Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Waitrose is to open 22 new shops, which it says will consolidate the supermarket’s position in its heartland areas and increase its presence where it is currently under represented.
The retailer is buying 13 stores from The Co-operative Group, arising from the group’s acquisition of Somerfield, and Waitrose will also open at least nine new branches through organic growth in 2009.
The 22 new outlets will take the Waitrose estate to 220 stores in the UK, and increase its existing portfolio by over 5%.
The move will result in 4,000 new employees joining the John Lewis Partnership as co-owners.
