Yesterday Marks & Spencer began to sell branded products for the first time since the 1950s, but the historic move drew a subdued response from shoppers.

Weetabix, Heinz tomato soup, Nescafé coffee and Foster’s lager are among 350 branded goods on the shelves at 19 M&S stores in the North East for a trial period.

Customers at M&S’s store in Newcastle were largely indifferent to the idea and said that it was unlikely to be enough to make them spend more at the checkout. Mike McClafferty, 36, from Wallsend, said: “When money is tight, people are going to flock to Asda and Tesco and the like, not M&S. They must be desperate if they are selling branded goods.”

Rachel Bowley, 29, from Heaton, said: “If I need everyday items like tea bags or fairly liquid, I wouldn’t come here. I would go somewhere where I can get the same items, but probably cheaper.”

Barbara Wilkinson, 66, said: “It’s a sign of the times when M&S has to start selling branded goods. But it’s no surprise really because I bet they have been losing a lot of customers. I do like the food from M&S, but I admit I haven’t been shopping there as much as I’d like to. Now when I want a big shop I go to Tesco because for basic goods it is so much cheaper.”

M&S is pricing the products at levels comparable with J Sainsbury and Waitrose, with a two-litre bottle of Coca-Cola costing £2.49 and a box of Tetley tea bags £1.68. The products are being supplied by Booker, the cash-and-carry group that was run by Sir Stuart Rose, the M&S executive chairman, from 1998 to 2000.

An M&S spokeswoman: “We said that we would trial this and see how it goes. It is very early days and too early to comment.”

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