Marks & Spencer is set to double the size of its frozen food range as it looks to attract more families and become a bigger destination for weekly grocery shops.
The high street retailer is expanding its frozen offering across stores nationwide, starting with a major overhaul of its ice cream range featuring 47 new-and-improved products.
The move comes after M&S said it gained more than 802,000 additional food customers over the last year, with almost half of them families, as reported by Whats The Jam.
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The supermarket says frozen food is a key category for family shoppers, who account for around a quarter of frozen food sales in the UK.
The revamped ice cream range includes 34 new products and 12 upgraded lines, ranging from fruit juice pops and whole milk pops aimed at children to more indulgent options such as Collection Toscano Olive Oil Ice Cream and Extremely Chocolatey Loaded Pistachio Velvety Ice Cream Sticks.
M&S is also launching its first Only 5 Ingredients Heather Honey Ice Cream and Only 8 Ingredients 85% Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, following demand for products made with simpler ingredients.
The expansion forms part of a wider push to make more of the weekly shop feel relevant for families.
Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food, said: “More families than ever are shopping at M&S, and as we grow the Food business, we are focused on making more of the weekly shop feel relevant for them.
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“Frozen is an important category in that mission, so we are investing to bring customers more choice – starting with a complete transformation of our ice cream range.
“From everyday family favourites like whole Milk Pops and Fruit Pops made with 100% real fruit juice, to more indulgent treats and our new Only 8 Ingredients 85% Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, this new range is M&S own brand innovation at its best.”
Over the last 12 months, M&S has already added 31 frozen lines, including larger packs of breaded chicken, meatballs and burgers, as it broadens its range for family shopping occasions.
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The retailer will also increase freezer space across its stores by more than 25% to support the expansion.
Following the ice cream launch, M&S said it will continue refreshing frozen categories, including fish, bake-at-home products and healthy meals.
The frozen food expansion was announced on 29 May.
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