
In early 2017, Tesco announced the acquisition of Booker, the cash & carry brand that also own the Budgens and Londis stores. This will mean that Tesco will be able to add another 1,800 convenience stores to their already 2,500-strong portfolio. They’ll also control the supply chain of goods to another 19,000 independent retailers who rely on the Booker cash & carries for their stock. A win-win for big brand versus local store.
Some of the major players in the UK sector are looking to evolve in order to thrive (and in some cases just survive), and each is taking a different route. Sainsbury’s is becoming a mini-mall by adding, purchasing and aggregating retail brands (Argos, Habitat and Lloyds Pharmacies) for a multi-channel experience. Waitrose, meanwhile, has become reassuringly expensive, the bastion of any aspirational middle-class shopper.
