Abu Dhabi: With its new store opening in Marina Mall, Marks & Spencer, the global retail chain that sells everything from clothing to food to household items and beauty products, has added a second location in Abu Dhabi and its 16th in the region.
"We plan to open yet another store in Abu Dhabi — at Delma Mall during the first quarter of 2012," Bruce Bowman, head of operations for Marks & Spencer Al-Futtaim - Mena told Gulf News. "We are trying to ensure that the Abu Dhabi market is properly served by the brand as this is a key growth market for us in the UAE."
"As well, we will be opening one store in Cairo on October 13 and one in Doha in 2013." said Bowman, elaborating on the company's business growth plans in the region.
In the UAE, "We now have two stores in Abu Dhabi, one in Al Ain, one in Sharjah and five in Dubai," he said and added sales at Marks & Spencer have been robust and led by the growth in the number of tourists.
The new location in Abu Dhabi Marina Mall is the eighth Marks & Spencer store to be opened by Marks & Spencer Al-Futtaim in the Middle East since 2009, and "continuing a remarkable period of expansion for the brand in the region", the London Stock Exchange-listed company said in a statement.
Worldwide, Marks & Spencer has more than 800 stores in 30 countries. It is the largest clothing retailer in the UK as well as a major food retailer. According to company's own estimates, more than 21 million people visit its UK stores each week.
Fast-growing markets
Speaking about other markets in the region, Bowman said Qatar and Kuwait are two of the other fast-growing markets for Marks & Spencer, besides the UAE.
"There's good organic growth coming from Qatar and Kuwait. Qatar's economy is on an upward trajectory, while Kuwait is a consistently strong, stable and resilient market for with a high level of brand consciousness," said Bowman.
In July, Marks & Spencer, a 127-year-old group, bucked the gloom in retail, reporting a seventh consecutive quarterly rise in underlying sales as its older and more affluent customers, coping better with a squeeze in disposable incomes, warmed to new products.
Marks & Spencer said at the time its guidance for 2011-12 was unchanged.
