Uniqlo continues UK expansion, confirms three new store openings

Japanese apparel giant Uniqlo is continuing to double down on the UK market with the confirmation of three new store openings in the region.

The first location, due to open October 16, will be at Birmingham’s Bullring Shopping Centre, where it will span three floors across which a full range of women’s, men’s, kids and babywear will be offered.

To celebrate the launch, Uniqlo will collaborate with local partners on opening events, during which the likes of Girls On The Go Birmingham will host workshops and other activities over the course of a month.

The company has also revealed plans for new stores in Bristol and Leeds both set to open next year, building on this accelerated expansion and riding on the reported success of its Liverpool store, which opened in April.

In Bristol, Uniqlo’s 1,360 square metre store will be located at Cabot Circus, on the corner of Penn Street and Brigstow Street. The two storey space will mark the first time the brand has entered the Southwest of England. A 1,100 square metre store will also open on Briggate shopping street in Leeds.

In a statement, COO of Uniqlo UK, Alessandro Dudech, underlined the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence in UK retail, both via its physical store network and e-commerce capabilities.

For Uniqlo, which currently operates 21 stores across the UK, the European region as a whole is an important market, having continued to report strong growth well into Q3 of the current financial year.

According to the brand’s parent company, Fast Retailing, Uniqlo Europe saw both considerably higher revenue and a rise in profits over the period, while sales among newly opened stores “also proved strong”.