Waitrose is set to enter airport retail for the first time through a new wholesale partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail, bringing its products to four RELAY stores at Heathrow Terminal 2.

It marks a new channel for the supermarket, as it looks to grow its presence beyond its core estate and online business, with the first store due to open in May 2026.

Under the partnership, Waitrose products will be stocked across four new RELAY locations in Terminal 2, including three airside stores and one landside. All four are expected to be open by the end of the year.

The stores will offer a tailored range of Waitrose food-to-go lines aimed at Heathrow passengers, including products from its premium No. 1 range.

Waitrose said the launch supports its wider strategy of driving growth through new shops, locations and channels, while continuing to invest in its existing stores and online offer.

Heathrow Terminal 2 handles around 20 million arriving and departing passengers each year, giving the retailer access to a significant new customer base in one of the UK’s busiest travel environments.

Waitrose chief commercial officer Charlotte Di Cello said: “Launching at Heathrow marks our first move into airport retail and an important step in growing our brand by bringing our offer to more customers in high-traffic locations.

“In partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and RELAY, our food-to-go offer will launch in four stores in Terminal 2 by the end of the year, building on the progress we’re already making in travel retail, alongside continued investment in our own shops and online offer.”

Lagardère Travel Retail UK and Ireland commercial director Nicholas Dunne said the partnership would help strengthen RELAY’s food-to-go proposition at the airport.

He said: “This partnership with Waitrose marks a significant step in our ambition to elevate the food-to-go experience within our blended Travel Essentials offer.

“By bringing one of the UK’s most trusted premium food brands to Relay at Heathrow Terminal 2, we are combining quality, convenience and strong brand recognition to better serve passengers in a fast-paced environment.”

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