M&S Reigns Supreme: UK’s Most Trusted Retailer Emerges After Cyberattack

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has been crowned the UK’s most trusted retailer in 2025, building on recent successes including being recognised for its AI-powered Christmas gift recommendations. This latest accolade demonstrates the brand’s continued popularity and strong standing with consumers, even in the face of challenges.

Interestingly, even a summer cyberattack appeared to bolster M&S’s position. Analysis from GlobalData, which surveyed 2,000 consumers, revealed that the outage highlighted the lack of readily available alternatives offering comparable products. The report stated that the incident “reinforced perceptions that Marks & Spencer offers products that are genuinely hard to replace.”

The retailer’s swift response to the cyberattack – restoring service and offering discounts – further cemented its reputation for reliability and value. GlobalData’s report stresses the importance of continued investment in cyber resilience for M&S, alongside maintaining a clear focus on communicating its quality and value proposition to customers.

The top five most trusted retailers were dominated by British brands, with John Lewis & Partners securing second place, followed by Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Amazon was the only non-UK brand to make the list. This result suggests that UK shoppers place a high value on the familiarity and perceived accountability associated with domestic brands.

Consistent quality and clear value for money were identified as the primary drivers of consumer trust, cited by 84% and 81% of consumers respectively. These factors provide reassurance to shoppers, demonstrating a retailer’s reliability, fairness, and overall worth. Delivering consistently positive experiences across all channels, supported by dependable customer service, further enhances trust.

According to Aliyah Siddika, associate retail analyst at GlobalData, M&S’s lead over John Lewis & Partners is not necessarily secure. She highlights John Lewis’s potential to overtake M&S, particularly with the revival of its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ promise, which could more effectively communicate its commitment to quality and value. The fact that John Lewis achieved second place despite having a smaller store footprint underscores the strength of its brand and potential for future growth. Maintaining a focus on security and promoting its unique, quality-focused own-brand range will be crucial for M&S to retain consumer trust.