Retail giant Marks & Spencer today fuelled fears over current trading after giving discount vouchers to more than 70,000 current and former staff.
The retailer has asked employees and M&S pensioners to spread the vouchers - offering 20% off clothing, household goods and food this weekend - among family and friends.
Analysts said the move will revive concerns that M&S's trading has remained disappointing since Christmas.
M&S was one of the biggest Christmas losers with a 2.2% slump in like-for-like sales in the three months to December 29. Shares in M&S have slumped 45% since last May.
An M&S spokeswoman denied that the vouchers were an effort to boost sales in the final quarter of the financial year, and said the company had been planning the move for some time.
'This is a perk for our staff to coincide with the half-term weekend,' she added.
