Waitrose is planning to roll out dozens of medium-sized “neighbourhood” stores as part of a £1bn investment. The new shops will be smaller than its full-sized supermarkets but bigger than Little Waitrose convenience stores, with the grocer targeting commuter towns and suburbs.
Store specifications and locations
The branches will span around 7,000 sq ft and stock approximately 6,500 products, according to The Times. The stores will focus on fresh food and will also have bigger bakeries and more cooking products. The concept has already been introduced at around 20 shops, including branches in Leatherhead and Oxted in Surrey, Bromsgrove, Knutsford and Jesmond in Newcastle. The latest launch was at Chelmer Village Retail Park in Essex. Waitrose currently has around 320 stores in Britain.
Company statement
Tina Mitchell, Waitrose Retail Director, said: “As the ‘Home of Food Lovers,’ our growth is shaped by adapting to how our customers live and shop. Today’s consumers no longer rely on a single weekly trip to the supermarket; grocery shopping is an omnichannel experience. Backed by our multi-year £1 billion investment plan, our ambition is to be wherever our customers want us. We are looking for high-footfall, ‘right size, right location’ sites nationwide to make it easier than ever for people to experience our uncompromising standards, quality and expert Partner service.”
Price reductions
It comes after Waitrose announced earlier this year that it was lowering prices on over 160 own-brand products as part of a new £20m investment. Prices have been reduced by an average of 12% - with some everyday items cut by more than 25%. The reductions have been applied to staples such as free range eggs, onions, chicken thighs, apples, frozen peas, chickpeas and chopped tomatoes. Almost half (47%) of the reductions are on products from the Essential Waitrose range. The move marks the ninth round of New Lower Prices since 2023, taking Waitrose’s total investment to £162.5m across more than 1,000 products.
Nathan Ansell, Waitrose Chief Customer Officer, said: “Customers are watching what they spend, but they don’t want to compromise on the food they buy. This investment is about doing the right thing for our customers, helping them save on the products they shop most often, while keeping the quality they expect from Waitrose. We know our customers - the Food Lovers who shop with us - want to feel confident in the food they buy, without compromising on what matters to them.”
