Marks & Spencer has partnered with Sephora to establish branded beauty areas across 100 of its stores, marking a significant strategic move to draw younger shoppers and expand its presence in the competitive UK beauty sector.
The partnership, named "Sephora at M&S," will see the French beauty retailer open dedicated branded zones staffed by Sephora employees in participating M&S locations. The online component will launch on M&S's website in spring 2027, with the first physical store locations expected to open at the same time. According to reporting on the partnership, Sephora-branded areas will replace the existing branded-product beauty sections in these stores, while M&S will continue to stock its own-label beauty products alongside the new offering.
Sephora, owned by LVMH—the luxury goods conglomerate controlled by Bernard Arnault and his family, who rank among the world's wealthiest individuals with a combined fortune of $171 billion (£129 billion) according to Forbes—has experienced rapid growth during its second push into the British market. The company entered the UK with considerable momentum and now operates approximately 18 standalone stores across the country. This represents a dramatic turnaround from its first attempt to establish a presence in Britain, which ended with store closures in 2005 after the company struggled to gain traction in a saturated market.
The new venture reflects a deliberate shift in Sephora's expansion strategy. Industry observers have credited the brand's success in reaching its core demographic of women aged 24 to 36 to its collaborations with emerging beauty brands and high-profile partnerships with social media influencers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The self-service retail model pioneered by Sephora—which permits customers to sample and test cosmetics and fragrances independently—has proven particularly attractive to younger consumers who often trial products in-store before purchasing online.
The product range at Sephora at M&S will encompass skincare, makeup, fragrance, haircare and bodycare, featuring both established and emerging brands alongside selected Sephora exclusives, according to details of the partnership. The final brand roster has not yet been confirmed. M&S's online offering will provide customers with home delivery and Click & Collect services from M&S stores nationwide.
Why is M&S pursuing this partnership?
The collaboration forms part of M&S's broader transformation initiative, which encompasses £700 million in investments aimed at refreshing store environments, modernising supply chain infrastructure and distribution networks, and enhancing product quality. John Lyttle, managing director of M&S's fashion, home and beauty division, emphasised the strategic importance of the move:
Beauty is an important category for M&S, with the potential to attract new customers to shop with us and give existing customers the opportunity to shop with us more often.
Lyttle added:
Combining Sephora's specialist expertise with the strength of the M&S brand, our store estate and our growing digital platform, we can offer customers an enhanced beauty experience. Alongside this, we will continue investing in our own-label beauty categories where we have established strength and customer trust.
The UK beauty market was valued at £5.2 billion, with growth of 1.2 per cent year on year in the 12 weeks to 19 July 2026, according to Worldpanel by Numerator data cited by . M&S held a 1.3 per cent share of the market during that period.
What challenges does the beauty sector face?
Retailers across the UK have intensified competition for beauty market share following the closure of numerous department stores that traditionally anchored high street shopping. In recent years, major retailers including Debenhams, Beales and approximately half of the House of Fraser estate have shut their doors. This consolidation has created both challenges and opportunities for remaining players seeking to capture displaced customer bases.
The Sephora partnership positions M&S to compete more directly with specialist health and beauty chains such as Boots and Superdrug, which have maintained strong market positions. Sephora's self-service model, which enables customers to interact directly with products without mandatory staff assistance, appeals particularly to younger demographics who value autonomy in their shopping experience and frequently combine in-store browsing with online purchasing.
How does this fit into M&S's wider strategy?
The partnership reflects M&S's ongoing restructuring of its store portfolio. The group, which employs more than 65,000 people, currently operates 227 full-line stores offering food, clothing, homewares and beauty. The company has closed numerous underperforming locations and plans further closures over the next two years, with a target of 200 full-line stores across the UK.
Simultaneously, M&S's food division is expanding aggressively, with 18 food-only stores opening this year as the company pursues a target of 420 such outlets, compared with 335 directly operated locations currently. Franchise partners operate an additional 466 food stores across the UK and internationally.
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, outlined the partnership's vision:
Together, we can redefine what high street beauty means for customers across the UK, bringing the very best curated brand and beauty experience to the M&S stores.
Boyd emphasised that Sephora would deploy beauty advisers to M&S locations to
provide a truly personalised experience, and to reach customers in more communities where they already live, shop and spend their time.
What happens next?
The first Sephora at M&S locations and the online offering are scheduled to launch in spring 2027, with the rollout then expanding to approximately 100 stores. M&S and Sephora have committed to announcing the specific participating store locations and the final brand line-up closer to the launch date.
