UK | As consumer awareness about gut health grows, M&S Food has announced a collaboration with nutrition science company ZOE. Through M&S' expertise in product development, quality and innovation, the retailer has brought ZOE's groundbreaking science to millions of M&S customers by launching the M&S Food x ZOE Gut Shot. This unique expertise is why ZOE has chosen M&S as its first retail collaboration.
Customers are becoming more aware of the gut's role in overall health and seeking products supporting better digestive function. Searches for 'gut health' have been up 247 percent on Ocado.com since 2021, and Kantar named gut health a top food trend in 2023. Our proprietary insight, the Family Matters Index, shows that in 2024, half of consumers plan to eat more healthily, with a quarter saying they plan to focus on eating a balance of different foods.
M&S has long led the way in helping customers make healthier choices. Twenty years ago, M&S removed MSG in its products and became the first major retailer to remove hydrogenated fats from all food and say no to nasties like aspartame, gene-edited foods, or artificial flavours and colours. Currently, M&S has a range of over 1,800 nutritionally balanced Eat Well products, which have seen a six percent increase in year-on-year sales volumes. By 2025, the retailer aims for 70 percent of total food sales to come from healthier foods. From the Remarkable Value range (of which over 50 percent is Eat Well) to Count on Us (of which all dishes are calorie-controlled) and the new Healthy and Balanced range, which contains nutritious ingredients, M&S is supporting customers who want to make healthier choices that are right for them, with no compromise on taste, quality or convenience.
The M&S Food x ZOE Gut Shot, launched in stores, is packed with over five billion live cultures from 14 strains of friendly bacteria and is high in fibre and a calcium source.
Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, said M&S wants its food to be exceptional, delicious, of the highest quality, and sourced and made with care, offering customers value with values.
"We always ensure a healthy choice is delicious, and we're proud to be at the forefront of gut health innovation."
Freudmann continued that the M&S Food x ZOE Gut Shot combines Zoe's nutrition science expertise with the magic of M&S Food quality, innovation, and product development.
"From the ZOE shot to our award-winning Plant Kitchen range and our newly launched High Protein range, we're proud to be at the forefront of innovation in offering our customers healthier choices."
Jonathan Wolf, Co-founder and CEO of ZOE, said that ZOE's mission was to improve the health of millions.
"We run the world's largest microbiome and nutrition research study, with hundreds of thousands of members and bring expert-led science to the world via our free podcast, published research and social channels," said Wolf.
He continued that much more can be done to change how the world understands nutrition.
"I'm glad we've partnered with M&S to bring this delicious product to supermarkets across the nation, helping more people to improve their gut health." The ZOE x M&S Food Gut Shot is a creamy yet tart milk drink with kefir and berries - and there's no added sugar or sweetener, artificial gums or emulsifiers."
Separately, M&S has launched a 'Good Gut' range with over ten delicious products, including cereals, yoghurts and drinks.
