Sainsbury's debuts to-go store in London
Nine more stores will be launched across the UK in coming months.
Sainsbury’s has unveiled its first On The Go store in London’s Square Mile.
The supermarket company said it is “confident” with the new format, as it taps into the food-to-go market, which IGD previously forecasted to be worth £23.4bn by 2024.
“Convenience is a growing part of our business and we have greater capability than ever to truly tailor Local stores to local needs – across our products, formats, services and operations,” director of commercial operations Graham Biggar said in a statement.
Also read: Food-to-go a ‘growing challenge' for supermarkets
The 2,200 sq. ft. Mansion House outlet sells freshly made and baked goods from an in-store pizza oven, bakery and sushi concession, as well as hot porridges and drinks from a self-service coffee machine and orange juicer. There are specialist and premium brands, like Tony’s Chocolonely and Leon Grocery, added to the store’s shelves.
The new format also features perch tables at the front of store, along with a grab-and-go station, where the food range is changed three times a day.
A range of digital services is also offered, including rapid exit checkouts and Argos and Tu clothing click-and-collect. Customers can also shop via the SmartShop app.
Sainsbury’s announced that nine more On the Go stores will launch across Edinburgh, Bristol, Glasgow and London over the coming months, and more than 130 stores could be converted into the same format.
