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“Don’t Ask The Price, It’s A Penny” - M&S Celebrates 125th Birthday With Penny Bazaar Bonanza For Customers

Marks and Spencer

14 May 2009

Marks & Spencer announces a special treat for its customers next week – it is kick-starting its 125th birthday celebrations by going back to its roots as the Original Penny Bazaar and offering an exclusive range of M&S products for just one penny each*.
For three days only from Wednesday 20 May, all M&S main chain stores across the UK will house an Original Penny Bazaar, offering the range of 20 different products to M&S customers on a ‘when it’s gone, it’s gone’ basis.
M&S Chairman, Sir Stuart Rose and Twiggy will officially launch the Penny Bazaar at M&S’ flagship Marble Arch store on Oxford Street at 9.00am on Wednesday, as over 300 stores up and down the country open their Penny Bazaars for business**.
Sir Stuart said: “M&S has now been at the heart of Britain for 125 years and we believe that this is something worth celebrating. It’s been a tough year for us all but people are fed up with being fed up and we wanted to give our customers a real treat.
“M&S started off in life as a Penny Bazaar back in 1884, so what better way to share our birthday with our customers than offering them the chance to choose M&S products for just one penny? We’ve got two million one penny products available, but my best advice to our customers is to get to M&S stores as early as you can, as we are sure this is going to go down a storm.”
The full range of special commemorative products consists of five different jewellery sets, scarves, purses and knickers; cufflinks, ties and socks; leather passport holders and leather luggage tags; tea towels and mugs; bags of retro sweets, cans of retro drink, beach toys, and beach balls.
M&S customers can choose up to five products each and every penny donated will go towards the M&S 125 Charity Challenge, which aims to raise £1.25m for local and regional charities between May and September.
Customers queuing early for Penny Bazaar products will also be given a free peel and reveal card with the chance to win one of 700,000 rewards, including sixteen regional jackpots of £12,500.***
From next week, M&S customers will be able to purchase a new book, “Marks in Time” which charts M&S’ journey from a market stall at Leeds’ Kirkgate Market to the much-loved international retailer it is today. Written by Helen Chislett, with a foreword by Sir Stuart Rose, the book is exclusively available at M&S stores for £9.99 from Monday 18 May. Twiggy will also be signing copies of the book at Marble Arch from 9.30am on 20 May.
A 125th commemorative edition of the M&S customer magazine, Your M&S, will also be available in stores from Monday, at the special birthday price of just 1p and free to all M&S Credit Card holders.
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For more information or to arrange interviews, please call: Clare Wilkes  M&S Corporate Press Team 0208 718 8642
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