Co-op to open new stores as part of UK expansion
The Co-op has announced plans to open 18 stores in the UK in the coming months.
This retail investment includes a mix of new stores and refurbished spaces stretching from Sussex to Stirling. The first new Co-op store of 2026 will be in Didcot, Oxfordshire.
The first reopenings following refurbishments include a convenience store in Eastern Green, Coventry, and a franchise-run site in Ealing, London.
Co-operative operations director Kate McCrae said: “We are focused on creating local shops that are more than just a shop – they are a local hub that contributes to local life and appropriately meets the needs of communities.
“I am delighted to see our first new store of 2026 open in Oxfordshire as we start 2026 with an active store opening program to grow and develop the Co-op’s presence in high streets and communities across the UK.”
In November 2025, the Co-operative announced plans to create thousands of new apprenticeships over the next few years.
The retail giant has detailed a £70 million commitment to create 7,000 matching apprenticeships by 2030 through its Levy Share service.
The scheme allows levy-paying employers to transfer unused apprenticeship levy funds to businesses, charities and community organisations.
Since launching four years ago, the program has matched more than 3,800 apprenticeships, with two-thirds in the poorest communities and a third in the care sector.
The new branches come as the Co-op continues to recover from a significant cyber attack.
The company was forced to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure after hackers accessed and extracted members’ personal data.
In July, it was confirmed that the personal information of all 6.5 million Co-op members had been stolen.
Chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said the “names, addresses and contact details” of all members were accessed.
He said the hackers created a copy of one of the firm’s files, but were unable to further attack its platforms and install the planned ransomware.
