M&S Accelerates Store Renewal by Expanding Search for New Locations

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is actively pursuing new locations to expand its Food store business, with a goal to double its size. The company has identified 500 potential areas across the UK for this expansion, focusing on larger sites that can accommodate a more extensive range of M&S Food products.

M&S Food Store Expansion Strategy

M&S plans to modernize and refresh its store estate. The objective is to maintain a footprint of 180 full-line stores and 420 Food stores. The company aims to increase the average size of its Food outlets to approximately 18,000 square feet, allowing for a broader selection of products.

New Locations and Job Creation

• 500 target locations for new Food stores.
• 20 new or renewed stores scheduled to open between November and March.
• 800 new jobs will be created as part of this initiative.

The recent acquisition of 12 Homebase sites will transform them into major standalone M&S Food stores. The first of these locations is expected to open before Christmas in Cannock. This expansion reflects M&S’s confidence based on the successful launch of new Food stores over the last three years.

Modern Store Features

The new Food stores will include wider aisles for larger shopping trolleys and spacious car parks to accommodate families. Locations such as Hove, Marlborough, and Wallingford have been identified for future development, which currently lack M&S Food stores.

Performance and Market Growth

A recent M&S Food store in Selby has exceeded expectations, achieving above-average market share growth in the region. This has encouraged M&S to advance its strategy of establishing a substantial presence in both existing and new markets. By April 2028, more than half of the M&S store estate, including convenience outlets, is expected to be in the renewed format.

According to Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, “The strong performance of our new Food stores gives us confidence to explore even more locations across the UK.” M&S is particularly seeking sites that are visible, accessible, and capable of providing the necessary trading space of 18,000 square feet.

With their updated property requirements brochure released online, M&S aims to find ideal locations that can support this ambitious expansion and enhance the shopping experience for their customers.