Sephora Expands UK Footprint to 20 Stores as Beauty Retail Gets a Makeover

Turning the Previous Challenge Into an Opportunity Sephora’s Managing Director in the UK, Sarah Boyd, reflected on the turnaround. The expansion is absolutely continuing. The UK is, and frankly has been for a while now, one of the most dynamic retail markets in the world.

Early flagship launches were greeted with fanfare and surging foot traffic; the Trafford Centre store in Manchester saw over 3,000 visitors on its opening day in June 2024, ranking third globally for Sephora’s opening sales and driving a 25.7% footfall surge at the Trafford Centre compared to the same week last year.

The Expansion Pipeline The renewed expansion is rapid—ten UK stores are already open in London, Kent, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, and more, each featuring Sephora’s own-brand products, alongside cult launches like Rare Beauty, Makeup by Mario, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, and GXVE by Gwen Stefani.

The Liverpool ONE location will add another 6,727 sq ft footprint in spring 2025. Stores in Sheffield, Westgate Oxford, Manchester Arndale, and Cardiff’s St David’s Centre are confirmed for summer and autumn 2025; Sephora plans to reach 20 locations by the end of 2026, one year ahead of original forecasts.