Marks & Spencer and Sephora are joining forces to expand Sephora’s physical presence across the U.K. market, with Sephora-branded beauty destinations planned for 100 M&S stores beginning in spring 2027. The partnership will also extend to M&S’s online platform, bringing Sephora’s assortment and beauty experience to more UK shoppers through an established high-street network.
The deal echoes Sephora’s landmark 2020 partnership with U.S. department-store chain Kohl’s, which established the retailer’s first major shop-in-shop expansion model in North America. Announced in December 2020, the partnership called for 200 Sephora at Kohl’s locations to open in fall 2021, followed by an expansion to at least 850 stores by 2023. The in-store concepts were designed as 2,500-square-foot beauty destinations, staffed by Sephora-trained Beauty Advisors and carrying more than 100 prestige brands.
The Kohl’s rollout subsequently provided a notable precedent for Sephora’s retail expansion strategy. By August 2022, approximately 600 Kohl’s stores had Sephora locations, with Kohl’s reporting high-single-digit sales lifts at the first 200 locations and mid-single-digit lifts at nearly 400 additional stores. The retailer also said roughly half of customers purchasing Sephora products were adding products from another category to their baskets.
The M&S partnership is considerably smaller in its initial footprint, but similarly combines Sephora’s prestige beauty positioning and specialist expertise with a large established retail network. Sephora re-entered the U.K. market in 2022 and has since built a standalone store presence; the M&S agreement gives it another route into communities beyond its dedicated locations.
For M&S, the partnership is part of a broader push to strengthen beauty within its Fashion, Home & Beauty business. Sephora’s beauty advisers will operate within participating M&S stores, while the companies are expected to announce the specific brand assortment closer to launch.
