Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts has unveiled the grocer’s “next level” strategy as it looks to become the first choice for food among UK shoppers.
One of the supermarket’s key commitments includes achieving further food volume growth ahead of the market, as well as ensuring its full range of food is available to more customers, with only 15% of its supermarkets currently offering the full selection.
It will focus on creating additional space for food in around 180 higher potential stores over the three year plan, which it expects to be a key driver of grocery volume gains.
Roberts said: “We’re going to build on what’s driven our success since 2020. We’re determined to be First Choice for Food, ensuring more customers in more of our stores can enjoy more brilliant Sainsbury’s food.
“That means more space for our food offer, while still delivering the general merchandise products customers want from us.”
By March 2027, the grocer is also targeting cost savings of £1bn to finance better prices for customers and higher pay for its workers.
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This comes on top of the £1.3bn it has already achieved over the past three years. When the programme is complete, the group will have cut £2.5bn of costs over the past decade.
Sainsbury’s is continuing its aim to build a world-leading Nectar loyalty platform, forecasting £100m of Nectar360 profit contribution over the period.
The loyalty’s exclusive member pricing – which was launched in April last year – has already delivered ahead of the grocer’s plan and is playing “an ever-larger role” for its customers.
Roberts added: “Our Next Level Sainsbury’s strategy is about giving customers more of what they come to Sainsbury’s for – outstanding value, unbeatable quality food and great service.
“While I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to date, we’re only just at the beginning of rediscovering quite what this business is capable of. By taking Sainsbury’s to the next level, delivering for customers and colleagues, we will also deliver enhanced returns for shareholders through a share buyback and committing to a progressive dividend.”
