The Co-op has announced plans to open 18 stores across the UK in the coming months.
This retail investment includes a mix of new outlets and refurbished sites, spanning from Sussex to Stirling. The first new Co-op store of 2026 will be in Didcot, Oxfordshire.
Initial reopenings following makeovers include a convenience store in Eastern Green, Coventry, and a franchise-operated site in Ealing, London.
Kate McCrae, Co-op operations director, said: “We’re focused on creating local stores which are more than just a shop – they are a hub locally that contribute to local life and conveniently meet the needs of communities.
“I’m delighted to see our first new store of 2026 open in Oxfordshire, as we start 2026 with an active store opening programme to increase and enhance Co-op’s presence in high streets and communities across the UK.”
In November 2025, the Co-op announced plans to create thousands of new apprenticeships in the next few years.
The retail giant gave details of a £70 million commitment through its Levy Share service to create 7,000 matched apprenticeships by 2030.
The scheme enables levy-paying employers to transfer unused apprenticeship levy funds to businesses, charities, and community organisations.
Since it was launched four years ago, the scheme has matched more than 3,800 apprenticeships, with two-thirds in the most deprived 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.
It was confirmed in July that personal details belonging to all 6.5 million Co-op members had been stolen.
Chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said that “names, addresses and contact information” for all members were accessed.
She said that the hackers created a copy of one of the firm’s files but were unable to attack its platforms further and install planned ransomware.
