Co op: UK food supermarket opening or refurbishing 50 new stores by Christmas - full list of locations near me

• The Co-op will open or refurbish 50 stores by Christmas, investing over £200 million in its UK estate
• Expansion includes 14 brand new stores, five micro-format ‘on-the-go’ outlets, and a franchise at Lancaster University.
• Long-standing stores will undergo major refurbishments with updated layouts and product ranges
• The move comes as the Co-op recovers from a cyber attack that hit sales by £206 million and earnings by £120 million
• CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq has also called for business rates reform, stressing certainty is vital for high street investment and growth

One major UK retailer is pushing ahead with plans to open or refurbish 50 stores by Christmas, despite recovering from a major cyber attack earlier this year.

Co-op’s expansion is part of a wider programme that will see it invest over £200 million in more than 200 stores in the current financial year.

Co-op Group CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq said: “We’re investing in stores and communities right across the UK because we believe in the future of the high street.”

The expansion comes in the wake of a cyber attack in April, which knocked the group’s annual earnings by around £120 million and impacted sales by approximately £206 million.

Hackers impersonated staff to gain access to accounts, stealing member data and leaving shelves bare, though they were unable to deploy ransomware or further disrupt Co-op’s platforms.

Despite these setbacks, the retailer says recovery is underway, and is using the expansion to also call on the Government for reform of business rates ahead of the autumn Budget.

The Co-op argues that tax certainty is crucial for smaller stores, which make up the majority of the UK’s retail landscape.

Khoury-Haq said: “Sustained growth needs certainty. Business rates reform is vital if retailers – especially the 99% who run small stores – are to plan with confidence, protect jobs and keep local economies thriving.”

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Full list of confirmed locations

Among the confirmed openings, the Co-op will become the first permanent retailer at Brent Cross Town in London, while a new franchise store will open at Lancaster University.

Five new “on-the-go” micro-format stores are also part of the rollout, aimed at commuters and urban shoppers seeking convenience.

The remainder of the 50 stores are long-standing outlets undergoing major refurbishments, offering updated layouts, refreshed product ranges, and a more contemporary shopping experience.

While the Co-op has not confirmed the full list of locations, it has said that the most northern site in the batch will be in the Scottish Highlands (village of Brora) and the most southern in Devon and Cornwall.

The full list of confirmed new or refurbished Co-op locations so far:

• Brent Cross Town, London
• Lancaster University
• Five micro-format “on-the-go” stores in Solihull, Kingston, Aylesbury, Leamington, and Altrincham
• Brora, Scottish Highlands
• Devon and Cornwall (exact locations TBC)