Waitrose opens first new supermarket in eight years in Cricklewood
Waitrose is opening its first new supermarket in eight years in Cricklewood, north London, on Thursday, as part of a £1bn investment plan.
Waitrose opens first new supermarket in eight years in Cricklewood
Cricklewood store opens as more stores are planned
The chain, which has more than 300 supermarkets, chose Cricklewood in north London for the opening, the first in eight years. More openings follow close behind:
- A second new supermarket opens in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, next month
- Four smaller stores are planned for next year: a supermarket in Oakham, Rutland, and convenience stores in Bedminster (Bristol), Chalk Farm (London) and Springstead Village (Cambridge)
The wider investment plan
The openings sit inside a plan announced in 2024 to open up to four large supermarkets and 100 convenience stores over five years. The same plan covers refurbishing outlets to introduce meat, fish and sushi counters, on-site bakeries and fine wine sections. This year the company, led since January by the former Tesco executive Tom Denyard, plans to refurbish 29 stores.
What the retail director said
Tina Mitchell, Waitrose's retail director, said: "Our supermarkets provide the ultimate showcase for everything that sets Waitrose apart – from our unmatched quality and industry-leading welfare standards to the expert service"
Sales up, profit down at John Lewis Partnership
Waitrose sales rose 4% in the six months to 1 August. Underlying operating profit slid by £7m to £103m, as the chain invested in keeping prices down and in its loyalty scheme, with higher energy costs during the summer heat wave adding to the pressure.
Sales had previously been hit by IT problems which led to gaps on shelves, though Waitrose is now holding market share according to Worldpanel by Numerator. It faces pressure from Marks & Spencer, which now has a higher share of the grocery market under some measures after opening a number of new food-led outlets.
The staff-owned John Lewis Partnership reported a £98m pre-tax loss in the half-year to 1 August, as sales fell at the department stores. The company has been reducing the number of staff it employs directly as it tries to trim costs.
On Wednesday the partnership announced its first company-wide union recognition deal, a collective agreement with Usdaw. Joanne Thomas, general secretary of Usdaw, said: "Usdaw already has members working within the business and this agreement will strengthen that presence". The deal comes ahead of new union access rights taking effect at the end of this month.
