Waitrose staff ‘dedicated to helping’ in Edinburgh’s best supermarket

Edinburgh’s historic landmarks, culture and food and drink options make it the UK’s most-visited city outside London. And its half a million residents are affluent. Ambitious young professionals rub shoulders with a large student population, thanks to the presence of four universities, including the prestigious University of Edinburgh. The number of those in CACI’s ‘luxury lifestyles’ demographic is more than three times the UK average (10.6% vs 3.3%), while just 5.5% fall into the ‘low-income living’ bracket – the UK average is 13.3%.

So Scotland’s capital seemed a suitable location to carry out a premium Christmas-themed Grocer 33 shop – including M&S as a guest retailer. But it was the other premium retailer that fared best in our mystery shop, as the Waitrose on Comely Bank Road romped home with 85 points.

Located close to the Royal Botanic Garden in the Stockbridge neighbourhood, Waitrose’s 23,318 sq ft store was “easy to find”. Our shopper was even more effusive about customer service – with “so many staff members all around the shop, I could literally just turn around and someone was there!” Even better, “all the staff were friendly and genuinely listened to my requests. Their dedication to helping me was clear.”

Our shopper also enjoyed the “exceptional variety of products”, particularly the sushi, bread and juices.

However, the shop was “a bit stressful” due to the long shopping list and took “nearly two hours” even with the help of a friend – although our shopper did think that was because “this isn’t my usual shop”.

Second place went to Tesco on Meadow Place Road, out past Edinburgh Zoo to the west of the city. It was a poor week for availability all round, but this 71,012 sq ft store posted the second-worst performance, with two out-of-stocks and three items not stocked. It was a shame, because our shoppers was otherwise “very impressed” with this “busy” but “well laid out”, “well maintained” and “very tidy”  store, and “plenty of staff were available to help customers,” she added.She also “particularly liked” the “commitment shown by the store and staff to local charities”, which “would influence the likelihood of me shopping there again”.

Just a mile away in the Gyle Shopping Centre, M&S was third with 72 points. At 18,000 sq ft, it was this week’s smallest store, but it posted the best availability score. Our shopper also highlighted the “well stocked” shelves and  “attentive and friendly” staff.

However, she found the store’s diminutive dimensions a problem, with the aisles “too small”, which meant “you need to move to let people with trolleys past”.

Two points back in fourth was Asda on Brunstane Drive, to the east of the city. Our shopper found the layout “logical” and was pleased to see staff wearing Christmas jumpers. However, staff interactions were mixed, ranging from “acceptable” to “excellent”.

He felt that “the interactions could have been warmer” but praised the staff member who offered excellent service when hunting for fresh chicken gravy – even if ultimately the item wasn’t stocked.

Back in the Gyle Shopping Centre, Morrisons took fifth place with 63 points. A zero score for availability set the tone here, though our shopper did find the entrance to the store “inviting” with “a lot of seasonal offers on display” and “a lovely aroma coming from the food-to-go counter”.

Numerous areas were “in need of a general tidy-up”, which made the store “look a bit neglected”. And while “most” staff were “knowledgeable and happy to help”, it usually came “without a smile or chat”. This left the impression that the team were “tired” and “going through the motions”, which “did not make me want to return to this store”.

Last place this week went to Sainsbury’s at Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, found a couple of miles south of Arthur’s Seat to the south east of the city. A disappointing 51 points was no surprise. The only real positives our shopper could find were “good” parking and the large aisles, which “make moving round the shop easy”.

She found “many” gondola ends had “empty spaces” and there were “no staff” in the clothing and ambient sections. However, her abiding memory of the store was “bad customer service”, mainly due to two managers who were chatting while stocking shelves and then “ignored me and continued their conversation even though I was obviously waiting to ask a question”.