Waitrose is putting customer choice at the heart of its expansion plans with a highly localised, multi-format store strategy matching size, layout and ranging directly to regional demand. In 2024 Waitrose opened its first store in six years. So the current programme is the first sustained estate growth in the best part of a decade.
Supported by a £1 billion investment plan spanning its shops, online offer and partnerships across on-demand grocery and travel retail, Waitrose is giving customers more flexibility in how, when, and where they shop.
The move comes during a period of strong momentum for the grocer, with Waitrose currently outperforming the market. Waitrose continues to expand its customer base, increase customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty, demonstrated by a 6% year-on-year increase in My Waitrose membership and a 10-point jump in Net Promoter Score.
‘Neighbourhood’ shops
Marking the latest milestone in its agile estate strategy, Waitrose is introducing its ‘neighbourhood’ concept at its brand new shop in Chelmer Village, Essex. Bridging the gap between a convenience store and a full-line supermarket, the format combines accessibility with the breadth, quality and inspiration customers expect from Waitrose.
Designed for busy, suburban neighbourhoods where Waitrose is already popular, the 7,000 sq ft mid-size stores offer a fast, easy shopping experience with an intuitive layout. Stocking more than 6,500 products, they fulfill a variety of customer needs – from a fresh top-up shop to tonight’s dinner and discovering something new – helping establish a trip to Waitrose as part of the weekly routine.
Multi-format physical estate
Waitrose’s £1 billion investment programme includes 28 refurbishments and highly targeted expansion across multiple formats this year alone:
Supermarkets: two full-line shops are scheduled to open in Hale Barns, Manchester, and Cricklewood, London, in the autumn. Another to open at Brabazon in Bristol, part of a major new city district.
Neighbourhood: Chelmer Village Retail Park is the latest location for Waitrose’s mid-sized format.
Convenience: a new shop in Ascot is also due to open in the autumn, designed for quick, easy shopping.
Travel Retail: Waitrose continues to scale its presence across major transport hubs. This includes four new RELAY shops opening this year at Heathrow Terminal 2, alongside existing partnerships with 35 Welcome Break sites and 107 Shell forecourts.
To best serve its current estate and unlock further growth, Waitrose will also open its first distribution centre in Avonmouth, South West England, early next year.
Waitrose is actively seeking new leasehold and freehold opportunities across accessible, high-footfall locations in towns, suburbs and city centres. The grocer welcomes proposals for locations that would benefit from its high-quality products, industry-leading welfare standards, expert service and commitment to local communities.
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.”
Multi-channel approach
Underpinning the physical estate is an online offering that further expands Waitrose’s availability across the UK. In addition to its primary online grocery service, Waitrose.com, the retailer has strengthened its rapid, ultra-convenient grocery capabilities through partnerships with Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats.
Modernising the Waitrose estate
Waitrose is investing in its entire estate of 320 stores as part of a multi-year programme. This year, it’s refurbishing 28 stores, having completed 23 last year.
