British retailer Marks & Spencer is expanding its free "click & collect" service to more than 100 of its Simply Food franchise stores, just days after rival John Lewis said it planned to start charging customers.

The expansion of the in-store collection service for goods ordered online, to incorporate franchise partners SSP  and MOTO, would allow customers to pick up their orders at locations including railway stations, airports, motorway service stations and hospitals, M&S said on Monday.

Employee-owned John Lewis said last week that from July 28 online orders for products costing less than 30 pounds ($46.7), for delivery to John Lewis or Waitrose stores would carry a 2 pound charge. It said the current free service was unsustainable.