High street giant Marks & Spencer has unveiled an ambitious plan to open or renew up to 500 food stores across the United Kingdom, signalling one of the most significant retail expansions in recent years.
Accelerating Growth Across the Nation
The retailer confirmed it is actively searching for 500 potential locations to bring its successful food hall format to both new and existing markets. This aggressive expansion strategy forms part of M&S's broader goal to double the size of its Food business while modernising its entire store estate.
Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, stated: "The strong performance of our new M&S food stores gives us the confidence to explore even more locations across the UK, from Elgin to Exmouth." He emphasised the company is "moving faster" with more than twenty stores either opening or being modernised before the end of the current financial year.
Job Creation and Store Format
The initial phase of this expansion is already generating significant employment opportunities. Twenty stores opening or renewing before the financial year ends will create 800 new jobs, providing a welcome boost to local economies nationwide.
All new locations will feature M&S's latest renewal format, designed to enhance the customer shopping experience. These stores will boast an extended range of M&S Food products, wider aisles to accommodate larger trolleys, and more spacious car parks specifically catering to family shoppers.
The company highlighted the exceptional performance of recently opened food stores, particularly mentioning the Selby location at Three Lakes retail park, which has surpassed expectations and delivered above-average food market share growth in its region.
Financial Context and Future Outlook
This bold expansion move comes despite M&S facing significant financial challenges earlier this year. The retail giant reported that underlying pre-tax profits fell by 55.4% to £184.1 million in the six months to September 27th, largely due to a major cyber attack.
The hack, which occurred around the Easter weekend, forced M&S to halt online sales for approximately six weeks and disrupted logistics systems, resulting in empty shelves. The incident cost the company £324 million in lost sales, though it recovered £100 million through an insurance payout during the first half.
By April 2028, M&S expects over half of its stores, including convenience locations, to feature the modern renewal format. The comprehensive list of target locations spans from Scotland to Wales, including areas currently without M&S presence such as Hove, Marlborough, and Wallingford.
