Pipe down, shoppers tell M&S

Angry customers have told Marks & Spencer that silence is golden when they are shopping.

They are upset the High Street giants have introduced piped music into their 400 stores as part of their rebranding - and are planning a protest in an attempt to get the company to revert to its no-music policy.

Scores of once-loyal shoppers will gather at a flagship M&S store, fill their baskets with hundreds of pounds worth of clothes and food and then dump their purchases by the checkout tills. They will then produce their M&S charge cards and cut them up, scattering the plastic on the floor before marching out.

The organisation behind the planned demonstration is anti-noise group Pipedown, which boasts an impressive line-up of celebrity supporters including actors Tom Conti and Stephen Fry, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and broadcaster John Humphrys.

Plans for the protest were revealed this week in a message to members from honorary secretary Nigel Rodgers. He said the venue had not yet been chosen but the demonstration would take place at Christmas.

"It is now obvious from the many replies to protest letters sent in by members that Marks & Spencer is introducing piped music into most, perhaps all, of its branches," Mr Rodgers said.

"M&S remains a prime target not only because of its recently restored status in the High Street but also because it is trumpeting its ethical Fairtrade Buying policy.

"Treating its suppliers (a bit) better does not atone for treating its staff and customers far worse by subjecting them to endless piped music."

M&S is believed to be paying up to £250,000 a year in royalties to the Performing Right Society to play the music and it is understood they receive a new CD compilation every few weeks.

A spokeswoman for M&S said: "Decisions regarding in-store music are left to the discretion of individual managers."