Marks & Spencer has agreed a partnership with Sephora under which the beauty retailer will operate branded departments in 100 M&S stores and on the M&S online platform from spring 2027, according to a Press Association report.
The initiative, called Sephora at M&S, is being presented by M&S as the next stage in the transformation of its fashion, home and beauty business. Sephora-branded departments will replace the current M&S beauty areas selling branded products in the participating stores.
M&S is understood to be continuing to sell its own beauty products in stores. A small number of stores that currently have beauty departments will not be included in the initial rollout and will retain their own departments, focused on own-label products.
The companies said the partnership will make Sephora’s specialist beauty experience available to more shoppers across the UK. They also said it could help attract more customers to M&S.
The departments are expected to feature established beauty products, emerging brands and exclusive products across skincare, makeup, fragrance, haircare and bodycare, M&S said. Sephora will also bring its beauty advisers into the stores to offer personalised assistance, according to Sephora UK.
John Lyttle, managing director of fashion, home and beauty at M&S, said the company was transforming its fashion, home and beauty operations to create a better customer experience and build a more efficient and profitable business.
“Our new partnership with Sephora is the next step in this transformation,” he said.
Lyttle added that beauty was an important category for M&S, with the potential to attract new customers and encourage existing customers to shop with the retailer more often.
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said the companies could redefine high-street beauty for customers across the UK. She said Sephora’s curated brand and beauty experience would complement M&S’s food, fashion and home offering.
The partnership will allow Sephora to reach customers in more communities where they already live, shop and spend their time, Boyd said. She described the deal as an important milestone in Sephora’s continuing effort to become a winning formula on the UK high street.
Sephora, which is owned by LVMH, was founded in Limoges, France, in 1969. It has expanded its store portfolio in recent years and currently has 18 shops in the UK, according to the report.
The M&S rollout will therefore extend Sephora’s presence beyond its existing standalone stores and into a wider network of M&S locations. The first phase is planned for spring 2027, with the participating stores and the online platform forming the initial scope of the partnership.
