MARKS and Spencer has admitted that its new delivery service will not extend to homes in Scotland.
The supermarket giant is preparing to roll-out an online grocery shopping service next year, having signed up to a £750 million partnership with delivery specialists Ocado.
However, the service will not be available to Scottish customers when it is launched in September 2020.
An M&S spokeswoman told The Scotsman that extending the scheme north of the Border was an “aspiration” for the firm, which hoped to provide “complementary regional coverage” in the future.
“It is not something that a date has been set for in terms of when that will happen, but it is an aspiration for this partnership,” she said.
Ocado’s services are primarily based in London and south-east England.
Despite not offering the service in Scotland, both Ocado and M&S chief executives claimed the new service could be transformative for the UK.
Tim Steiner, chief executive of Ocado, said: “We are delighted that our UK retail business will become a joint venture with M&S. This is a transformative moment in the UK retail sector with the combination of two iconic and much-loved retail brands set to provide an unrivalled online grocery offer.”
M&S chief executive, Steve Rowe, added: “Combining the magic of M&S Food with Ocado’s leadership in online technology allows us to transform UK online grocery shopping by offering customers the broadest, most innovative and relevant range in UK food retail with award-winning service.”
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