B&M to open 45 new stores claiming ‘southern shoppers want same as northerners’
Over the past year to March it has opened 47 new shops, bringing the total to over 560 in the UK
DISCOUNT retailer B&M is to open up 45 more shops over the next year as part of its plans to expand.
Over the past year to March it has opened 47 new shops, bringing the total to over 560 in the UK.
In an interview with chief executive Simon Arora said: "We're proving increasingly more popular in the south."
"It shows that the shopping habits in the south east are the same as they are in the north."
He also confirmed plans to expand frozen food to stores in the south.
Traditionally the bargain chain has always had more branches in the north but it now has its sights set on expansion across the rest of the UK and in particular, the south of England.
In March, The Sun revealed that branches of B&M had started selling frozen food.
The chain already stocks lots of food items, like tinned goods, pastas and cereals but this was the first time it started flogging frozen goods.
Today the company reported an annual rise in profits by 25.4 per cent to £229.3million.
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B&M said shoppers spend an average of £13.85 at its stores and live around a 10 minute drive away from their shop.
It follows the news that Lidl and Aldi are prepared to slash prices to beat the Asda and Sainsbury's merger.
The two supermarket giants announced at the beginning of this month that they plan to combine forces.
But there has been speculation that there merger could result in job losses, store closures and price rises.
In February, Aldi was crowned the UK''s best supermarket after beating off competition from last year's winner Waitrose.
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