Marks & Spencer is set to open a record number of new stores this November in its “biggest ever” store opening month as it bolsters its bricks-and-mortar portfolio.
M&S confirmed it has invested £80m into its “sustainable bricks-and-mortar retail” offering, which will create 2,200 jobs across the UK.
As part of its store expansion plans, M&S will open at least one store every seven days during November including six new store openings and the relocation of three existing stores.
M&S said the openings are part of its aim of “becoming the UK’s leading omnichannel retailer”. It intends to rotate its portfolio from a base of 247 stores to a total of 180 “higher quality, high productivity full-line stores” that sell its full range of clothing, home and food products.
M&S also said it plans to open more than 100 “bigger, better food sites” by 2027/28.
The “biggest ever” store opening month begins with a 65,000 sq ft relocation in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre on November 7 and will be followed by relocations at Lakeside shopping centre, Essex, and at the Trafford Centre, Manchester.
M&S operations director Sacha Berendji said: “Stores are key to our business and we see them as part of our competitive advantage.
“Increasing numbers of customers are heading back into stores to experience the best of M&S all under one roof, supported by outstanding service from our colleagues, and we expect this to continue as we head into Christmas.
“To deliver our biggest ever store opening month which supports thousands of jobs is an outstanding effort from the team and shows just how serious we are about accelerating our rotation plans so we are in the right locations for our customers.”
As well as the new store openings, M&S recently announced the recruitment of more than 10,000 new customer assistants to “support its stores over the festive period”.
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