The Co-op is significantly expanding its UK presence this week with the launch of 11 new convenience stores from the Scottish Highlands down to Bristol.
Major Investment in Local Communities
This week's openings form part of the retailer's substantial £200 million investment programme dedicated to opening and transforming more than 200 stores throughout the 2024/25 financial year. The November and December period alone will see 50 new Co-op branches opening across the country.
Kate McCrae, Co-op Operations Director, emphasised the company's community-focused approach: "We are focussed on creating local stores which are more than just a shop – they are a hub locally that contribute to local life and meet the needs of communities, conveniently."
Call for Government Support
Alongside the expansion news, Co-op's leadership has issued a strong call for business rates reform ahead of the Autumn Budget. Both McCrae and Co-op Group CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq highlighted that sustained retail growth requires certainty from the government.
Khoury-Haq stated: "We're investing in stores and communities right across the UK because we believe in the future of the high street. But sustained growth needs certainty. Business rates reform is vital if retailers – especially the 99% who run small stores – are to plan with confidence, protect jobs and keep local economies thriving."
Full List of New Co-op Locations
The 11 new stores opening this week are located in:
- Frampton Cotterell, Bristol
- Brent Cross Town, London
- Church Street, Inverness
- Bassett Green Road, Southampton
- Church Street, Gamlingay, Bedfordshire
- Mansfield Road, Clipstone, Nottinghamshire
- Kentish Town Road, Kentish Town, London
- Brora, Scottish Highlands
- Wordsworth Avenue, Stratford-Upon-Avon
- Main Street, Swallownest, Sheffield
- Stiby Road, Yeovil
The supermarket's expansion strategy demonstrates its continued commitment to creating local jobs and supporting British suppliers while calling for the government to deliver on promised business rate reforms that would benefit retailers of all sizes.
