British department store Marks & Spencer is closing its six Simply Food petrol station branches in the Netherlands from this week, the Parool reported at the weekend.

The stores were located at BP petrol stations in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rijswijk, Harmelen, Landsmeer and Oegstgeest.

The company announced plans to roll out mini supermarkets at BP stations nationwide when it returned to the Netherlands in 2013. The stores sold basic supplies as well as ready-made meals, sandwiches and salads.

Marks & Spencer has a small food-based outlet in the centre of Amsterdam and a large department store in The Hague. A second store is due to open in Amsterdam next year.

‘The Dutch don’t appear to be ready to buy from a wide assortment of products at petrol stations,’ a spokesman told the Parool. ‘Dutch consumers would rather just buy a snack.’

The spokesman said the two Dutch M&S stores are doing ‘very well’ and that the new Amsterdam store will open next year as planned.