British sandwich and coffee chain Pret A Manger has abandoned plans to open outlets in Israel, Reuters has reported.

The decision has been attributed to travel restrictions on UK staff due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In December 2022, Pret A Manger reached an agreement with two Israeli companies, Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group, to bring the Pret brand to Israel.

Despite this agreement, no Pret shops have yet been established in the country.

The expansion into Israel was part of Pret A Manger's strategy, unveiled in 2021, to double the size of its business within five years.

Jointly owned by investment firm JAB and founder Sinclair Beecham, Pret A Manger currently operates 650 shops across 18 markets worldwide.

A Pret A Manger spokesperson was quoted by the news agency as saying: “It was not immediately clear how advanced the store opening plans were. We have taken the difficult decision to end our current agreement with Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group.

“The significant ongoing travel restrictions have meant that our teams have not been able to conduct the checks and training needed to set up Pret in a new market. Under the terms of Pret's travel insurance, any colleagues travelling to Israel would not be insured.”

The coffee chain was set to open at least 40 cafes in the country up to 2033, according to a report in The Times of Israel.

In May 2024 A&W Food Services of Canada and Pret A Manger (Europe) unveiled plans to expand the Pret brand in Canada.