From Colin the Caterpillar to the perfect selection for a picky tea, M&S never disappoints. It’s no wonder the supermarket chain was recently crowned the UK’s best, thanks to its ‘innovative and delicious food.’ And now, thanks to its bold expansion plan, you’ll be seeing a lot more of Marks & Spencer in train stations, airports and hospitals.
M&S are set to open at least ten new convenience stores this year, with further plans to revamp an existing 50 of its smaller shops. It means that in total shoppers will see 60 new or refreshed M&S stores up and down the country. The chain hasn’t announced exactly where these new stores will be yet, but if you live near a smaller M&S, it might be able to get a new look.
A word of warning though: shoppers might notice a sudden closure to some of their local stores as they undergo a makeover – but the wait should be worth it. The roll out includes two new stores which recently opened in Ealing Broadway and Liverpool Street Station, and one in Belfast, due to open in October. The Liverpool Street revamp included new chilled and floral sections, three additional self-service tills, and it’s also now offering freshly baked products for the very first time.
The expansion is hoping to cater to those shoppers who want both ‘food for now’ such as sandwiches and drinks, as well as those after ‘dinner for tonight’, who are popping into their branches to pick up a meal to take home. M&S Food MD Alex Freudmann said: ‘Our renewal programme is all about making sure we have the right stores in the right place and with the right space and this applies to our convenience stores as well.
‘These stores offer the perfect range for customers on the move looking for sandwiches, salads and snacks to eat now, as well as meals for dinner, such as our infamous Dine In offers. ‘The new renewal format for our convenience stores maximises these small spaces to deliver the M&S Foodhall experience for the missions our customers are shopping for as they travel. ‘By renewing and growing our convenience estate, we’ll continue to deliver for our customers however, whenever and wherever they want to shop with us.’
