Uniqlo has reopened its expanded Covent Garden flagship in London after a short refurbishment, increasing the store’s size by 30% as it looks to adapt its physical retail offer to changing shopper behaviour.
The store, which first opened in 2023, has been extended from 13,900 to 18,300 sq ft after the retailer took over additional first-floor space previously used as offices. The expansion is aimed at creating a more spacious layout and improving customer flow in one of the brand’s highest-profile UK locations.
The redesign includes a shift towards a more flexible, gender-fluid merchandising layout, alongside practical changes such as additional fitting rooms, seating areas and lower fixtures to improve visibility across the shop floor. Uniqlo has also increased the number of self-checkout tills to 21, alongside seven staffed tills, as part of a wider push to streamline transactions.
The clothing retailer has also introduced cash payments at its self-checkout tills for the first time in the UK, reflecting the high volume of international visitors to the Covent Garden store. Till points are now available on every floor to improve convenience and reduce queuing.
The expanded site also introduces new retail zones, including a dedicated kids and babies’ section and the brand’s largest UT (Uniqlo T-shirt) area, as well as a space highlighting its collaboration with Transport for London. These additions signal a broader push to widen the store’s appeal and increase dwell time.
Uniqlo said the refurbishment reflects “an ongoing commitment to evolving retail environments in step with how customers shop today,” as it looks to balance experiential retail with operational efficiency in a competitive London market.
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