Sainsbury's Local
Encyclopedia
Sainsbury’s Convenience Stores Ltd (trading as Sainsbury’s Local) is a chain of 343 convenience stores operated by the UK's third largest supermarket chain Sainsbury's. Sainsbury's Local stores have different branding and fascia to the company's supermarkets.
. The store opened on the busy Fulham Palace Road, and was designed for the convenience of customers who did not have time to do a full food shop. Research showed that people were working longer hours and more women were in employment than ever before. Customers needed to spend less time on chores such as shopping, so local ‘top-up’ shopping was an ideal solution. As well as a large range of ready meals, wines and desserts designed for people on-the-go, the branch also offered hot drinks and freshly baked goods, alongside Sainsbury’s best selling products. The Hammersmith store also had a cash machine and opened until midnight most days of the week. The Sainsbury’s Local store was also groundbreaking in terms of staff training. In most Sainsbury’s stores, colleagues were trained for specific departments. The small size of Sainsbury’s Local stores meant that staff needed a high level of product knowledge across all departments. Keeping in line with the ‘Local’ concept, the Hammersmith store also employed only local people.
’s purchase of the convenience store chain T&S Stores in 2002 and the subsequent conversion of 450 of the 870 T&S stores into its Tesco Express convenience stores, Sainsbury’s announced the acquisition of a number of convenience store chains:
in the North East of England for around £22m. Bells Stores operated 54 neighbourhood stores, and was owned and run by the Bell family. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Bells’.
area and the North Midlands
, and just before the Sainsbury’s acquisition, was voted the UK’s best independent convenience store chain. The acquisition doubled Sainsbury’s market share in the convenience store sector to 2%. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Jacksons’.
(Nottinghamshire
) in 1902. The six JB Beaumont stores were located in Cotgrave
; Bingham
; Keyworth
; Long Eaton
; Chilwell
and Gedling
. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Beaumonts’.
. After a programme of refurbishment, the five stores converted to the Sainsbury’s Local format, combining Shaw’s reputation and customer service with Sainsbury’s expertise in fresh and convenience foods.
This was an experimental format and on 4 May 2007 it was announced that all stores would be re branded as Sainsbury's Local, with the management teams of the smaller stores integrated into Sainsbury's own teams.
History
In 1998, Sainsbury’s piloted its first Local store in HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
. The store opened on the busy Fulham Palace Road, and was designed for the convenience of customers who did not have time to do a full food shop. Research showed that people were working longer hours and more women were in employment than ever before. Customers needed to spend less time on chores such as shopping, so local ‘top-up’ shopping was an ideal solution. As well as a large range of ready meals, wines and desserts designed for people on-the-go, the branch also offered hot drinks and freshly baked goods, alongside Sainsbury’s best selling products. The Hammersmith store also had a cash machine and opened until midnight most days of the week. The Sainsbury’s Local store was also groundbreaking in terms of staff training. In most Sainsbury’s stores, colleagues were trained for specific departments. The small size of Sainsbury’s Local stores meant that staff needed a high level of product knowledge across all departments. Keeping in line with the ‘Local’ concept, the Hammersmith store also employed only local people.
Joint venture with Shell
In June 2003, Sainsbury’s announced that it was creating 100 new convenience stores at Shell petrol stations. The shops were to open over the next three years, leading to the creation of up to 2000 jobs. The first of the stores opened in the autumn of that year, following a successful trial at six garages in south east England. The new stores were based on the existing "Sainsbury Local" outlets, but also sold car care products and motor accessories. In the end, only 24 stores were opened. The joint venture has now ended due to being unprofitable.Acquisitions
Following rival TescoTesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
’s purchase of the convenience store chain T&S Stores in 2002 and the subsequent conversion of 450 of the 870 T&S stores into its Tesco Express convenience stores, Sainsbury’s announced the acquisition of a number of convenience store chains:
Bells Stores
In February 2004, Sainsbury’s announced it was to buy Bells StoresBells Stores
Bells Stores Ltd was a chain of 54 convenience stores North East England. It was owned and run by the Bell family until February 2004, when it was acquired by Sainsbury's, the UK's third largest supermarket chain...
in the North East of England for around £22m. Bells Stores operated 54 neighbourhood stores, and was owned and run by the Bell family. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Bells’.
Jacksons Stores
In August 2004 Sainsbury’s further increased its presence in the convenience store sector, by acquiring Jacksons Stores for £78m from the family food business William Jackson & Son Ltd, owned by the Oughtred family. Jacksons Stores had 114 stores in the YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
area and the North Midlands
North Midlands
The North Midlands is a loosely-defined area of England. It is typically held to include South Yorkshire and the northern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and in some definitions also covers southern Cheshire and parts of Lincolnshire and Staffordshire. The region's largest city is Sheffield...
, and just before the Sainsbury’s acquisition, was voted the UK’s best independent convenience store chain. The acquisition doubled Sainsbury’s market share in the convenience store sector to 2%. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Jacksons’.
J B Beaumont
In November 2004, Sainsbury’s acquired JB Beaumont, a convenience chain owned and run by the Beaumont family and which was then number 48 in the Grocer Top 50. The company first began trading as a butcher in Kirkby-in-AshfieldKirkby-in-Ashfield
Kirkby-in-Ashfield is a market town in Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of 25,265 . It is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area. The Head Offices of Ashfield District Council are located there....
(Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
) in 1902. The six JB Beaumont stores were located in Cotgrave
Cotgrave
-History:Cotgrave is a town in the borough of Rushcliffe, in Nottinghamshire, England, lying south east of Nottingham. With a relatively small population and an ancient heart that has largely escaped development Cotgrave has a village atmosphere...
; Bingham
Bingham, Nottinghamshire
Bingham is a market town in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England.-Geography:With a population of around 9,000 people it lies about nine miles east of Nottingham, a similar distance south-west of Newark-on-Trent and west of Grantham. It is situated where the A46 intersects the A52...
; Keyworth
Keyworth
Keyworth is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located about 6 miles southeast of the centre of Nottingham...
; Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
; Chilwell
Chilwell
Chilwell is a residential suburb of Greater Nottingham, in the Borough of Broxtowe of Nottinghamshire, west of Nottingham city. Until 1974 it was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District until 1935.-History:...
and Gedling
Gedling
Gedling is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England. Its council is based in Arnold. It is part of the Greater Nottingham metropolitan area lying to the North and East of the City of Nottingham....
. The stores were initially refurbished to trade as ‘Sainsbury’s at Beaumonts’.
S L Shaw
In April 2005, Sainsbury’s acquired SL Shaw Ltd, a neighbourhood convenience store operator with five stores in the south east of EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After a programme of refurbishment, the five stores converted to the Sainsbury’s Local format, combining Shaw’s reputation and customer service with Sainsbury’s expertise in fresh and convenience foods.
Branding
Sainsbury's initially retained the strong Bells and Jacksons brands. For example, refurbished stores were called Sainsbury's at Bells or Sainsbury's at Jacksons. These were effectively Sainsbury's Local stores with a revised fascia, retaining some features of the former local chain. Unrefurbished stores retained the original brand and logo, but still offered Sainsbury's own brand products, pricing and some point of sale, without accepting Nectar cards. The old websites were also retained with some Sainsbury's branding.This was an experimental format and on 4 May 2007 it was announced that all stores would be re branded as Sainsbury's Local, with the management teams of the smaller stores integrated into Sainsbury's own teams.