Shoppers are only just working out what B&M stands for

Many people are just discovering what B&M actually stands for and it's quite surprising. B&M is a favourite discount store with branches all over the country, selling a huge variety of home items at reduced prices - but not many people know what its name means.

Most customers think that the name of the bargain chain, which has 659 stores in the UK, stands for Bargains and More, reflecting the store's low prices on its goods - but that's not really true.

Some brand names become so familiar in our everyday lives that it's difficult to imagine them meaning anything else. So when you learn the surprising truth, you might see the logo in a new light. To find out the real name of the brand, you have to look back to its founder.

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As it turns out, the actual name is Billington and Mayman, named after the chain's founder Malcolm Billington and Mayman, a partner in the store. The store was first set up in 1978 but it didn't have the best start. It wasn't until the previous owner, Cambridge law graduate Simon Arora, bought it in 2004 and transformed it into a massive chain worth billions, reports the Mirror.

Interestingly, he didn't even know what the name stood for. In a chat with the McKinsey Alumni Center, he said: "Someone once told me that it was obvious - it stands for 'Bargains and More'. That's good enough for me."

However, B&M has previously confirmed that the name does indeed stand for Billington and Mayman. "I thought BandM was bargains and more!" One person exclaimed. "What wait, this can't be true! " another added. "My mind is blown," a third commented.

Mr Arora previously stated his plans to transform BandM into the homeware equivalent of Aldi and Lidl. He retired in 2022, with Alex Russo taking over as CEO in September of that year.

If you have a story to share, email yourmirror@mirror.co.uk. 's still the case. One shopper said: "I thought B&M was bargains and more! ", while another added: "What wait, this can't be true! ". A third commented: "My mind is blown."