Marks & Spencer to open Early Learning Centres in 10 stores

In continuation of its Brands at M&S growth, British retailer Marks & Spencer is set to trial Early Learning Centre ‘shop-in-shops’ at 10 of its locations throughout the UK.

The dedicated retail presence builds on the department store’s current online partnership with the early-years toy specialist, and will see the brand’s best sellers stocked in areas designed to support children’s learning and development.

Early Learning Centre is one of the many brands introduced to Marks & Spencer as a way to appeal to a wider scope of parents. Other brand partnerships have included Clarks kids’ shoes and Smiggle clothing, boosting the retailer’s growing market share of kidswear.

Its Brands at M&S initiative is also part of its strategy of targeting new customer groups. A growing list of curated brands that provide in areas the retailer doesn’t have a brand range for, are continuously becoming available through both the Marks & Spencer online platform and in its stores.

Early Learning Centres are set to open at the end of March in the likes of Bluewater, Cheshire Oaks, Gateshead’s Metro Centre and Plymouth.