Co-op is set to bring the year to a close with an influx of new stores in the capital, creating hundreds of new jobs in just four weeks.
The convenience retailer has invested £9m into 12 new stores that will open over the next 30 days. The first locations to launch – which will all have a focus on fresh, healthy foods, meal ideas and essentials – are Rotherhithe Street (Southwark), Portman Square (Westminster) and Hampton Road (Twickenham.)
These new shops are opening shortly after Co-op announced a £45 million investment in a new Bedfordshire distribution centre to support its ambitious growth plans in London and the South East.
Stuart Hookins, Co-op’s property, strategy and development director, said: “2018 has been one of our most successful years of new store openings, with more than 100 new stores opening their doors across the UK, over a third of which are in London and the South East, and we’re always looking for new locations where we can be at the heart of local life.
“It’s extremely encouraging to see how the rapid growth rate of our store portfolio bucks most high-street retail trends. We believe our success is due to launching the right stores, in the right locations. Ultimately, it’s all about getting closer to our members and customers, providing what they want, when and where they need it.
'In addition to this, our continued investment into the quality of our own-label products has helped to change the perception of the brand which in turn changes consumer shopping habits.”
Hookins concluded, “As well as being hubs for the local community, our stores are committed to providing a consistently brilliant in-store experience, allowing customers living in busy urban areas to access what they need with ease.
'These new store launches, together with our ever growing range of locally-sourced produce and increasing member numbers put us in a strong position for the future as we look towards further expansion in 2019 and beyond.”