Waitrose is Worthing’s best in a week of low availability

As far back as September 2022, The Independent’s travel section was wondering if Worthing was “the new Brighton”. And it has, to some degree, come to pass. Located just 10 miles up the coast from the UK’s most famous seaside town, Worthing has shaken off its staid reputation and is now attracting young families, remote workers escaping London and artists seeking a quieter life (and lower rents) than can be found in its famous neighbour.

Prices are certainly on the rise, though, as the town transitions from sticks of rock and Mr Whippy to seasonal tasting menus at Tern and food trucks slinging everything from halloumi fries to locally distilled Worthing Gin.

Read more:

• Asda is cheapest in our ‘Green Grocer 33’ price comparison survey

• How Waitrose GSM Ed Polley has returned home to revive Worthing store

• What is The Grocer 33 and how does it work?

The new breed of locals aren’t afraid to throw down on food either, with Worthing’s weekly grocery spend per household matching prosperous cities such as Bristol and York. The town’s up-and-coming status is also reflected in data from CACI, which classes 35.2% of its population in the ‘thriving neighbourhoods’ demographic, versus a national average of 23.1%.

While its populace might be thriving, Worthing’s supermarkets disappointed in this week’s mystery shops. It was a low-scoring week across the board, with Waitrose on the high street taking the win with 74 points. It was an equally bad week for availability, with all supermarkets struggling to offer the products required in our special Green Issue shop peppered with organic, B Corp, and seasonal British products.

Our diminutive 23,913 sq ft winner posted this week’s best availability score of just 10 out of 20, though there was better news elsewhere, as it excelled on customer service. Our shopper said it was “extremely easy to find staff” and noted that one checked stock in the back of the store while another “dropped what they were doing” to help. She added that their “helpfulness and commitment to assisting customers” left a lasting impression.

Less positive, though, were first impressions – thanks to a smashed front door with damaged glass. However, the rest of the store was “well lit and clean” with “very few gaps” on shelves, while the layout was “concise and intuitive”, which helped our shopper complete her shop in a mere 34 minutes – tied with Morrisons as the lowest by far.

A 15-minute drive from Waitrose’s central location, Tesco on Fulbeck Way is located on the northwestern fringes of Worthing, and it took second place this week with 69 points. The store’s best performance came on tills & checkouts, where the staffed checkout was “efficient” and the self-checkout “flawless”.

Our shopper also appreciated excellent staff at the customer service desk, where he was assisted in finding the puff pie after he’d finished the rest of his shopping. Overall, our shopper enjoyed the “genuine” staff interactions but pointed out a large number of gaps and low stock in the fruit & veg section, adding that the best way to improve the store would be having “more staff replenishing the aisles”.

Third place this week went to Sainsbury’s, located on a business park to the far north of town. The 36,328 sq ft store was one of two this week to post a zero for availability. It did best on store experience, with our shopper commenting that the space was “very well presented”.

She also liked the “lovely and calm” environment created thanks to a lack of music and announcements, and she rated the toilets “among the cleanest and most well serviced I’ve come across – well done to the store and team”.

Overall, she enjoyed the store and looks forward to returning, though she did note that some shelves were empty or low on stock and that she had to “pace up and down the aisles to find someone”, making the shop take “quite a lot longer”.

A 25-minute drive west lies fourth-placed Asda, which is technically located in the nearby coastal village of Ferring. Our shopper praised it as an “attractive-looking store with a good product range” and likes the fact she doesn’t have to pay for a trolley here “over nearby Tesco” because “I often don’t have coins on me”.

She added, though, that she “was disappointed with the customer service this evening”. This was because staff didn’t know how to check stock following a recent system change, meaning our shopper was directed to customer service, which “delayed my visit and was frustrating”.

Back in Worthing, and last place this week went to Morrisons in Newland Street – another that scored zero for availability thanks to five out-of-stocks and two items not stocked. The store performed poorly in most areas, with our shopper noting she has shopped here before but doesn’t do so regularly, because “I don’t appreciate their hygiene standards”.

This is due to an “appalling” and “dirty” seafood section with “rusted” metal shelves. “I had never seen a supermarket shelf in such a poor state,” she added. The rest of the store was in “better but still poor condition” with “near-empty” meat fridges, freezers with no lighting and cat litter “all around” the pet section.