The East of England Co-op Food store located in Ipswich Station has been recognised by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) for its innovative store design.
Trusted convener IGD earmarked the East of England Co-op Food store in Ipswich Station as one of the 25 ‘must see’ stores to visit in 2026 and described it as having ‘adept use of technologies to enhance customer experience’. The 1,500 square foot store features fresh in-store bakery goods, Barista Bar coffee-to-go, Fwip ice cream dispenser, Frozen Coca-Cola and Fanta machines and a perfectly chilled beer and wine section.
After opening its doors this summer, the East of England Co-op Food store has been popular with commuters by providing a fast, frictionless shopping experience. The store is cashless and served entirely by self-checkouts, supporting faster transactions with card and mobile payments only. Customers can be provided with remote support on the self-checkouts if they purchase alcohol, vapes or tobacco.
The regional retailer is in the process of refitting food stores across East Anglia to improve customers’ experiences and lower the carbon footprint of its stores. The East of England Co-op Food stores in Holbrook and Capel St Mary are amongst the stores that have been refurbished this year to reflect the retailer’s ambition to redefine convenience retail. Food stores have been opened in East Bergholt, in Hellesdon, Norwich and on Woodbridge Road, Ipswich with the transformative new look.
Sustainability is an important factor in the East of England Co-op Food store refurbishments and solar panels have been installed on the roofs of 13 of their stores in total. Store equipment, lighting systems and refrigeration have been updated in nine food stores to ensure that the stores are energy efficient, and early results of branch grid energy consumption have shown up to a 55% decrease. Solar powered carports have improved the eco-credentials of East of England Co-op store on Woodbridge Road in Ipswich.
Chief executive officer for the East of England Co-op, Andy Rigby said: “It is fantastic to see that our food store in Ipswich Station has received international recognition from IGD, and it comes after being shortlisted for ‘Best New Store’ by the Retail Week Awards for 2026. Hard work and strategic thinking allowed us to reimagine our stores in a way that is fit for the future and meets our customers’ needs.
“Our new stores and refurbishments give us a modern, consistent look and yet each store is tailored to the local community and our customers’ needs in mind. We are moving forward into the new year with an ambition to build on the innovation showcased in our Ipswich Station Food store. As technology improves, we will too as it is important to remain ahead of the curve and find ways to excite and intrigue customers.”
The food store is open from 5:30am-10pm Monday to Saturday and 7am-9pm on Sundays.
