The business is aiming to open 80 new stores internationally by August 2024 as its travel division continues to perform well across a range of markets.
In the UK, the retailer anticipates opening over 15 new stores during the 12 months, having opened 20 stores over the last year including eight in hospitals. Internationally, WHSmith is aiming to open 40 new stores in North America and 25 in the rest of the world by next August.
This comes as the retailer posts a trading update for the year ending 31 August, a period in which its group revenue increased by 28 per cent compared to 2022. This was particularly boosted by an uptick in travel revenue of 42 per cent. WHSmith’s UK travel revenue grew by 36 per cent against the previous year, up 30 per cent on a like-for-like basis.
