Asda has announced plans to open its first two standalone convenience stores before Christmas 2022, under a new ‘Asda Express’ brand. The stores will open at Sutton Coldfield in November and Tottenham Hale, London, in December.

This news follows the latest forecast of sales in convenience stores which are estimated to grow by 13% to over £50bn by 2027.

The new Asda Express stores are wholly owned and operated by Asda. They will be separate from the Asda On the Move convenience sites and are to be separate from the 132 convenience stores that Asda is acquiring from the Co-op Group. Asda also plans to launch a further 30 Asda Express sites next year.

According to the supermarket, the two new Asda Express stores are purpose built and situated in residential areas to give customers the opportunity to shop in convenient neighbourhood locations.

Each store is to stock around 3,000 products, including a range of fresh, ambient, and chilled groceries, as well as products from Asda’s premium Extra Special range.

The store is also to offer a range of hot and cold ‘food for now’ options from Asda and partner brands including Leon, plus ‘food for later’ choices such as ready meals and a selection of £10 meal deals for two people. Both stores will also provide a ‘toyou’ parcel collection and return services, plus a delivery service through Uber Eats.

Landmark

Asda’s co-owner Mohsin Issa commented: “The launch of our first two Asda Express convenience stores is a landmark moment for our great business and a key step on our journey to bring Asda to more customers in more communities right across the UK.

“The stores have been designed to cater for a broad range of customer needs – We’re confident customers will find everything they need in these stores and enjoy the convenience of having a new type of Asda store on their doorstep.”