Marc Bolland stepped down as Chief Executive of Marks and Spencer today, after his fifth consecutive Christmas of disappointing sales. Among the reasons M&S has cited each year for its disappointing sales:
2015: Unseasonably warm weather
BBC News, 7 January 2016
2014: Unseasonal conditions
The Independent, 8 January 2015
2013: Exceptionally unseasonal weather
The Telegraph, 9 January 2014
2012: Mild, wet weather
The Guardian, 8 January 2013
2012: Mild autumn weather
The Guardian, 10 January 2012
If they were genuinely surprised by the ‘mild’ weather five years in a row. perhaps they would have been better off sacking the weatherman than the CEO?