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Marks & Spencer has been holding secret talks with Ocado regarding plans to launch an online food delivery service, according to a report.
A deal between the two firms would bring to an end the longstanding partnership between Waitrose and Ocado, but would not affect the online-only retailer’s deal with Morrisons, the Mail on Sunday reported .
M&S began testing an online shopping service last year , however only party food or catering for corporate events is currently available to order online.
The retailer has become increasingly reliant on its food business to turn a profit, as clothing sales have dwindled in recent years .
Last year the company announced it would close more than 100 stores by 2022 , in a bid to “radically reshape M&S’s clothing and home space”.
Show all 9 1 /9Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Toys 'R' Us Customers shop at a Toys 'R' Us store. The retail chain announced plans to shut all of its US stores, becoming one of the biggest casualties of the retail shakeout amid the rise of e-commerce. The debt-plagued company announced that it has filed a motion for bankruptcy court approval to liquidate its US operations, a move that could hit 33,000 jobs. The UK retailer failed to find a buyer and said their 105 Toys R Us stores would remain open until further notice, with administrators appointed to begin "an orderly wind-down".
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected New Look New Look announced it will shut 60 stores and cut 980 jobs as part of a restructuring plan agreed with its creditors.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Maplin A Maplin store displays closing down notices after the company went into administration.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Claire's Accessories (US only) People walk past a Claire's store in downtown Chicago. The chain that has pierced the ears of millions of teens has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The accessories chain said that its stores will remain open as it restructures its debt.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Carpetright Carpetright announced that it has secured £12.5m of emergency funding from one of its largest shareholders and that it is exploring the opportunity of seeking approval for a restructuring plan under which it would slash rents and shut stores to avoid going into administration.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected MOSS BROS. Suits specialist Moss Bros has reported a drop in earnings and profit in 2017, blaming a “tough end to the year” and stock shortages which hurt sales. Chief executive Brian Brick said: “Going forward, we are planning for an extremely challenging retail environment, not least because of the uncertain consumer environment and significant cost headwinds.”
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Mothercare Mothercare warned over profits after UK sales plunged in the run-up to Christmas 2017, with consumer spending falling in both stores and online.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected House of Fraser The Chinese owner of House of Fraser plans to sell its majority stake in the troubled department-store chain, adding to the upheaval on the UK’s shopping streets.
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Death of the British high street? The retailers affected Conviviality - Bargain Booze Bargain Booze owner Conviviality could be heading for administration after failing to secure emergency funding, placing 2,500 jobs at risk.
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At the time, the group said it would also concentrate on improving its online offering.
Last week M&S confirmed the latest round of closures , which puts 1,045 jobs at risk.
Shares in Marks & Spencer were up more than 1.5 per cent and Ocado stock rose 3.8 per cent in early trading on Monday.
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