Co-op will open more than 50 new or refurbished stores across the UK before Christmas, as the retailer renews pressure on Government to deliver long-promised business rates reform.
The retailer said future investment across the sector depends on ministers giving retailers certainty on rates, warning that thousands of small shops need clarity to plan, protect jobs and grow.
The latest openings take Co-op’s total estate investment to more than £200 million over 2024/25, covering over 200 new and upgraded stores.
The 50-strong pre-Christmas rollout spans a mix of formats and locations, reflecting the breadth of the communities Co-op serves.
Among the sites are Co-op’s first permanent store at the Brent Cross Town development in London; five new micro-format “on the go” stores; and a new franchise site at Lancaster University, taking its total number of university campus franchises to 11.
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The most northerly of the new stores will open in Brora in the Scottish Highlands, with the most southerly in Devon and Cornwall.
Co-op said the expansion underlines its confidence in the future of local bricks-and-mortar retail, adding that stability on business rates will be “vital” to sustaining momentum and unlocking further investment.
Co-op CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq said: “We’re investing in stores and communities across the UK because we believe in the future of the high street. But sustained growth needs certainty.
“Business-rates reform is vital if retailers – especially the 99% who run small stores – are to plan with confidence, protect jobs and keep local economies thriving.
“Co-op is showing what’s possible when businesses commit to communities. The Government now has an opportunity in the Autumn Budget to do its part by delivering the reform that’s long been promised.”
All new and refurbished stores will offer member price savings, parcel collection, and rapid delivery through Co-op’s own online shop and partners including Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Co-op’s convenience focus continues with its backing of British farming, with 100% of its fresh and frozen meat sourced from the UK.
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