But with 60% of eligible Sparks members missing out, M&S is encouraging customers to get ahead and register their birthdays
M&S has just marked the UK’s most popular month for birthdays*, making a record 920,000 free birthday treats available to Sparks members. But with 60% of September-born members missing out simply because they hadn’t saved their birthday in their Sparks profile, M&S is urging shoppers to add their birthday so they don’t miss out.
More babies are conceived in the weeks leading up to and just after Christmas than at any other time of year, which is why September is the UK’s biggest birthday month, with almost 2,000 children born every day*. The peak falls on 26 September, the UK’s most popular birth date, when more than 30,000 M&S Sparks customers celebrate their birthday.
To mark the UK’s busiest birthday season, M&S commissioned new research into how Brits are approaching the cost of celebrating. A poll of 2,000 adults found that more than a quarter (28%) say birthday celebrations are getting more expensive every year, and people are finding creative ways to make the most of every occasion: combining family celebrations (21%), using loyalty savings and rewards to help cover the cost of a present (19%), and going in with friends on joint gifts (15%). More than one in five (21%) say they like to buy themselves a birthday gift, 17% say birthday perks give them the perfect excuse to indulge, and for one in five (20%), a birthday freebie feels more special than a standard discount or promotion.
In response, M&S is giving eligible Sparks members a little extra to celebrate with a free birthday treat. From cookies and truffles, to Percy Pigs, roses or crémant, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The reward automatically appears in eligible Sparks accounts at the start of their birthday month. Of the treats on offer, unsurprisingly cookies top the list as the most redeemed treat, closely followed by Swiss chocolate truffles and a classic cake – proving that Sparks customers have a serious sweet tooth.
To ensure customers don’t miss out, M&S is encouraging Sparks members, new and existing, to add their date of birth to their profile either online or through the app. Once saved, they will automatically receive their treat at the start of their birthday month in the M&S app – all they need to do is pop into their local Foodhall to pick up their treat for free. Anyone with a birthday in November needs to add their date of birth by 27 September at the latest, in line with Sparks’ 35-day sign-up window, otherwise they’ll miss out on their treat too.
Sharry Cramond, Marketing & Loyalty Director, M&S says: “We are so proud to give away close to one million birthday treats to our Sparks members every month, it’s one of our favourite ways to say thank you to our customers. Even if everyone else forgets your birthday, M&S won’t! It only takes ten seconds to add your birthday to your Sparks profile and it’s the easiest birthday present you’ll ever receive. The only question is, which treat will you choose to celebrate your special day?”.
T&Cs: M&S Sparks Birthday Rewards are subject to terms and conditions, members must add their birthday to their profile at least 35 days before their birth date. For more on the terms and conditions, visit https://www.marksandspencer.com/help-and-support/loyalty-and-rewards
Offer also available to new Sparks customers who sign up and add their birthday to their profile.
Unless otherwise stated, all research was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of M&S, surveying 2,000 UK adults. This was conducted between 14th and 19th August 2026.
*Office for National Statistics: How popular is your birthday?
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