Tesco has unveiled ambitious plans to significantly strengthen its retail presence across the United Kingdom with the launch of 70 new Express convenience stores. This strategic expansion involves converting former Amazon Fresh supermarket sites and is scheduled for completion before March 2027, building on the successful delivery of 60 new stores last year.
Strategic Conversion of Amazon Fresh Locations
The supermarket giant is bolstering its footprint by transforming several key Amazon Fresh locations in London into Tesco Express outlets. Specific sites earmarked for conversion include prominent areas such as Kensington High Street, Hounslow, Moorgate, Aldgate East, and Wembley. These new London stores are expected to open their doors to shoppers ahead of the summer season, providing enhanced local access to Tesco's offerings.
Nationwide Reach Beyond the Capital
Beyond the London expansion, Tesco has identified and secured Express store locations in diverse communities across the UK. Confirmed sites include Bickington in Devon, Pontrhydyrun in Torfaen, Strabane in County Tyrone, and Wallyford in East Lothian. This geographic spread underscores Tesco's commitment to serving a wide range of local economies and customer bases.
In addition to the Express format, Tesco is planning two larger format stores as part of its comprehensive growth strategy. Potential locations for these larger Tesco stores are currently being considered in Pitlochry and Heartlands, both situated in Scotland.
Building on Recent Superstore Launches
This latest development follows a series of recent superstore openings throughout Yorkshire. Tesco unveiled new outlets in Ripon during November and in Harrogate in December, as reported by the Express. These launches demonstrate the retailer's ongoing investment in physical retail spaces across different regions.
Executive Commentary on Growth and Community Impact
Nick Johnson, Tesco Group Property Director, commented on the expansion, stating: "As one of the UK's leading retailers, we support jobs and local economies up and down the UK, and as we grow our store network we're delighted to have the opportunity to serve even more people, in even more communities."
He added with enthusiasm: "We are hugely excited about the year ahead and looking forward to meeting our customers where they are with great quality, exceptional value and brilliant customer service."
Background: The Closure of Amazon Fresh
This expansion opportunity arose following Amazon Fresh's decision last September to shut down all its UK grocery outlets. The tech giant operated 19 locations across London, employing approximately 250 workers. Amazon Fresh offered a unique, till-free shopping experience where customers could enter, select items, and leave without queuing, using an app that automatically tracked purchases.
At the time of the closures, Amazon explained it had "made the difficult decision" to shutter the shops after conducting a "thorough evaluation of business operations and the very substantial growth opportunities in online delivery." Tesco's move to acquire and convert these sites represents a strategic pivot towards strengthening its physical retail network while capitalizing on available commercial real estate.
