M&S has disclosed a list of 500 potential locations for future store openings. Last year, the retail giant announced plans to launch or refurbish 20 M&S stores, resulting in the creation of 800 job opportunities. New branches in Northwich, Abingdon, and Stonehaven are set to open soon.
Furthermore, upcoming store launches in Farnham, Northampton, and Godalming, which will be M&S’ largest standalone food store, are expected in the spring and summer of 2026. M&S is keen on expanding into areas where it currently lacks a presence, such as Hove, Marlborough, and Wallingford.
M&S is actively seeking sites across the UK with a trading space of 18,000sqft (25,000sqft gross). Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, expressed confidence in the brand’s performance and the plan to explore new locations nationwide.
Following a successful holiday season with a record number of shoppers, M&S reported a 5.6% increase in food sales over the 13 weeks up to December 27. However, sales in the fashion, home, and beauty division declined by 2.9% compared to the previous year.
M&S attributed the drop in store spending to reduced high street foot traffic and lingering effects of a cyber attack on its data and management systems. The company anticipates reshaping its business strategy to drive growth amidst a challenging consumer environment, focusing on store transformation and cost reduction initiatives.