Marks and Spencer and the social history of food c. 1950-1980, with particular reference to the relationship between consumer behaviour and retailing strategies
This thesis uses a detailed study of the relationship between the retailing strategies of Marks and Spencer and consumer behaviour to examine wider changes in the history of food retail and consumption in Britain between 1950 and 1980. Using material from the Marks and Spencer company archive, it situates these traditional business history sources alongside primary material from a wide range of social, cultural and political and multi-disciplinary scholarship in order to contextualise the companyâs experiences as a food retailer. The first half of the thesis explores the complexities of this relationship and investigates the ways in which the histories of consumption, retail and supply interacted during the twentieth century. The second half then uses this retailer-customer interface to identify patterns, trends and areas of change and continuity in consumer behaviour through the lens of Marks and Spencerâs retail strategies. This includes the development of the companyâs hygienic food retail practices in the 1940s and its creation of the chilled ready meals sector in 1979. It finds that Marks and Spencerâs focus on the progressive dimensions of advances food technology allowed the company to redefine
Freear, Josephine
Marks and Spencer and the social history of food c. 1950-1980, with particular reference to the relationship between consumer behaviour and retailing strategies. This thesis uses a detailed study of the relationship between the retailing strategies of Marks and Spencer and consumer behaviour to examine wider changes in the history of food retail and consumption in Britain between 1950 and 1980. Using material from the Marks and Spencer company archive, it situates these traditional business history sources alongside primary material from a wide range of social, cultural and political and multi-disciplinary scholarship in order to contextualise the companyâs experiences as a food retailer. The first half of the thesis explores the complexities of this relationship and investigates the ways in which the histories of consumption, retail and supply interacted during the twentieth century. The second half then uses this retailer-customer interface to identify patterns, trends and areas of change and continuity in consumer behaviour through the lens of Marks and Spencerâs retail strategies. This includes the development of the companyâs hygienic food retail practices in the 1940s and its creation of the chilled ready meals sector in 1979. It finds that Marks and Spencerâs focus on the progressive dimensions of advances food technology allowed the company to redefine
marks spencer social_history food particular_reference relationship consumer_behaviour retailing strategy detail_study relationship retailing strategy marks spencer consumer_behaviour examine wider change history food retail consumption britain using material marks spencer company archive situate traditional business_history source alongside primary_material wide_range social_cultural political multi_disciplinary scholarship order_contextualise company experience food retailer explores_complexity relationship investigate_way history consumption retail supply interacted use retailer customer interface identify pattern trend area change_continuity consumer_behaviour lens marks spencer retail strategy include development company food retail practice creation ready meal sector find marks spencer focus progressive dimension advance food technology allow company redefine