Waitrose is introducing a new mid-sized neighbourhood store format as part of a £1 billion investment programme designed to give customers more choice over how and where they shop.
The first Waitrose Neighbourhood shop will open in Chelmer Village, Essex, bridging the gap between a convenience store and a full-line supermarket.
At 7,000 sq ft, the store will stock more than 6,500 products and cater for different shopping missions, from fresh top-ups and evening meals to discovering new products.
The format is intended for busy suburban neighbourhoods where Waitrose already has a strong customer base. It forms part of a wider multi-format expansion strategy through which the retailer is seeking “right size, right location” sites across towns, suburbs and city centres.
Waitrose said the programme represents its first sustained period of estate growth in almost a decade, following the opening of its first new store in six years during 2024.
The retailer’s £1 billion investment plan spans stores, ecommerce, rapid-delivery partnerships and travel retail. It includes 28 store refurbishments and expansion across several formats during 2026.
Two full-line supermarkets are scheduled to open in Hale Barns, Manchester, and Cricklewood, London, this autumn, with another planned for the Brabazon development in Bristol. A new convenience store is also due to open in Ascot.
Waitrose is continuing to expand its travel-retail footprint, including four new RELAY stores at Heathrow Terminal 2 this year. The retailer also has partnerships covering 35 Welcome Break locations and 107 Shell forecourts.
A new distribution centre in Avonmouth, South West England, is expected to open in early 2027 to support the existing estate and further expansion.
The physical-store investment is being accompanied by efforts to extend Waitrose’s online reach. Alongside Waitrose.com, customers can access the retailer’s products through Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
Waitrose said it is currently outperforming the wider grocery market, with My Waitrose membership increasing by 6% year on year and its Net Promoter Score rising by 10 points.
Tina Mitchell, Waitrose Retail Director, said: “As the ‘Home of Food Lovers,’ our growth is shaped by adapting to how our customers live and shop. Today’s consumers no longer rely on a single weekly trip to the supermarket; grocery shopping is an omnichannel experience.
“Backed by our multi-year £1 billion investment plan, our ambition is to be wherever our customers want us. We are looking for high-footfall, ‘right size, right location’ sites nationwide to make it easier than ever for people to experience our uncompromising standards, quality and expert Partner service.”
