Sainsbury’s has added new ranges to a number of its convenience stores based on learnings from its larger Neighbourhood Hub format.
The retailer has introduced specific ranges and products – tailored to local communities – to seven of its Local stores as part of its efforts to encourage customers to shop bigger baskets and boost its convenience sales.
The changes have been implemented in five branches across London, one in Ascot and one in Bristol.
This included increasing Free From and World Foods ranges, introducing roasting joint bays as well as more Sainsbury’s ‘Just Cook’ meat, fish and poultry destination bays, and adding more meat-free selections, particularly in chilled.
Additionally, it increased the ranges of cosmetics sold in those stores to reflect the products it would sell in the bigger supermarkets, and enhanced its floral offering following increased customer demand.
The range tweaks were made based on learnings from Sainsbury’s’ new and bigger c-store format, Neighbourhood Hub – which counts a total of eight locations so far.
The grocer also made small store refits and adjustments to reflect the changes, including adding more signage to create ‘destinations’ throughout the store, and improving complementary product placement.
Read more: Inside a new Sainsbury’s ‘Neighbourhood Hub’ store
The efforts have resulted in customers shopping these Local stores more like supermarkets than other convenience stores, The Grocer understands.
The supermarket has received positive customer feedback on the enhanced meat, fish and poultry ranges, whilst roasting bay performances have recorded a “significant uplift”.
“We are always looking at how we can best serve our customers and communities and we regularly review our product ranges in all stores,” said Sainsbury’s property director Patrick Dunne.
“Our larger-format Neighbourhood Hub stores are popular with customers and while we continue to search for new sites, we are also adapting some of the formats and ranges in our Sainsbury’s Locals to ensure customers can easily find the great value, innovative products they want when they shop with us.”
Sainsbury’s has plans to open a further 17 Neighbourhood Hub branches, which are larger than its Local c-stores at between 5,000 and 7,000 sq ft, in the next two years.
The company’s half-year results last November showed its convenience business was up 4.9% from the same period in 2020 with “a strong recovery” of most urban stores, although sales still remained below pre-pandemic levels.
Sainsbury’s c-store estate sales took a major hit during the pandemic as footfall in city centres and some high street locations plummeted.
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