Morrisons is set to make a major change to its stock of food and households products in the coming weeks.
The supermarket giant said it will bring its own-brand budget food and household Savers products to 500 Morrisons Daily stores. Typically, the convenience stores do not stock lower-cost products but it has come as part of a range of consumer-friendly moves made by supermarkets in the UK over the past month.
Initially, 10 products including washing-up liquid, toilet rolls, skimmed milk, sausages, and soup will be stocked. Then, in the coming weeks, a further 30 items such as eggs, ham, juice, butter, cheese, and mince will be added.
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Around 500 McColl's convenience stores have been converted into Morrisons Daily shops since it was bought out of administration last year. David Potts, chief executive of Morrisons, noted that it was unusual for convenience chains to stock cheaper items due to cost pressures.
He said: “Inflation is stubbornly high and the cost of living is showing no signs of reducing. Speaking plainly, the reason that convenience stores don’t stock entry price point products is because they make very little, if any, money and do not fit with the significantly higher cost structure of convenience stores.
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“But customers – especially those living in areas without easy access to a supermarket – have told us how much they would appreciate it at this difficult time and so we are doing it.”
It comes after consumer champion Which? found that budget line items were available in less than 1 per cent of the time in small Tesco Express, Sainsbury's Local, and Morrisons Daily convenience stores. Previously, the group urged supermarket bosses to ensure affordable ranges that support a healthy diet become available in local shops.
Morrisons highlighted that a number of franchise partners have also agreed to stock the budget range. It added that it was cutting the price of 8 top-selling products in its convenience stores, including two and four-pint milk, bread and tomatoes.
