Sainsbury’s has kicked off a range improvement programme across its convenience store estate as part of its plan to revamp sites and deliver a ‘Next Level’ experience.

The initiative, which began last weekend and will run over the next few months, and will see the supermarket giant explore how it can use the space in its convenience sites to deliver optimum range on the items that on-the-go customers want to buy most.

A range review of products will also be carried out, looking at whether lines need to be removed or added, and whether the amount of ‘dine in’ or food-to-go lines should be increased.

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As part of its yearly convenience rollout programme of between 20 and 25 stores, Sainsbury’s will also look at where new space makes sense, opening locations with the right footprint.

As part of this expansion, the grocer unveiled plan to open a c-store at Edinburgh airport in the coming months – it’s first ever airport store.

The range improvement programme forms part of a wider strategy as Sainsbury’s aims 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, as only 15% of its supermarkets currently offer the full selection.

It will create 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.

Grocery Gazette visited Sainsbury’s test store in Cobham last week with CEO Simon Roberts to discover what changes it had made as part of this strategy.