Marks & Spencer in talks to offload HK, Macau stores

LONDON • Marks & Spencer (M&S) has opened talks to sell its wholly owned Hong Kong and Macau stores to franchise partner Al-Futtaim, the British company said yesterday.

The food and clothing retailer said it has begun talks on the potential sale of the stores, which Al-Futtaim would continue to operate under the M&S franchise.

The talks are expected to take several months to complete.

The move follows a strategic review by M&S last November, in which the company laid out plans to shut more than 80 stores at home and abroad as well as seek joint ventures and franchise partnerships to operate in fewer wholly owned markets.

The Hong Kong and Macau stores would continue to trade as normal, the company said on its website. Al-Futtaim has worked in partnership with M&S since 1998 and today operates 43 M&S stores across markets in the Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia.

REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 31, 2017, with the headline Marks & Spencer in talks to offload HK, Macau stores. Subscribe