Waitrose & Partners is going local with £1 billion investment in neighbourhood stores

Waitrose is investing £1 billion to make grocery shopping fit around modern lifestyles, with new stores, upgraded locations, expanded online services and a bigger presence in travel hubs. A key part of the plan is a new neighbourhood store format that sits between a convenience store and a full supermarket, giving customers more flexibility in how they shop.

The first of these neighbourhood stores has opened in Chelmer Village, Essex. Designed for suburban communities, the mid-sized format stocks more than 6,500 products, making it easy to pick up everything from everyday essentials to ingredients for a full weekly shop without navigating a larger supermarket.

The retailer is also refurbishing 28 stores this year and opening new supermarkets in Hale Barns, Manchester, Cricklewood, London, and Brabazon, Bristol, alongside a new convenience store in Ascot. At the same time, Waitrose is expanding its reach through travel retail, including new Relay stores at Heathrow Terminal 2 and existing partnerships with Welcome Break and Shell.

According to Retail Director Tina Mitchell, the strategy reflects the way people shop today, moving between in-store, online and on-the-go purchases rather than relying on one weekly supermarket trip. Waitrose says its goal is to be wherever customers need it, while maintaining the quality, service and food expertise the brand is known for.

What this means for hiring. New supermarkets in Hale Barns, Cricklewood and Brabazon, a new convenience store in Ascot, travel retail at Heathrow and 28 refurbishments this year all need store teams and managers to run them. The new neighbourhood format also calls for store leaders who can run a mid-sized shop that sits between a convenience store and a full supermarket.