Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced a partnership with beauty retailer Sephora to strengthen its position in the beauty market.

Under the agreement, Sephora shop-in-shops will open in 100 M&S locations on high streets and retail parks across the UK from spring 2027.

The concessions will offer a curated range of skincare, make-up, fragrance, haircare and bodycare products, including established brands, emerging labels and selected Sephora exclusives.

M&S will also make these products available on its website, where customers will have access to a broader product range alongside home delivery and Click & Collect from stores nationwide.

Sephora at M&S concessions will also offer specialist beauty advisers, with the companies promising a more personalised in-store shopping experience for customers.

According to figures cited by M&S, the UK beauty market is worth £5.2 billion and grew 1.2 per cent year on year in the 52 weeks to 19 July 2026. M&S currently holds a 1.3 per cent share of the market.

M&S said the move gives Sephora a significantly larger physical footprint in the UK as it continues to expand following its return to the UK market. The retailer added that the partnership complements its existing destination stores, boutique locations and online business, while extending access to its beauty offering into more communities.

John Lyttle, managing director of fashion, home and beauty at M&S, said the partnership represented the next stage of the retailer's transformation strategy.

“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,” he said.

“Our partnership with Sephora will sit at the heart of our future beauty offer, combining Sephora's specialist expertise with the strength of the M&S brand, our store estate and our growing digital platform.”

Lyttle added that M&S would continue investing in its own-brand beauty ranges alongside the expanded branded offer.

In 2024, Sephora said it had plans to double the size of its UK business and was reportedly planning to open over 20 shops in the country.

Speaking at the Retail Technology Show in London last year, Sephora’s UK managing director Sarah Boyd revealed that the White City store in West London is one of its top-performing locations globally with higher retail turnover than any single store in North America. The high-energy store offers extensive product ranges, immersive merchandising and frequent events.

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