Marks & Spencer tries to Revive tired shoppers

Marks & Spencer has rebranded its chain of coffee shops as Café Revive in an effort to give them a higher profile among customers.The retailer’s in-house design studio developed the name and branding.

M&S launched the previously unnamed in-store venues three years ago, but found they lacked a recognition factor. “We’ve had the cafés for three years, but have relaunched them to make people more aware,” explains an M&S spokeswoman. “There are 30 at the moment, and we plan to roll out another 30 over the next year into high street and edge-of-town stores where there is a real need for them.”

She denies the new name is a reflection of M&S’s efforts to revive the flagging company, saying it is in line with the aim of giving customers “somewhere to rest and revive themselves between shopping”.

The spokeswoman believes the wide selection provided by Café Revive gives the retailer an alternative proposition to other competing chains, such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee. “There is much more of a food opportunity as we have a bigger food offer than them, serving sandwiches, salads, cakes and children’s meals, as well as coffee,” she says.