Marks & Spencer is to stock a range of kosher items for the first time in stores in London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Bournemouth “in response to increasing demand”.

More than 20 products will be rolled out across 29 M&S outlets this weekend — 19 in Greater London, Essex and Hertfordshire, seven in Manchester and one apiece in Leeds, Glasgow and Bournemouth.

Kosher items will include cucumbers from Mrs Elswood, Rakusen’s matzo meal, baked beans and chocolate digestives and Telma chicken stock. Also available will be grape juice and wines from Kedem, Palwin and Recanati, Manischewitz egg noodles and Osem chicken-soup mix, croutons and biscuits. There will be no refrigerated or frozen items.

Major supermarket chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have, for many years, offered kosher products in stores in Jewish areas.

The JC understands that M&S’s decision was prompted by the realisation of rising demand for kosher food among UK shoppers.

A spokesperson said M&S was seeking “to be more relevant… for families across Britain and we want to enable them to shop for a fuller basket at M&S.

“We’re excited to be introducing a range of branded ambient kosher products to a selection of our stores where there is a local demand.”