Morrisons plans 250 franchise convenience stores expansion in southern England

Morrisons is planning a significant expansion of its convenience store network by converting hundreds of corner shops across southern England, the Midlands, and other underrepresented areas into Morrisons Daily franchises. The supermarket aims to open 250 new Morrisons Daily sites in 2026, adding to the approximately 1,700 convenience stores it currently operates, including 700 franchise-run locations and 1,000 stores acquired from McColl’s in 2022. This franchise strategy allows Morrisons to grow its presence quickly and with less capital investment by partnering with independent retailers. The move comes as Morrisons seeks to recover from declining sales and market share, which dropped from 10% to 8.3% in recent years, positioning it just ahead of Lidl. Morrisons highlights its strong own-brand range, loyalty scheme, and strategic partnerships with British food producers as key selling points for franchisees. The expansion is part of a broader effort led by CEO Rami Baitieh to boost shopper numbers and return the company to its peak competitive position.