Marks & Spencer is planning an extensive expansion of its food business in the UK, aiming to double its current size by opening hundreds of new locations. The supermarket chain is targeting around 500 potential sites across the country, with a focus on London where they are eyeing up approximately 200 stores in zones two and three. These new stores are expected to range from 10,000 to 18,000 square feet and will be strategically located for easy access to public transport and parking facilities.
Beyond London, Marks & Spencer will be opening larger stores accessible from major roads, with a minimum size of 18,000 square feet to accommodate their full food range along with at least 100 parking spaces. The company plans to unveil eight new food-only stores by the end of the year, as reported by The Times.
Alex Freudmann, the managing director of M&S Food, expressed confidence in the expansion, citing the success of their new stores as a driving force behind their decision to explore more locations nationwide. Despite a significant drop in pre-tax profits earlier this year due to a cyber attack, the company’s food division has shown remarkable sales performance and is on a path of recovery under the leadership of Chief Executive Stuart Machin.
Machin emphasized the company’s determination to increase its market share in grocery, highlighting plans for over 50 new food stores in the pipeline. The upcoming stores are expected to offer enhanced shopping experiences with wider aisles and spacious car parks, catering to the needs of families. Marks & Spencer aims to refurbish more than half of these stores by April 2028 to further enhance their retail offerings.