High-street favourite Marks & Spencer has revealed fresh details about its ambitious plans to grow its presence across the UK, with a number of new outlets already confirmed and more in the pipeline as part of a major expansion strategy.
The retailer is aiming to grow its store footprint to around 500 locations nationwide, nearly doubling its current estate, and is moving quickly to open or modernise more than 20 sites before the end of the current financial year. A mix of formats is expected under the plans, including full-range shops offering food and general merchandise alongside standalone food-only stores. The longer-term strategy includes launching 180 mixed-format outlets and 420 food-only stores across the UK.
In an update last year, the supermarket also revealed it will open or revamp 20 M&S stores, creating 800 jobs.
Some of the sites already opened or set to open soon include Cannock and Bath, with other confirmed locations like Northwich, Abingdon and Stonehaven slated for this year.
Additional new stores in Farnham and Northampton are tipped to open in the spring and summer of 2026, while Godalming is expected to become M&S's largest standalone food store to date when it opens later this summer.
Under the accelerated expansion plan, the company is also targeting prime spots in and around London and across the UK, prioritising both easy access to transport and ample parking.
Alex Freudmann Managing Director, M&S Food said: "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.
"With more than twenty stores opening or modernised before the end of the financial year, we are moving faster.
"Our team want new sites where we could open a large M&S Food store as we deliver on our strategy to bring the right stores to the right places and offer the best shopping experience, range and availability for our customers."
It comes after M&S saw a record number of shoppers visit its stores over Christmas. Food sales grew by 5.6% over the 13 weeks to December 27, compared like for like with the same period a year before.
