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LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer
has launched 46 websites in new markets, expanding its
online reach to over 100 countries, it said on Monday.
The group said the expansion into countries from Argentina
and Brazil to South Korea and Pakistan was part of its strategy
to accelerate its online business.
When M&S published first-half results in November it
reported a 75% increase in international e-commerce sales,
underlining the shift in online spend throughout the COVID-19
pandemic.
"We’re focused on turbocharging our online business both in
the UK and internationally, and as part of this we see a real
opportunity in extending the number of countries where we run an
online channel further," said Paul Friston, M&S's international
director.
The websites will offer M&S's clothing and home products.
In January rival John Lewis said it was no longer
pursuing international expansion and had ceased its online
delivery service.
M&S, which also sells food, has been hit hard by the
pandemic as lockdowns have shuttered most of its clothing space.
Shares in the group were up 0.5% at 1116 GMT, paring losses
over the last year to 5%.
(Reporting by James Davey, Editing by Paul Sandle and Louise
Heavens)