Superdrug has continued its UK expansion in 2025 with the opening of several large-format stores, including a flagship unit at Guildford’s Ladymead Retail Park. The 8,000 sq ft site is part of a broader investment strategy aimed at strengthening the retailer’s national footprint while evolving the customer experience.
As part of parent company A.S. Watson Group’s growth vision, Superdrug is on track to open 25 new stores across the UK this year, a continuation of its store investment programme launched in 2023. The focus remains on locations with high footfall potential and strong transport connectivity, including prominent retail parks, shopping centres, and revitalised high streets.
The new Guildford store combines retail space with experiential offerings, including an in-store studio offering treatments such as nails, lashes, and piercings. This aligns with Superdrug’s strategy of integrating health and beauty services into physical stores to create more engaging, service-led shopping environments.
The move reflects a growing trend among health and beauty retailers to prioritise flexibility in layout and experience-driven formats—elements that appeal particularly to Gen Z and millennial consumers. Superdrug’s property team continues to work with national consultants such as GCW and legal advisors Womble Bond Dickinson to secure units that offer long-term growth potential and local community benefit.
Clare Jennings, Property Director at Superdrug, noted earlier this year that the focus remains on opening stores in locations that “deliver value and convenience, while supporting employment and creating destination experiences for our customers.”
Beyond new store openings, Superdrug has committed to refurbishing a number of existing sites in 2025, ensuring consistency in brand presentation and adapting to evolving consumer expectations. Sustainability also features strongly in the programme, with new stores increasingly designed to incorporate energy-efficient lighting, eco-friendly refrigeration, and responsible fit-out materials.
With further announcements expected over the summer, Superdrug’s property strategy shows how established high street retailers are adapting with confidence—leveraging physical space as both a commercial and community asset in a changing retail landscape.
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