Marks & Spencer aims to boost sales of party food by up to 30% this Christmas on the back of three-for-two and half-price offers.

The promotional blitz would drive footfall to M&S’s stores over the festive selling season and add as much as £40m to food sales, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The latest push follows the success of M&S promotions such as Dine in for two for £10, which drew in new customers and encouraged regular shoppers to buy more.

Dine in for two for £10 resulted in 4.5m meal sales in M&S’s first half and was followed up by similar offers such as the Pizza meal Deal.

Better foods sales are a key objective for M&S, and food boss John Dixon has successfully been reversing the poor trend inherited from his predecessor Steven Esom.