schemes.
“Which? research shows that the savings from Tesco Clubcard can be really significant, which is why access to them matters so much for shoppers trying to make ends meet,” commented Reena Sewraz, who is the Retail Editor at Which?.
“We’ve been putting pressure on Tesco for years now over its unfair policy of excluding young people, many of whom are struggling with the cost of living, so we’re glad [the supermarket] has listened.
“This is a big step in the right direction, provided it moves quickly to fully implement these changes.”
Featured Image – Tesco plc
Shopping
Asda launches red shopping baskets in stores to help singles meet the love of their life
Emily Sergeant
Asda has decided to launch red baskets in stores to help single shoppers meet the love of their life.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that dating in the modern world isn’t easy, right?
According to new Asda research, 94% of Brits say modern-day dating is hard to navigate, but what’s also clear is that face-to-face interactions still hold a special place – with a resounding 87% of people saying it’s better to meet someone in real life than on a dating app.
In fact, 77% of singles saying they’re not currently active on a dating app at all, and to top it all off, 64% say they fancy someone at their local supermarket.
So, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner now, Asda has decided to take matters into its own hands by placing special red baskets in select stores, giving singles a simple way to signal they’re open to a chat while picking up bread, browsing the bakery, or grabbing a few treats.
Unfortunately for us Mancs, the baskets will only appear in Leicester, Liverpool, and Glasgow, as this is where the research revealed people are most actively looking for love.
While the supermarket admits there’s no one ‘right’ way to meet someone, its research does suggest that 62% of couples who met face-to-face describe themselves as being ‘extremely happy’, compared with 51% of those who met online.
And that sense of connection goes beyond romance too, as among those couples who met in real life, 71% of them say they ‘trust their partner 100%’, while 66% describe their relationship as a ‘deep friendship’.
“We know people are craving real-life connections, but we also know our customers are busy and don’t always have the time to put themselves out there,” a spokesperson for Asda admitted.
“That’s why we’re turning the weekly shop into the ultimate meet-cute. These red baskets are a fun, light-hearted way to help people connect while they’re already doing their everyday shop – a simple, playful nudge to start a chat and maybe even spark a little romance.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th November 2023 
