M&S card gives discounts to celebrities

Marks & Spencer has signed up dozens of celebrities to an exclusive black store card that comes complete with a 20 per cent discount.

The high-street retailer has issued around a hundred of the special edition cards to various celebrities, among them TV presenters and actors. They give the user money off all purchases, including clothes and food.

The company declined to say who has been given cards, though it is understood that Twiggy, the model star of its advertising campaign, has one, as do senior fashion writers such as Alexandra Shulman, editor of Vogue. Actor Martin Freeman and comedians Jimmy Carr and Bob Mortimer, who advertise the Autograph menswear range, have also been offered them.

The retailer is deliberately keeping the numbers low, however, to maintain its exclusivity.

"It's a card that we give out to a very limited number of people who have been supportive in the past, who have said nice things about the company," said a spokeswoman. "It has to be people that we know enjoy shopping with us and fit with the values of our brand."

M&S introduced the card earlier this year, following in the footsteps of various other retailers who regularly use such schemes to encourage high-profile shoppers to stay loyal.

It is one of many changes introduced under chief executive Stuart Rose, who joined last year to fend off a hostile approach from billionaire Arcadia owner Philip Green.

Earlier this month, M&S's interim results showed a 20 per cent jump in pre-tax profits, to £308.2m. That fuelled a surge in the share price, as did the news that Mr Rose had convinced Per Una founder George Davies to stay following a well-publicised spat between the two.

Shares in the retailer closed on Friday at 441p, well above the 400p indicative approach from Mr Green last year.