Asda has revealed it will restart its Express convenience store expansion programme in early October, launching more than 20 new outlets. The retailer stated the fresh stores would enable it to penetrate urban areas, residential neighbourhoods and transport hubs – locations where the chain has historically maintained a limited footprint.
The initiative kicks off with the launch of an Asda Express branch in Castleford in early October. This will be succeeded by openings across another 21 sites throughout the UK within a month from late October onwards.
Asda Express outlets typically offer up to 3,000 branded and own-label products “to suit a broad range of customer needs”, encompassing ‘top up’ shopping for essential items such as milk and bread, collecting lunch on the go or preparing dinner from scratch. Asda claimed its convenience outlets had “struck a chord with shoppers” and were “outperforming the wider convenience market”.
This expansion signals a return to standalone Express store launches and builds upon the integration of 469 convenience and fuel sites acquired from The Co-op and EG Group, Asda said.
David Lepley, chief supply chain officer, said: “We’re thrilled to kick off the next phase of our Express rollout and bring our heritage in delivering outstanding value to more locations across the UK. In just three years, we’ve grown from zero convenience stores to establishing a major presence in the channel, with almost 500 stores by the end of the year. This continued investment reflects the confidence we have in our convenience strategy and our focus on bringing Asda’s low prices to more local communities.”
Asda first launched its Express store in 2022, but paused the launch of standalone Express sites to concentrate on converting the 469 stores it acquired from the Co-op and EG Group.
