British supermarket chain Morrisons is to introduce three ‘lab stores’ between now and April.
The retailer hopes that the move will help it improve on localised offers to its customers.
The three Format Flex lab outlets will be in Birtley, Milton Keynes and Weybridge. The stores will carry out tests on product ranges, shop designs and shopping environments.
Morrisons has revealed that it has now completed its lab-store work in Deepdale, Preston. It will use what it learned there in other outlets in the chain, e.g. reducing product ranges, launching cafes, using online marketing digital displays, and placing doors on fridges and freezers. Wines will also be displayed differently, ordered by the pricing of bottle.
The lab stores will have various Market Street counters and different layouts, as the retailer wants to better reflect what local customers prioritise.
The supermarket will abolish trolley locks, there will be no parking charges, and it will keep stores open longer.
Customers want their local store to be relevant to them, said a spokesperson for Morrisons.
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