Marks And Spencer Share Discussion Threads

[darrin1471] 09/8/2022 16:36

My ex wife worked in a hospital where I found the heat unbearable. We moved into our current house 15 years ago and paid £220 a month for gas and electricity because she refused to turn the heating down in any room. When we separated her new house was even hotter. She ended up with a £3000 bill as the direct debit was to low.
15 years later my direct debit was still under £220. The direct debit has just gone up to £280.

The UK government should have declared a UK energy emergency when Russia invaded Ukraine. Europe should have done the same. Give Putin a kicking and turn down the heating. Europe is a single energy market so every bit saved means lower prices for us all and less revenue to Putin

[freedom97] 09/8/2022 16:20

I agree debs, so those that waste energy and food and petrol etc can't complain about the rising costs as they only have themselves to blame if they say they can't afford the increases. But for those people who are careful in their energy consumption and eating habits etc then I understand their pain in having to pay more.

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 16:05

THG and Currys hit new lows and some other retailers falling towards all time lows.

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 15:59

freedom97 the average Brit does waste heat many a home will have a room which isn't used but the whole house is heated. It isn't just energy the average Brit also is too lazy to go and walk half a mile to the local shop they go in the car and there have been numerous studies relating to food wast and it is shocking the amount people waste.

We only need an extra 5% of gas which used to come from Russia well if we cannot save 5% it's a poor do.

Brits waste money on cigs and alcohol all which can be cut down but the GOV daren't go down that path nor talk about our obese nation !

[freedom97] 09/8/2022 15:20

I've seen on many occasions each winter people leaving their house to put rubbish in bins and getting something from their car wearing only tee-shirt, shorts and no socks. So it means they must be heating the WHOLE house to over 20c.

So if the regulators are saying that the cost for energy next January is predicted to cost the average householder £4,266 a year, then that sounds to me the average population are wasting far too much energy as they average population don't live in mansions.

If M&S management make sure their stores are well stocked with a large range of woolly jumpers, thermal socks and underwear plus thick thermal curtains and warm winter bedding even hot water bottles, then the company could have the best ever autumn & winter trade.

It's far cheaper to heat your body wearing warm clothing than heating the whole house. Just like you don't waste money covering the Earth in leather to walk on you just cover your feet.

[philanderer] 09/8/2022 13:39

....summer clothes, picnics and electric fans give retail boost

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 13:25

Average shopping basket spend falls in July says Barclaycard

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 13:18

Average household energy costs could hit £4,200 by January next year

[johnwise] 09/8/2022 11:26

UK retail sales up but inflation pressure continues

UK retail sales climbed last month on the back of demand for summer clothing and picnic food during the hot weather but the record high inflation is masking a much larger drop in volumes, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Retail sales increased by 2.3% in July, bringing to an end three consecutive months of decline. However, the figures are not adjusted for inflation, which the BRC said was running among its at the highest since 2008 as the cost of living crisis continues to hit UK households.

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 09:01

Retail sales not keeping up with inflation which is over 9% at present:

[philanderer] 09/8/2022 08:48

'Retail sales boosted by warm weather but inflation worries loom'


Sales increased by 2.3% in July, bringing to an end three consecutive months of decline. But the growth was driven by inflation, with the price of products significantly higher than in the same period last year.

[debsdowner] 09/8/2022 08:42

darrin, refusing to pay the bills will make no difference the Utilitites will just install meters which will push up the cost to the householders. They cannot win !

[darrin1471] 09/8/2022 08:29

Inflation is a world wide problem predicted by few causing greatest harm to the poorest.
Subsidising investment in wind, solar and nuclear has not caused the inflation. Tory policies have not caused inflation either.
Inflation for the poor is very tough and is another occasion where the world needs to work together as we did for covid and the banking crisis.
Targeting the economic illiterate with lies and scare stories; encouraging civil disobedience to advance a political agenda is shameful.

Refusing to pay energy bills by those who can pay for political reasons does a disservice to those who are genuinely struggling to pay. The poorest are already on pre pay meters which are more expensive and do not have the option of a payment strike.

[johnwise] 08/8/2022 18:13

The Tory New Green Deal..

Electricity and Gas will be a luxury that few can afford

UK..So over two months wages for a normal family.. By October probably be million not paying Can't pay.. plus food inflation they can't cut any more and Pensioner terrified of huge bills won't put the heating on "bring out your dead"


Civil unrest will take place

Rise of the energy martyrs as 75,000 people support campaign urging households to stop fuel payments over soaring costs

Don't Pay UK is urging people to cancel their energy bill direct debits

The campaign hopes to recruit one million members for a boycott by October

Forecasts have shown bills could surge to £4,700 a year, rising 270 per cent

Millions of households will struggle for food, electricity and heating this winter

[debsdowner] 08/8/2022 17:40

9% of shares in B&Q owner Kingfisher are being shorted as shorters are betting the company share price will fall further as DIY dries up

[debsdowner] 08/8/2022 16:42

darrin, it's an interesting question as to whether MARKS could have done the same deal for £15 million which isn't a lot of money to MARKS !

If MARKS didn't know this was comming off I suspect they would be peeved. But who knows what they would have thought of a deal in any event as they may not have wanted the "Garden Trading" part of the business.

Let's not forget the deal isn't done, MARKS could even counter the deal but then they get into a bidding war.

Joules would have suited Frasers as well so who knows what will eventualy happen.

But it isn't a good time to be buying retail with the worst cost of living crisis for centuries.

[darrin1471] 08/8/2022 16:08

I wonder if MKS were given the same opportunity to invest in Joules.
Next appear to follow a pattern of signing brands up to their "Total Platform" and taking an equity stake.

"Next, which has acquired equity stakes in Victoria’s Secret UK and Eire (51%), Aubin (33%), Reiss (25%) and Gap UK and Eire (51%)."

hxxps://www.sharesmagazine.co.uk/article/nexts-total-platform-could-prove-a-game-changer

[darrin1471] 08/8/2022 14:28

With full employment, employees are more likely to want a pay rise or a new higher paid job. Leads to more inflation, even higher interest rates then recession.

[debsdowner] 08/8/2022 09:44

Sunak says Liz Truss tax cuts won't touch sides, which at the moment I have to agree

[debsdowner] 08/8/2022 09:20

JOULES shot up 40% on NEXT stake I wonder if MARKS will lose Joules third party sales now NEXT is taking a stake ?

This could be a small problem, it is unfortunate that MARKS couldn't have done the deal and one they could regret.

Cost of living is now affecting retail stocks this morning.

[debsdowner] 07/8/2022 16:50

MARKS missed that opportunity unless they thought it was too risky but I think they paid £10 million for Jaeger.

The other thing is MARKS may not have wanted Garden Trading but it would have opened up new chanells.

[debsdowner] 07/8/2022 16:34

Bloomberg says NEXT to take a £15 million stake in Joules

[debsdowner] 07/8/2022 16:30

"Manufacturing coming home"

David Napier is an upmarket retailer and has a number of manufacturing sites in the UK and is saying there is a need for more manufacturing in the UK.

He says MARKS are sourcing a small amount of British manufacturing of their Jaeger brand which is mostly bought in from manufacturers in Europe from memory.



With technology improving in the manufacturing process I don't think it will be long before they do far more manufacturing of clothes in the UK, BooHoo have some manufacturijg in the UK.

Manufcacturijng in the UK will improve sourcing particularly when a retailer makes a garment and if flies off the shelves and you need to replenish stock. MARKS have been caught out a number of times when a garment has excess demand and it takes months to replenish stock.

Getting skilled workers is the problem but retailers do need to rethink how they do business.