Trading Statement

Marks & Spencer Group PLC
15 January 2003

Publication date: Wednesday 15 January 2003



                               TRADING STATEMENT


UK: Sales (inc. VAT)

Sales for the 7-week period to 11th January, 2003 and the 15-week period from
29th September, 2002 to 11th January, 2003 were:

                                                7 weeks to                                15 weeks to

                                               11th January                               11th January

                                              % on Last Year                             % on Last Year
                                       Actual           Like-for-like*            Actual           Like-for-like*

Clothing, Footwear and Gifts            +9.3                   -                   +9.8                   -

Home                                    +4.1                   -                   +5.0                   -

General                                 +8.9                 +8.5                  +9.4                 +8.8

Food                                    +5.3                 +3.9                  +5.7                 +4.0

Total                                   +7.5                 +6.7                  +8.0                 +7.0

  • Like-for-like sales have been estimated by comparing total sales with new,
    developed and closed stores excluded.


Overall clothing sales increased by 9.8% for the quarter, against comparatives
of +8.0% last year. Sales of clothing at full price were up 7.8%.

Home sales of 5.0% were delivered on just under 10% less home footage than the
comparable quarter last year, due to the planned reallocation of footage for the
peak trading season.

Food performance of +5.7% was achieved in the quarter, on top of the strong
comparatives last year.

This Autumn/Winter season we again drove for strong sales growth and market
share gains and we made progress against both targets. However, clothing sales
fell short of our own plans, particularly in November. The resulting stock going
into the post-Christmas sale has cleared well to date but as a consequence we
estimate full-year markdown costs will be 5% higher than last year.

Commenting on the Trading Statement, Roger Holmes, Chief Executive, said:

'We had a good Christmas, building on our strong performance last year, as
customers have appreciated the improvements in our offer. We have now achieved
five consecutive quarters of strong clothing sales growth and delivered further
gains in market share this quarter, with food and home also performing well.
Looking ahead, we have many opportunities to continue improving our products,
shopping environment and the efficiency of our business, in a market that is now
growing at more normal levels.'





For further information, please contact:

Media enquiries:

Marks & Spencer Corporate Press Office:          020 7268 1919/6166

Photography:

Photography available from:

www.newscast.co.uk

or

www.marksandspencer.com/mediacentre

Analyst enquiries:

Tony Quinlan                         020 7268 4195

Nick Jones                           020 7268 6594








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