“The complexities of the supply chain existing after the UK’s exit from the European Union now make it almost impossible for us to serve fresh and refrigerated products to customers with the high standards they expect, which has a continuous impact on the performance of our business “. M&S CEO Paul Friston said in a statement.
M&S only opened its stores in Paris in 2011 after a previous departure from France in 2001.
Nine other M&S stores will operate as franchises at French airports and railway stations, in collaboration with Lagardere Travel Retail, which will continue to operate, as well as the company’s website, which sells mainly clothing and household products. M&S said it was in discussions with Lagardere about the future of its food stores.
Brexit has put pressure on supply chains already strained by the pandemic shortage and the resurgence of demand. The UK government announced on Tuesday that it would delay the introduction of controls on food imports from the European Union for another six months until July 2022, as supermarkets struggle to keep shelves fully stocked.
UK food producers and transport companies have blamed the UK’s exit from the European Union for the shortage of workers which has forced them to reduce production and made it difficult to deliver goods on time. The Road Haulage association says the UK lacks about 100,000 truck drivers, 20,000 of whom are EU nationals who left the country after Brexit.
M&S said it has had to change the structure of its European business as a result of Brexit. In April, it stopped selling all fresh and refrigerated products in the Czech Republic. Instead, it has doubled the range of frozen and non-perishable products.