Marks & Spencer has agreed a partnership with Sephora, which will open branded beauty areas in 100 M&S stores and sell its products through the retailer’s website from spring 2027. The move is intended to attract younger shoppers and strengthen M&S’s beauty offer, while giving Sephora a new way to expand across the UK.

The areas will be staffed by Sephora employees and offer the brand’s hands-on approach to testing make-up and perfume. Sephora, owned by luxury group LVMH, returned to the UK in 2023 and now has about 18 standalone shops; the partnership could increase competition for Boots and Superdrug. M&S says the deal forms part of a £700m transformation programme, as it reshapes its store estate and invests in its online platform.