UK retailer the Co-operative is opening up seven new stores in London over the next two weeks.
The company is expanding its presence in the British capital with £4.8 million investment and plans to create 100 jobs in the Greater London Area, with the first opening tomorrow (16 November) at Pollard’s Hill, Mitcham with an investment of £1.1 million.
The stores will have a focus on fresh, healthy foods, meal ideas and essentials.
The Co-op is boosting its membership scheme in connection with local community groups and charities.
Members receive a 5% reward on purchases of own-branded products and services, with a further 1% going directly to local causes to make a difference in the community, said the company.
There will also be offers and promotions in-store to mark the launches. The Co-op will offer students in Greater London holding an NUS student discount card 10% off their groceries.
Nationwide Expansion
“We now have over 330,000 members in the capital, who together have helped us to raise almost £3 million for 1,000 good causes since we launched our new membership scheme last September. Just by swiping a membership card, people can make a real difference to local life and become a co-owner of their local Co-op,” said Peter Batt, divisional managing director for Co-op.
The retailer announced the opening of five stores in Scotland in October and two stores in Leicester in September. All three UK launches total £9.4 million investment in store expansions.
The retailer also made a formal bid in October of £137.5 million to acquire Nisa, which operates a network of member-owned convenience stores across the country.
The Co-op said that it planned to retain Nisa as a standalone business and brand, including its 1,190 members and 3,200 stores. It added that its aim was to attract new members to the combined business.
The seven new London stores and their individual investments are as follows:
• 16 November – Pollard’s Hill, Mitcham: £1.1m
• 23 November – Haydons Road, Wimbledon: £646,000
• 23 November – New Kings Road, Fulham: £611,000
• 23 November – Upminster Road, Upminster: £624,000
• 30 November – South Lambeth Road, £618,000
• 30 November – Latimer Road Station: £663,000
• 30 November – Alderbrook Road, Wandsworth: £622,000
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
