Dominos Pizza Boss Slams UK Planning Delays Amid Push for Expansion

Andrew Rennie, chief executive of Domino’s Pizza, has sharply criticised the slow pace of the UK’s planning system, blaming excessive red tape for a dramatic slowdown in the company’s store openings this year. The FTSE 250-listed pizza delivery chain, which aims to operate 2,000 outlets in the UK and Ireland by 2033, managed to open just 11 stores in the first half of 2025. This figure falls well short of expectations, with delays in securing electricity and gas connections, as well as broader planning bottlenecks, cited as major culprits.

The Labour government recently enacted planning reforms, stripping councillors of the ability to block most building schemes and loosening restrictions on opening new cafés, bars and music venues. While companies across sectors have applauded the government’s push to cut bureaucracy, Rennie stated that evidence of a genuinely freer planning system has yet to materialise. He described ongoing delays as frustrating, noting that new branches could open as much as six months later than initially anticipated.

Retail bosses have repeatedly called for an overhaul of the UK’s planning rules. Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise, chief executive of Next, labelled the system a “constant battle” late last year, while Giles Hurley, head of Aldi UK, described the process as increasingly complex and protracted. The consensus among these leaders is that slow and unpredictable approvals are restricting growth, job creation and investment.

Domino’s, with 1,381 existing stores in the UK and Ireland, the vast majority run by franchisees, has already targeted less saturated markets, launching about 20 new stores in smaller communities since 2024. Still, a “healthy pipeline” of further launches is now largely expected to slip into 2026. Combined with tax increases and rising employment costs, these hurdles have weighed heavily on franchisees’ expansion plans.

The company’s latest financial results underscored the challenges industry players are facing. Domino’s profit took a hit, and its share price tumbled by as much as 20 per cent at one point, before closing down nearly 18 per cent. The threat of further tax rises this autumn has also dampened consumer sentiment, creating even greater uncertainty for the fast-food powerhouse as it navigates a stubbornly sluggish planning landscape.