Stuart Kinghorn

Markdowns help retailers clear stock; but rarely help them learn. In this session, Marks & Spencer shares how it’s moving from transactional, end-of-life price drops to an integrated waste ecosystem - linking stock-exit management, fresh production planning and store execution into one loop. The session covers the operating model change (who decides, when), the data needed for inventory truth (what’s really on hand, not just on paper), and the playbook for directed actions in stores (what to do today, not someday). You’ll see how M&S is shaping timing and depth of markdowns, tightening freshness targets, and closing the gap between HQ policy and the shelf - improving sell-through, reducing shrink and saving hours, while keeping the shopper experience “in stock, fresh, priced right.” The result: less waste as a by-product, more margin as the outcome.