Marks & Spencer's China stores face an uncertain future

London - Marks & Spencer is preparing to shut a number of its stores in China as CEO Steve Rowe prepares to distance the British department store group from its loss-making international locations, reports Bloomberg.

M&S will reportedly announced the store closures next week when it releases it trading update on November 8 as Rowe is poised to update investors in his plans for the department store's international business arm. At the moment M&S counts ten stores in China, but it also sells its products online through Chinese e-commerce websites JD.com and tmall.com. It remains unclear how many stores the department store group is aiming to close.

The department store is also preparing to close its Paris flagship store on Champs-Elysees, according to Bloomberg, as M&S aims to stem declining sales within its apparel division. The report comes not long after Rowe confirmed plans to axe up to 525 roles at its head office in London as part of its larger, internal reorganisation plan.

Photos: Marks & Spencer stores in Hong Kong and Beijing, Marks & Spencer Media