List of convenience shops in the United Kingdom

Last updated

This is a list of convenience shops in the United Kingdom .

Contents

History

In mid-September 2015 Booker Group announced it would acquire Musgrave Retail Partners GB, owner of the Londis and Budgens brands for £40m, adding Londis's 1,630 convenience shops and 167 Budgens franchise outlets to its estate. [1]

In December 2016, McColl's announced it would acquire 298 former Co-op shops [2]

In August 2017, Sainsbury's announced it had entered exclusive talks to acquire Nisa, [3] however talks were abandoned in August due to concerns over monopoly and competition inquiries. [4] It was then announced that the Co-operative Group has entered talks to acquire Nisa. In November, the Co-op announced that the Nisa board had recommended members accept the Co-op's £140m offer for the company. [5] [6] In 2022, McColl's was placed in voluntary administration and purchased by Morrisons. [7]

Current

The list of current convenience stores has been split into those run by major retailers, and those that are symbol groups.

Major retailers

Shop
name
ImageFounded
/ Came to UK
Owned
by
Notes
Aldi Local Aldi Smaller city centre c-store format, sized around 6,500 sq. ft. [8]
Amazon Fresh2021 Amazon Chain of cashierless c-stores. Amazon also partner with several UK retailers including Morrisons, Booths and Co-op to sell groceries online through the Amazon UK website. [9] [10]
Asda Express Asda Chain of smaller c-store shops within the wider Asda business started in 2022, with plans for 300 by 2026. [11] Asda also operate a petrol forecourt c-store estate and work with partners through the 'Asda On The Move' brand. [12]
Circle K Alimentation Couche-Tard Leading forecourt and convenience retailer on the island of Ireland, with 49 sites in Northern Ireland. [13]
Co-op Food Co-op Old Street, Shoreditch, rebranding launch by The Co-operative Group.jpg 1844Various consumers' co-operatives Co-op Food is a brand used by a federation of approx. 15 UK consumers' co-operatives, together forming a supermarket brand which sources products from the Co-operative Retail Trading Group, and has the largest number of shops for a UK convenience shop multiple. The Co-operative Group is the largest member with around 2,400 owned and franchised stores (including larger supermarkets). [14]
Heron FoodsB&M GroupChain of approx. 300 convenience shops.
Iceland Local2023 Iceland New convenience format launched in 2023. [15]
Lidl Lidl Smaller store format for predominantly urban locations. [16]
Little Waitrose Waitrose Cheam London Borough of Sutton.JPG 2008 Waitrose Small convenience shops selling Waitrose goods; aim to have 300 shops by 2018
Marks & Spencer Simply Food 2005 Marks & Spencer and BP franchise agreement120 convenience shops based within BP Connect roadside fuel stations
McColl's McColl's Off Licence - Green Lane Circle - geograph.org.uk - 1739964(cropped).png Morrisons Convenience shop chain operating in England & Wales; in Scotland, operate under the RS McColl's brand. Morrisons currently rebranding 1,000 stores to the Morrisons Daily format. [17]
Morrisons Daily 2019 Morrisons Convenience shop chain with approx. 480 company-owned and franchise stores [18]
One Stop TescoOneStop.jpg Tesco Approx. 1,000 owned and franchised stores. [19] [20]
Poundland Local Poundland Chain of convivence shops
RS McColl's Morrisons Convenience shops located in Scotland; England & Wales operate under McColl's name. Morrisons currently rebranding McColl's stores to the Morrisons Daily format. [21]
Sainsbury's Local Bournemouth , Winton - Sainsbury's Local - geograph.org.uk - 1289750.jpg 1998 Sainsbury's Chain of approx. 800 convenience shops run by Sainsburys [22]
Tesco Express TescoExpress.jpg Tesco Second smallest shops in Tesco family; approx. 2,000 shops nationwide [23]

Symbol groups and chains

Shop
name
ImageFounded
/ Came to UK
Owned
by
Notes
Bargain Booze Select Convenience Bargain Booze, Main Street, Garforth (19th July 2014).JPG 1981 Bestway Wholesale Chain of franchised convenience shops operated by Britain's biggest off licence chain. Bargain Booze Purchased Central Stores in December 2017.
Best-one Best One British Corner Shop.jpg 1990 Bestway Wholesale A Symbol group with over 2,000 [24] convenience shops located in England & Jersey, CI
Blakemore Retail 1917Privately ownedUK's largest family owned operator of convenience shops; operate as a member of Spar UK. Took on a number of My Local shops after the collapse of the chain.
Budgens 1872 Tesco (Booker Group) Symbol group in England and Wales founded in 1872.
Central Convenience Stores Bestway Wholesale Central is a franchise based convenience shop chain based in the Dorset area. [25]
Costcutter Costcutter's Cloghore, County Donegal - geograph.org.uk - 204200.jpg 1986 Bestway Wholesale Symbol group and convenience shops supplied by Nisa; operates under the Costcutter, mycostcutter, Mace, Supershop and kwiksave brands
Day-Today2003United Wholesale (Scotland)Symbol group founded in 2003, there are now over 300 Day-Today convenience stores in Scotland.
EG on the Move2001 EG Group EG Group operate a fuel forecourt business in the UK alongside associated foodservice and convenience retail operations. In 2023, EG Group sold the majority of its forecourt sites in the UK and Ireland for £2bn to Asda to pay down debt. EG Group retained 32 forecourt sites as part of the transaction. [26]
Family Choice Tesco (Booker Group)Symbol Group
Family Shopper2014 Tesco (Booker Group)Discount symbol group set up by Booker to run alongside Premier and offer more discounted lines [27]
Go Local ExtraA G Parfetts Cash & Carry Symbol group for independent shops owned by A G Parfetts
Greens RetailGreensScotland's leading chain of Convenience Stores (formerly Eros Retail). Operating 16+ stores throughout Scotland as of March 2023, with substantial growth aspirations and plans to achieve a £100m annualised sales target from 50+ stores.. [28] [29]
GT RetailJames Retail GroupChain of convenience shops located in the Midlands and North of England [30]
HKS Retail Ltd1984 [31] Operator Petrol stations and convenience shops across the Midlands
Jones Convenience Stores Jones Convenience Store, Fosseway shops, Westfield, Somerset.jpg 1911Privately ownedChain of 16 convenience shops located in Somerset
KeyStoreJ.W FilshillA leading Scottish convenience symbol group.
Lifestyle ExpressUnitas WholesaleSymbol group of independent shops, roughly 2000 in number operating
Londis LondisFermePark.jpg 1959 Tesco (Booker Group) Symbol group and convenience shops
Mace Bestway Wholesale (United Kingdom) and Musgrave (Northern Ireland) [32] Symbol group
mfg Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R)Leading forecourt operator with around 900 sites alongside associated foodservice and convenience retail. [33]
Nisa Nisa-Today's Member Support Centre.jpg 1977 The Co-operative Group Symbol group; formerly Nisa-Today, which supplies around 5,000 stores [34]
Premier Baldrick runs the turnip counter - geograph.org.uk - 216731.jpg 1994 Tesco (Booker Group) Symbol group with over 2400 shops that are independently owned
Proudfoot Supermarkets 1946Privately ownedChain of supermarkets/convenience stores in the Borough of Scarborough
Select & SavePrivately ownedChain of 100 symbol group convenience shops supplied by Nisa [35]
Shop'N Drive2012RontecChain of convenience shops located at roadside fuel stations
Simply Fresh Bestway Wholesale Symbol group of 25 convenience shops, affiliated to Costcutter
Spar Spar shop, Portaferry, October 2009.JPG 1957Owned by independent retailers, with five strategic wholesalers - James Hall & Co., Henderson Wholesale Ltd, CJ Lang & Son Ltd, Appleby Westward Group Ltd and AF Blakemore. Symbol group
Today's Extra1985Unitas Wholesale Retailers' cooperative & symbol group of around 400 convenience shops; formerly part of Nisa-Today
USave2003United Wholesale (Scotland)Symbol group founded in 2003, there are now over 200 USave convenience shops in Scotland.
Welcome Southern Co-op Franchised convenience chain with approx. 69 stores focused on southern England. [36]
Whistlestop Select Service Partner Convenience chain primarily focused on rail, coach and airport locations. Select Service Partner also operate Marks & Spencer Simply Food sites at major railway and motorway service stations.

Defunct

Shop
name
ImageFounded
/ Came to UK
Purchased byNotes
AbernessBought by Somerfield in 2004 [37] Scottish convenience chain
Alldays AllDays, High Street, Lee-on-Solent - geograph.org.uk - 445330.jpg 1991Bought by the Co-operative Group [38] Convenience shop group set up in 1991 by Watson & Philip which went into receivership in 2002
All 'OursMerged with Premier Stores Symbol group within the Moffat company
Bells Stores Bought by Sainsbury's in 2004, branded as Sainsbury's at Bells before being converted to Sainsbury's Local [39] Small chain of 54 convenience shops in the North East England
Botterils Convenience Shops c.1950sBought by Scotmid in 2010. [40] Small chain of 51 convenience shops in Scotland
Central Shops2013Conviviality Retail in 2017
Circle K Bought by Watson & Philip in 1993 for £21m and re-branded Alldays [41] American-owned convenience shops
Cullens2004Bought by Tesco from AdminstorePresence in central London, operating since 1876; part of Adminstore group which also owned Europa and Harts
David Sands 1812Bought by Co-operative Group in 2012 [42] Chain of 28 convenience shops located in Scotland
Dawn Til Dusk 1986Went into receivership in 1999was an English chain of 90 convenience shops located throughout the North of England
DillonsSymbol group. Rebranded as One Stop in early 2000’s
Europa2004Bought by Tesco from AdminstorePresence in central London; part of Adminstore group which also owned Cullens and Harts
Happy Shopper Cramner Bank Shops.jpg Booker Group Formerly a Symbol group but now a sub brand sold in Premier Stores after the purchase of parent company Nurdin and Peacock
Harts2004Bought by Tesco from AdminstorePresence in central London; part of Adminstore group which also owned Cullens and Europa
Healds Day & NiteBought by Tesco owned One Stip in 2000 [43] Chain of 98 convenience shops
Jacksons Stores Jacksons, Newland Avenue - geograph.org.uk - 561343.jpg 1991Bought by Sainsbury's in 2004, branded as Sainsbury's at Jacksons Stores before being converted to Sainsbury's Local [44] Regional in Yorkshire and North Midlands
Local Plus 2001Bought by the Co-operative Group [45] Chain of 64 convenience shops created by a management buyout of South West Alldays shops
Loco 2012 The Co-operative Group (Nisa Group)Symbol group run by Nisa, which had 50 shops nationwide by 2013 [46] Fascia retired and replaced with Nisa Express format. [47]
Misselbrook & Weston (M&W)Original operator of One Stop, later bought out by T&S Stores operator of Dillons
Melias Bought by Dee CorporationChain of convenience shops owned by Fine Fare; rebranded or sold after Gateway purchase
Morning, Noon & Night 1991Bought by Scotmid in 2004 [48]
My Local Morrisons Local, Roundhay Road, Oakwood, Leeds (12th April 2014).JPG 2011Went into administration in late June 2016, all shops closed by early July 2016.Chain of convenience shops created by Morrisons initially under M Local name; sold as part of re-organisation and was renamed My Local in September 2015.
7-Eleven Taken over by Budgens [49] Convenience shop chain [50]
Sperrings1985 [51] Became Alldays A chain of convenience stores founded by Bob Sperring [52]
SwiftIceland FoodsChain of convenience shops. Stores closed in 2023. [53]
Ugo 2011Owned by Haldanes GroupChain of 22 convenience shops created by Haldanes after purchasing shops from Netto; went into administration in 2012
VG Shops rebranded either Spar or Alldays
Wavy LineSmall chain of small supermarkets and convenience shops located in the South and South East of England

See also

Related Research Articles

Safeway Limited is a British groceries brand, and former chain of supermarkets and convenience shops. The British Safeway was founded in 1962 by the American Safeway Inc., before being sold to Argyll Foods in 1987. It was later listed on the London Stock Exchange. It was purchased by Morrisons in March 2004. Most of its 479 shops were rebranded as Morrisons, with others being sold. Safeway-branded shops disappeared from the United Kingdom on 24 November 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morrisons</span> British supermarket chain

Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited, trading as Morrisons, is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, and one in Gibraltar. The company is headquartered in Bradford, England.

J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales in September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symbol group</span> Retail business model

A symbol group is a form of franchise of convenience shops, found primarily in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They do not own or operate shops, but act as suppliers to independent shops which then trade under a common banner.

Budgens Stores Limited, trading as Budgens, is a chain of grocery stores in the United Kingdom. The business was founded in 1872 by John Budgen, who opened the first shop in Maidenhead, Berkshire and was incorporated as a private limited company on 28 May 1962. The company is a subsidiary and retail fascia of Booker Group, part of Tesco plc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Costcutter</span> Franchise of convenience shops

Costcutter is a chain of convenience shops, supermarkets and off-licences that operates in Ireland, Great Britain and Poland. The chain operates primarily as a symbol group and is owned by Barry Group in the Republic of Ireland and by Bestway in the United Kingdom.

Booker Group Limited is a British wholesale distributor, and subsidiary of Tesco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higgidy</span> Food manufacturer

Higgidy is a fresh food manufacturer based in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, England. The company produces a range of pies, quiches, tortillas and rolls. It was co-founded by Camilla Stephens and James Foottit in 2003. The name of the company originates from an early description of the uneven appearance of their pies by a visiting child.

McColl's is a British convenience shop and newsagent operator, owned by the supermarket chain Morrisons and trading under the trading name Morrisons Daily. McColl's also operates post offices in several stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-op Food</span> British brand of consumer co-operative supermarkets

Co-op Food is a brand used for the food retail business of The Co-operative Group in the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, it is common practice for retailers to have their own value brand in an effort to compete on price. These brands have become more popular in the UK with shoppers since the Great Recession caused food prices to rise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netto UK</span> Former discount supermarket chain

Netto was a discount supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. Netto arrived in the United Kingdom in December 1990, as part of an internationalisation process by its Danish owner, Salling Group. By May 2010, it operated 193 stores, before it was sold to Asda. In June 2014, Salling Group returned Netto to the United Kingdom, as a 50:50 joint venture with Sainsbury's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TDR Capital</span> British private equity firm headquartered in London

TDR Capital LLP is a British private equity firm headquartered in London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Londis (United Kingdom)</span> A chain of convenience stores operating in the United Kingdom

Londis is a symbol group in the United Kingdom with over 2,000 stores nationwide. Tesco owns the brand, following its 2018 purchase of Booker Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Local</span>

My Local was a chain of 130 convenience shops in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EG Group</span> British retail group

EG Group is a British operator of filling stations, convenience stores and food service providers across Europe, the United States and Australia. It was founded in Blackburn in 2001 by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, initially as Euro Garages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack's (store)</span> 2018–2022 British discount supermarket chain

Jack's was a British discount supermarket chain based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, owned by Tesco.

Mohsin Issa CBE and Zuber Issa CBE are British-Indian billionaire brothers and businessmen who founded Euro Garages in 2001, a Blackburn-based operator of filling stations, convenience stores and food service providers across Europe, the United States and Australia. In 2020, as part of a consortium with TDR Capital, the brothers became majority stakeholders in the British supermarket chain Asda.

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