UK and French retailers join forces
The retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Relay France will open all of the stores in and around Paris by 2018, the first of which will launch in summer 2014.
Relay France currently operates from more than 850 points of sale in hospitals, railway stations and metro stations. The stores will offer M&S’ fresh food catalogue and will be located in positions similar to those Relay France currently operates from.
M&S plans to offer customers convenient access to a range of up to 2,500 exceptional quality, fresh M&S food products with its new store openings.
Locating its standalone food stores in travel locations has been done to help the company grow its French business by engaging customers “at another level”.
“The partnership [with Relay France] is part of M&S’ international strategy to open franchise Marks & Spencer Food stores in Western Europe,” the company said.
Meanwhile, M&S recently launched four Food store pilots in the Netherlands with BP and has spotted further potential for expansion into additional overseas locations in the future.
Chief executive Marc Bolland said in a statement: “Our Food business has gone from strength to strength under our plans to transform M&S. We’ve delivered 15 quarters of like-for-like growth in the UK and have opened Food stores in cities such as Amsterdam and Paris. We’re delighted to be partnering with Relay France to drive our international ambition even further.”
UK business
Along with plans to expand its property portfolio in Europe, M&S has announced its plans to add another 150 new franchised and owned M&S Simply Food stores across the UK in the next three years.
Its UK plans will more than double the number of Simply Food stores M&S opens each year, as well as creating more than 5,000 new retail jobs.
M&S executive director of food Steve Rowe said: “Over the last three years we have reinforced M&S’ everyday specialist food market position through exceptional quality food, groundbreaking innovative products, and unrivalled ethics. We’ve brought this to life for our customers through inspirational Food Halls with specialist bakeries, delis and now florists. This offers us exciting opportunities to grow our business.”
