CWS says its Market Town concept offers shoppers the benefits of a big store close to home. Tony Hurren looks at the role model in Maltby The CWS is now well under way with its Market Town concept and is transforming the internal and external appearance of 500 supermarkets at a cost of £200m in a project due for completion by 2002. And the role model for the society's new and refitted Market Town stores in the UK will be in Maltby, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire. By the end of this year, 30 stores should have had the makeover and next year, the CWS will spend £45m when it converts a further 100 supermarkets to the new format. The Market Town concept was unveiled last December at a store in Aberlour, north-east Scotland. It was refined after trials at three new stores and eight refitted supermarkets in Scotland and the Nottingham area. And the CWS believes it has hit on a formula that can be used for many of its stores, irrespective of whether they are less than 1,000 sq ft or stores with a sales area of 20,000 sq ft. Market Town makeovers have shown overnight sales increases of up to 60% with sustained turnover growth of more than 20%. The key element in the Market Town is a range of products designed to stop shoppers travelling beyond their own community to larger stores. In most cases, the fresh foods range has been increased by 30%, with a larger choice of chilled produce, ready meals and snacks. The beers, wines and spirits offer is designed to be more comprehensive than that offered by similar sized stores. The new interior and exterior has been designed by consultants Enterprise IG. There are lower fixtures and fittings for easier customer access, straightforward signage, colourful graphics highlighting the Co-op's position on animal welfare, food labelling and other political issues. The new look incorporates a strong local identity. The concept also features a range of services that shoppers associate with larger stores, such as financial products, baby changing facilities and cash machines. CWS retail director Malcolm Hepworth says: "We have identified the Market Town sector as a key area for the future growth of our business and it is central to our strategy." {{SPOTLIGHT }}