Marks & Spencer (M&S) is well positioned to dominate the UK department store landscape, according to new research by Vision One, a top strategic insights agency.
Vision One’s 2025 ‘BrandVision’ study surveyed 1,000 nationally representative adults across the UK, assessing brand usage, loyalty, and public perception.
The results reveal M&S holds a strong brand health score of 68 out of 100, comfortably exceeding the industry benchmark of 60 and ranking ahead of both Next and John Lewis — despite earlier IT difficulties this year.
“Our research points to M&S as the brand most in tune with today’s shoppers,” said Tony Lewis, CEO at Vision One.
“Customers continue to trust M&S for quality and value. Our research suggests M&S has significantly more momentum and remains in a much stronger position than its competitors.”
The report highlights how M&S has strengthened its brand image over recent years, excelling in trust, popularity, and relatability — particularly in being perceived as a brand for ‘people like me’.
Tony Lewis added: “The tide of consumer perception has shifted. M&S is winning hearts by being trusted, popular and relatable, while some competitors are losing relevance and risk stagnation, underlining the urgent need for fresh energy to regain cultural relevance.”
