Co-op plans to open more than 50 new or refurbished stores across the UK before Christmas, including several in southern England, as the retailer calls on the Government to deliver long-promised business rates reform.
The openings form part of a £200 million investment programme across 2024 and 2025, spanning more than 200 new and transformed stores. Co-op said that certainty over business rates is crucial to giving small and medium-sized retailers the confidence to plan, invest, and protect local jobs.
Among the southern England stores scheduled to open are locations in Shoreham, Southwick, Dedworth in Windsor, the Isle of Grain and Cuxton in Kent, Theale in Reading, Southampton, and two sites in Devon: Axminster and Tavistock. These sites reflect Co-op’s continued commitment to supporting high streets and local communities outside London.
Shirine Khoury-Haq, chief executive of Co-op Group, said: “We are investing in stores and communities across the UK because we believe in the future of the high street. But 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.
“Co-op is showing what is possible when businesses commit to communities. The Government now has an opportunity in the Autumn Budget to deliver the reform that has long been promised, giving every retailer the stability to invest and grow.”
Co-op said that each new store would offer a range of services including member price savings, parcel collection, and rapid delivery through its online shop and third-party partners such as Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
The retailer added that the investment in southern England demonstrates its confidence in the long-term future of local retail. Sites such as Axminster and Tavistock are intended to provide both convenience and access to fresh and frozen products sourced from UK farmers, while locations in Southampton, Theale and Windsor aim to support urban and suburban communities alike.
Co-op said that business rates reform would help protect these investments and create stability for other small retailers in the region. It argued that reform would encourage further development and expansion in towns and villages across southern England, supporting jobs and local economies.
The retailer also highlighted its ongoing focus on convenience and ethical sourcing. Co-op sources 100% of its fresh and frozen meat from the UK, including meat used as ingredients, and continues to support British farmers and producers through its procurement policies.
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives. It has a history dating back more than 180 years and is owned by more than seven million members. The group operates over 2,300 food stores and more than 800 funeral homes, alongside insurance and legal services. It employs more than 53,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues exceeding £11 billion.
The investment programme across southern England and the rest of the UK forms part of Co-op’s wider commitment to local communities. The retailer said it would continue to seek opportunities to expand its convenience and campus offerings, providing accessible retail options while maintaining a focus on ethical and community-led business practices.
Co-op also plans to open further micro-format “on the go” stores, following recent launches in Solihull and Altrincham, with new sites in Aylesbury, Kingston, and Leamington planned for early 2026. While these stores are outside the southern England cluster, they demonstrate the wider strategy of creating smaller, accessible retail outlets in urban and suburban areas.
