Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Waitrose says it will expand further into non-food when it adds a record number of new products to its Essential Waitrose range this year.
Almost 400 everyday shopping items will be added to the collection, with new lines launching across existing categories and in new areas that will grow the supermarket’s presence in non-food.
The combined total of new and improved Essential products this year will reach 700.
Essential Waitrose, which now represents 18% of total sales at Waitrose and is worth £1bn, launched in March 2009 with 1,400 lines of staple grocery items. The range has since grown to embrace 1,800 lines across most key product categories, including housewares such as tableware, glassware, cookware and kitchen tools and gadgets.
Waitrose marketing director Rupert Thomas described the success of the range as “overwhelming; 79% of shoppers now add an Essential Waitrose product to their basket when shopping with us. We will continue to grow the range in existing and new product categories, underlining our promise to offer customers the best value without ever compromising on quality.”
Waitrose also recently announced that it is to open its second cookery school in the capital.
