Sainsbury’s has unveiled a new convenience store concept that taps into the latest trends in the sector.

The ‘On the Go’ format opened at its Mansion House store in London’s Square Mile at the weekend to meet the needs of busy City workers.

A major refurbishment has given the Local store a more modern and open feel with the inclusion of multiple ‘On the go’ areas selling fresh food and drink for breakfast and lunch. There is also a bakery section, pizza and sushi Gourmet counters, along with extensive meal-for-tonight options.

Products from the counters are brought to a ‘grab and go’ station at the front of the store, with the offering changing three times a day to suit meal occasions. The outlet also features a self-service coffee machine and an orange juicer, with customers able to eat-in at perch tables placed at the front of the store.

Standard ambient groceries have been kept to a minimum with the focus on food-to-go items.

Customers can shop till-free using Sainsbury’s SmartShop mobile app or choose its “rapid exit” self-service checkouts. Argos and Tu clothing click & collect facilities are also available.

Sainsbury’s plans to roll-out the concept to other city locations as part of its trials. Nine more stores will be converted to the On the Go format across Edinburgh, Bristol, Glasgow and London over the coming months with the retailer suggesting at least 130 sites in busy urban areas could be suitable.

Sainsbury’s highlighted that it had redesigned the 2,200 sq. ft. Mansion House Local using data from its Nectar scheme and analytics to match its offer with shoppers in the local area. Nearly 90% of the products available in the new On The Go store have been picked specifically to meet the needs of busy City workers.

Sainsbury’s Commercial Operations Director Graham Biggart said: “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.

“Our new On the Go Mansion House Local is a great example, bringing a new kind of convenience to busy local workers with limited time and delivering the curated range and fast experience that will enable them to get exactly what they want at pace. We’re confident this format will further strengthen our market-leading position in convenience.”

Sainsbury’s now has 807 convenience stores which it has stated will form a key part of its growth plans in the coming years as people shop locally and consume more food on the move. The group has invested in improving 200 of its c-stores during the last year, with further upgrades and investments planned.

www.kamcity.com

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Heavily edited range to focus on food on the go shoppers.
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