M&S halts Christmas food ordering service in Northern Ireland

Marks & Spencer will not provide its Christmas food ordering service in Northern Ireland this year.

The retailer produces a festive food catalogue allowing customers to place click and collect orders.

But it said Northern Ireland will be excluded this year as there was “too much risk” it could let customers down.

M&S has previously said the Irish Sea border has caused it difficulties in stocking its Northern Ireland stores.

In an email to customers, it said: “Given the current challenges in the food industry, there was too much risk that we could potentially let customers down with key items in their orders ahead of the all-important big day.”

Its Christmas range will still be available in Northern Ireland stores for customers to buy in the conventional way.

The same arrangement will also be in place for its Republic of Ireland customers.

Earlier this week, M&S said it was closing 11 of its French stores because of problems supplying them with fresh and chilled foods since Brexit.

The UK retail giant said all 11 franchise stores it operated with partner SFH in France would shut by the end of this year.

M&S said supply chain problems since Brexit had made it “near impossible” to maintain standards of food supply.

Nine M&S stores run at French travel hubs will continue to operate.

The EU has strict rules for the importation of food products into the single market.

That has caused difficulties for GB supermarkets and other food businesses when sending product to Northern Ireland.