Waitrose has unveiled plans to open 100 new convenience stores over the next five years.
The new stores will be located across England, Wales, and Scotland, though specific locations have not been disclosed. The first new store is set to open in Hampton Hill, London, later this year.
The expansion will treble the posh supermarket’s foothold in the convenience channel. It currently operates around 45 Little Waitrose stores, mainly in southern England.
Waitrose plans to invest £1bn in the new stores and in upgrading its existing 329 sites, including those in motorway services and petrol stations.
The move comes in response to changing consumer habits and demand, a spokesperson for the supermarket chain said, adding that: “We know the opportunity is there, yet we have currently only circa 45 Little Waitrose convenience shops.”
Waitrose is not alone in this trend; Asda has plans to open 1,000 Asda Express convenience stores across the UK. It is currently converting stores acquired from the Co-op and EG Group as part of a multi-million-pound investment.
