Kathryn Turner, a 56-year-old product development manager at Marks & Spencer (M&S) Food, has become an unexpected social media sensation, with her videos attracting more than 50 million views within a few months of launching her accounts.
Turner joined TikTok in May and has also built a following on Instagram, where she showcases products sold by the British retailer.
Her opening line, “Hi, I’m Kathryn, director of product development at M&S Food”, has become a social media meme. Her business-casual outfits have also gained attention, with fans suggesting the look as a potential Halloween costume for 2026.
Her followers include Carrie Johnson, Stormzy, Nigella Lawson and Gemma Collins. On TikTok, Turner has attracted more than 300,000 followers, exceeding the following of the official M&S Food account.
Behind-the-Scenes Videos Give Shoppers a Look at M&S Products
Turner’s videos take viewers behind the scenes of the supermarket’s operations, including visits to a panettone factory in Italy and potato fields on Jersey that supply M&S.
However, some of her most popular clips feature her walking around M&S stores, wearing a lapel microphone and discussing new products being introduced by the retailer.
Products featured in her videos have reportedly experienced increases in sales, including mango grapes and a strawberries-and-cream sandwich known as a “sando”, inspired by Japanese fruit sandwiches made with soft, sweet bread.
The videos showcase the range of products developed by M&S and the work involved in bringing new items to its stores.
Marketing Expert Attributes Success to Authentic Presentation
Ben Marder, a professor of digital marketing at the University of Edinburgh Business School, said Turner’s videos reflected what marketers call the “snapshot aesthetic”.
The term describes content that appears informal and less staged than conventional advertising.
Marder said the videos stood out because M&S was widely associated with a polished, high-end brand image, while Turner’s clips appeared to have been filmed casually on a phone.
He said audiences were increasingly drawn to content that appeared genuine amid the growth of highly edited influencer content and artificial intelligence-generated material.
Marder also said consumers wanted to see company representatives demonstrating genuine enthusiasm for the products they promoted.
Turner’s videos have contrasted with a social media clip featuring McDonald’s global chief executive Chris Kempczinski, whose taste test of the chain’s Big Arch burger attracted criticism in February. Viewers mocked his small bite of the burger and his use of the word “product” when describing it.
Turner’s Career at M&S Began in 1995
Turner joined M&S in 1995 after working in hospitality roles with British Airways and the BBC, followed by a sales position at confectionery company Mars.
Her early product development successes included launching Teletubbies-themed Tubby Toast croissants in 1998. She later helped introduce the Count On Us range of calorie-controlled meals, which remains on sale.
She became director of product development at M&S Food in 2022 and oversees a team of 80 people.
The team develops approximately 1,500 new products and makes improvements to another 1,000 products each year.
Her work attracted relatively little public attention until she began posting videos online in May.
Turner Credits Younger Colleagues for Social Media Success
Turner has credited M&S food trends manager Francesca Byrne and trainee product developer Brandon Spatcher for helping shape the retailer’s social media approach.
Spatcher also creates food-related content and has around 150,000 TikTok followers. He is represented by an influencer marketing agency.
In a LinkedIn post thanking her colleagues, Turner said younger members of her team had been instrumental in the company’s social media journey by bringing fresh ideas, honest feedback and encouragement.
Her growing popularity has prompted enthusiastic responses from followers, some of whom have called for her to run for prime minister against Andy Burnham. Others have jokingly declared their willingness to follow her into battle.
Questions Raised Over Promotion of High-Calorie Foods
Despite Turner’s popularity, some critics have questioned whether her videos allow M&S to promote products that would otherwise face restrictions under rules governing advertising for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Some clips feature biscuits, chocolate liqueurs, panettone and chocolate bars.
Followers have also joked about the effect of the products on their diets, with comments including “Kathryn pls my clothes don’t fit” and “my waistline will not survive this winter”.
One social media user even asked whether M&S might develop its own version of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) introduced a ban on paid-for advertising of high-fat, salt or sugar foods in January 2026, including promotions involving influencers, as part of a Government-led effort to tackle obesity.
However, the restrictions do not cover a company’s own social media accounts or unpaid posts made independently by individuals, which are commonly described as organic content.
Turner also shares videos created by other TikTok users, encouraging shoppers to post their own M&S-related content in the hope that it will be reposted by the retailer.
M&S Denies Using Turner to Circumvent Advertising Rules
M&S has rejected suggestions that Turner’s accounts were established to get around restrictions on advertising less healthy food.
Sources at the company told the Daily Mail that the accounts were created to allow Turner to express her genuine enthusiasm for the products she helps develop.
The retailer has encouraged employees to share their work on personal social media accounts, a practice that gained traction during the coronavirus pandemic.
At the time, store-specific accounts helped inform shoppers about the availability of essential goods. Such accounts have since increasingly featured employees discussing their work.
M&S has not clarified whether employees receive bonuses or other incentives for achieving viral success with their content.
Advertising Experts Warn of a Regulatory Grey Area
Questions about employee-generated marketing have also emerged following previous cases involving influencers who failed to disclose commercial relationships with brands.
Molly-Mae Hague faced criticism after promoting products from PrettyLittleThing without telling followers that she was the company’s creative director. Grace Beverley was also criticised for failing to disclose that she founded activewear brand TALA while promoting its products.
Anastasija Vasilevska, from marketing agency Socially Powerful, has suggested that employee-made content could present a new challenge for advertising regulators as more companies adopt the approach.
Writing about the issue last month, she said content created by employees promoting specific less healthy food products represented a relatively new situation that had yet to be fully tested under the rules.
She added that regulators might eventually need to clarify how the restrictions apply as more brands use employees in their social media strategies.
Kathryn Turner’s Popularity Continues to Grow
Turner’s rise has attracted a loyal following, with some fans pushing back against criticism of her videos.
One TikTok user argued that the backlash against Turner should end, questioning why people could not simply enjoy the content.
Other retailers have attempted similar approaches. Frozen food chain Iceland has shared copycat-style videos, but these have received a less enthusiastic response on social media.
Marder said Turner’s success reflected her ability to adapt to the style and expectations of TikTok users while presenting products in a way that appeared natural.
Her videos continue to draw attention to M&S Food’s products as debate grows over the boundaries between employee-generated content, marketing and advertising regulation.
