What: Marks & Spencer will double its food business and accelerate store renewal, targeting 180 full-line stores and 420 food stores by 2028.

Why it is important: The focus on food and renewed formats aligns with broader trends in retail, where experiential and community-driven stores are driving growth and customer engagement.

Marks & Spencer has unveiled a bold strategy to double the size of its food business and modernise more than half of its store estate by 2028, identifying 500 potential new locations across the UK. This expansion is designed to deliver a footprint of 180 full-line stores and 420 food stores, with a strong emphasis on the renewal format that features larger food halls, market-style produce sections, in-store bakeries, and wider aisles. The retailer’s renewed focus on food retail comes as in-store food sales rose by 7.8%, contrasting with a 16.4% decline in fashion, home, and beauty sales. Despite a significant 55% drop in profit before tax, largely due to a cyber-attack that disrupted online operations for six weeks, M&S is pressing ahead with its transformation plan. The opening of 20 new or renewed stores between November and March 2026 is expected to create 800 jobs, underlining the company’s commitment to growth and adaptation in a challenging retail environment.

IADS Notes: M&S’s expansion and modernisation strategy echoes its recent activities, such as the August 2025 flagship opening in Bristol, which emphasised experiential retail and community engagement (Press Release, August 2025), and the accelerated store rotation programme in July 2025, which targeted 180 full-line branches and 420 food halls despite operational challenges (Retail Week, July 2025). The December 2024 approval for the Marble Arch redevelopment further highlights the brand’s commitment to revitalising key urban locations and innovating store formats (Drapers, December 2024), reinforcing its focus on physical presence and customer-centric experiences.

M&S steps up store plan with 500 new sites