FEBRUARY 25, 2026 — After nearly four decades of dressing Filipinos in British flair, Marks & Spencer is shutting its doors in the Philippines. SSI Group Inc., the country’s largest specialty retailer, confirmed that all stores will cease operations after May 2, 2026. For many, this feels like the closing of a familiar chapter in our retail story.

The Tantoco-led SSI Group, which also brings in luxury names like Hermes, Burberry, and Cartier, admitted the decision wasn’t easy. 

“This has not been an easy decision,” the company said, calling Marks & Spencer “a meaningful and rewarding chapter” in its portfolio. 

The brand’s exit follows months of speculation, fueled by store closures in TriNoma and Ayala Center Cebu, plus heavy discounting in its remaining branches.

For many, Marks & Spencer wasn’t just about clothes. It was about that tin of butter cookies you’d bring to a family reunion, or the neatly wrapped gift that screamed “classy but safe choice.” It was aspirational yet accessible, a bridge between luxury and everyday retail. 

So why the exit? Consumer tastes are shifting. Filipinos are now more drawn to fast fashion, online shopping, and brands that adapt quickly to trends. SSI is simply redirecting its energy toward what sells today — and tomorrow.

Retail in the Philippines is evolving and Marks & Spencer’s closure signals that nostalgia alone can’t sustain a business. The Filipino shopper is changing — more digital, more price-conscious, more trend-driven. And retailers, even giants like SSI, have to keep up or risk fading out.

After nearly four decades, Marks & Spencer’s exit isn’t just about losing a store. It’s also about losing little traditions we’ve tied to it. From the digestive biscuits that became pasalubong staples to the neatly wrapped gifts that carried a touch of British class, the brand carved out a space in Filipino family life.

What will you miss most from Marks & Spencer? Which of your own traditions might feel a little emptier without it?

(Image: Marks and Spencer | Facebook)