UK-based retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched its biggest standalone food store to date, opening a new food hall in Godalming, Surrey.

The 22,000ft² site consolidates the retailer's complete food range under a single roof and forms part of a broader strategy to modernise its store portfolio through the rollout of larger foodhall formats.

Among the store's features are an expanded in-store bakery, an enlarged cheese counter and a standalone chicken shop.

The layout also allocates more space to fresh produce and incorporates multi-temperature zones, with the aim of giving shoppers greater room to move through the store and access a wider selection of everyday items in one visit.

The Godalming store stocks the full Remarksable Value range, which now extends to 175 products.

According to M&S, the range is designed to match everyday staple prices against those of competitors while holding to the company's existing standards on quality, sourcing, ingredients and animal welfare.

M&S food managing director Alex Freudmann said: “Godalming is our biggest ever standalone food store and an example of the kind of modern, full-range foodhall we’re investing in as we double the size of the business.

“It brings together the full M&S food range, more space for the weekly shop and the latest store design so customers can get everything they need in one trip, without compromising on the M&S quality they expect.”

The Godalming opening follows M&S's decision last week to extend its Amazon partnership to the Netherlands, building on its existing Brand Store fashion presence in France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Last month, the retailer allocated more than £30m ($40m) toward cutting prices on 65 food products, aimed at reducing costs for household grocery budgets.

Those reductions covered fresh, frozen and store cupboard categories.