M&S has reported a 35% sales increase and 25% volume growth for its Italian Meals range.

The retailer said the rise in sales was driven by its own private label strategy, which uses longstanding relationships with suppliers and gives M&S control of its supply chain.

Alex Freudmann, managing director at M&S Food, said: “What sets M&S apart is the depth of control we have over our own brand products through our dedicated supply chains.

“Our bespoke M&S ‘fortress factories’ work exclusively with M&S, allowing us to guarantee the highest standards at every stage, with no unnecessary ingredients or processing.”

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Freudmann added: “Our in-house teams worked with our suppliers to ensure we source the best Italian ingredients, and we have invested in authentic cooking processes. It’s this level of partnership and precision that ensures our customers experience restaurant-quality meals at home, every time.”

Additionally, the retailer sold 2.8m units of products following its relaunch and has grown its first place in market share in chilled Italian ready meals to over 30%.

M&S has upgraded the quality of nearly 3,000 products for the third consecutive year, with a 30%, 22% and 14% growth in gastropub, confectionary and pizza, respectively.

The retailer has sold 54m Italian meals in 2024, and the transformation develops on the broader success of M&S Food which brought in 8.7% sales growth and grew market share to 3.9%