RE: Massive Store opening programme22 Nov 2025 22:31
It’s reasonable to assume ready meals sales and prepared food in general, sales will increase, as restaurants close up.
Circa 65% of the restaurants in UK are owned by foreign nationals, and an even larger workforce. UK has been, and increasingly less attractive as businesses.
We will lose thousands of restaurants, and corner shops right across the UK in the coming years, most businesses were too small for business rates, however food/consumable inflation, plus NIC cost increases, and constant high interest rates, and even more tax increases on horizon near term, it’s just not attractive or even viable. Add to that customer discretionary funds dying or gone.
Eating from home and home cooking is and will be increasingly the norm in this economy.
M&S food will be far more attractive for more middle class demographics, so it makes sense for more M&S food stores.