Sainsbury’s launches revamped convenience store format
Sainsbury’s has unveiled a revamped format for its Local convenience stores to better meet the demands of today’s shoppers.
The update is a key element of Sainsbury’s broader Next Level strategy, which aims to enhance its convenience store offering in line with evolving customer needs.
The supermarket’s recently reopened Pudsey Town Local store in Leeds was the first to debut the new format, which includes an updated design and layout.
Similar changes will be made at two new London locations, Sainsbury’s Bermondsey Square and Sloane Avenue.
According to The Grocer, the new Pudsey format builds on the successful elements seen in the company’s Cobham, Surrey, supermarket refit, incorporating features such as a closed refrigeration system and multiple digital screens.
Other changes at the convenience store include a reorganised layout and new aisle signage, in a bid to improve the shopping experience and increase product availability, as well as a 5% increase in the range of products, achieved through space optimization and added energy-efficient enclosed refrigeration units.
This has allowed the supermarket chain to expand core categories like food-to-go, alcohol, and breakfast items.
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The store has also introduced new meal solutions, such as a £12 Dine in For Two Taste the Difference offer, and additional ready-to-eat items. Aldi Price Match branding remains prominent, despite the number of matched products being reduced recently.
One of the key changes in Pudsey is the introduction of a dedicated “food on the move” breakfast hub at the front of the store, designed to cater to busy customers looking for quick meal options.
Additionally, Pudsey is trialling Sainsbury’s first-ever self-serve locker for on-demand deliveries, a step forward in its convenience strategy. Located near the store’s entrance, it allows customers to pick up orders placed through services such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Sainsbury’s Chop Chop.
Further updates to the layout include category-focused gondola ends, with dedicated sections for breakfast items, world foods, stocks, condiments, and food cupboard essentials.
Other updates at the Pudsey store include a refreshed checkout area, complete with new barriers and updated lighting, as well as a relocated Argos Click & Collect station.
The changes to Sainsbury’s convenience store format come as part of the retailer’s ongoing efforts to improve its c-store offer, which kicked off last October with a comprehensive range review.
Expected to run through 2025, the programme will see Sainsbury’s continue to adapt its convenience store estate.
In addition to the ongoing store revamps, Sainsbury’s plans to open or reopen around 25 new Local stores annually as part of its Next Level strategy, further bolstering its presence in the convenience market.
