British food-to-clothing retailer Marks and Spencer on Monday announced plans for 3,400 jobs thanks to store openings, a move that follows mass shop closures and job losses during the COVID pandemic.

M&S said in a statement that it would open 20 new large stores across the UK. It comes after the group axed 7,000 jobs as Britain suffered pandemic lockdowns. 

The group on Monday said it would invest £480 million (€660 million) "in bigger, better stores across the UK – creating over 3,400 new jobs".

It added that "20 new bigger, better stores" would open by next year.