M&S Food has today opened its first airside stores in Heathrow Terminal 5.
The 200,000 passengers that travel from the hub airport each day will now be able to shop from the retailer’s food on the move range, including salads and sandwiches, as well as its gifting range, which includes boxed chocolates and biscuit tins.
Open from the first flight to the last, the two stores located at Gate A and Gate B are part of M&S’s store rotation and renewal programme. The new stores will expand the group’s existing convenience airport estate that currently consists of fifteen landside outlets across the UK and Europe.
Alex Freudmann, Managing Director at M&S Food, said: “Our stores programme is focused on making sure we have the right stores in the right place with the right space, whether these are full-line, food halls or convenience stores. Terminal 5 is the UK’s busiest terminal, making it the perfect location to debut our airside offer.
“This launch builds on the success of our well-established landside airport stores across the UK and allows us to serve customers even closer to their departure gates. Whether travellers are looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or a British gift to take home, we’re aiming to bring some M&S magic to their journey through Heathrow.”
NAM Implications:
- Given that airport shops can be more about presence and image rather than volume…
- …this move to airside has to be a gain for M&S.
- And if results satisfy a real need…
- …anticipate a rollout to other Heathrow airside sites, at least…
