Marks & Spencer is expanding its franchise operation into the Czech Republic. It follows the announcement two weeks ago that Tesco is buying two retailing businesses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from the US-based Kmart Corporation. The 13,000 sq ft store, which will sell toiletries, clothing and gifts, but not food and drink, opens in August this year in the main shopping district in central Prague. New franchise stores have opened in the last year in Cyprus, Turkey, Thailand and Hungary.