The list features a mixture of completely new stores, as well as other Co-op sites that have been given a makeover
Co-op has announced 18 new or upgraded stores will open in the first three months of 2026.
The first new Co-op store of 2026 will open in the new neighbourhood development of Willowbrook Park, Didcot in Oxfordshire.
Some stores will also reopen following a makeover, including its convenience store in Eastern Green, Coventry and a franchise-operated site in Ealing, London.
Kate McCrae, Co-op Operations Director, said: “We’re focussed on creating local stores which are more than just a shop – they are a hub locally that contribute to local life and conveniently meet the needs of communities.
“Our stores have a focus on quality products and value for our members and customers, with a great range of deals and promotions on the items shoppers want to buy.
“I’m delighted to see our first new store of 2026 open in Oxfordshire, as we start 2026 with an active store opening programme to increase and enhance Co-op’s presence in high streets and communities all across the UK.”
It comes after the Co-op announced plans to create thousands of new apprenticeships in the next few years.
The retail giant gave details of a £70million commitment through its Levy Share service to create 7,000 matched apprenticeships by 2030.
The scheme enables levy-paying employers to transfer unused apprenticeship levy funds to businesses, charities, and community organisations.
Since it was launched four years ago, the scheme has matched more than 3,800 apprenticeships, with two-thirds in the most deprived communities and a third in the care sector.
Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion officer at Co-op, said: “We launched Co-op Levy Share to unlock unused levy funds and turn waste into opportunity.
“Four years on, alongside our contributing partners, we’ve already channelled £40 million into thousands of life-changing apprenticeships, and today we’re going further, committing £70 million to create 7,000 apprenticeships by 2030.”
The Co-op called for socioeconomic background data for apprenticeships to be collected, warning that without it, the system risked leaving some groups behind.
New or updated Co-op stores
- Ealing, London
- Didcot, Kilburn Place, Oxfordshire
- Eastern Green, Coventry, West Midlands
- Cove, Fernhill Road, Hampshire
- Totton, Southampton, Hampshire
- Deal, Kent
- Killearn, Main Street, Stirling, Scotland
- Farnsfield, Main Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire
- Sidmouth, Devon
- Straits Parade, Fishponds, Bristol
- Saltdean, Lustrells Vale, Brighton, East Sussex
- Westgate, Skelmersdale, Lancashire
- Marske, High Street, North Yorkshire
- Worle, High Street, Somerset
- Tarbert, Argyll, Scotland
- Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire
- Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire
- Cuckfield, Whitemans Green, West Sussex
