Sainsbury’s starts push upmarket

Sainsbury’s is considering rolling out its new concept store due to open in London’s affluent Knightsbridge on Friday in a bid to reposition itself at the high end of the supermarket sector.

The store will be closely monitored with a view to rolling out its various features to 30 other sites identified as having similar catchment areas across the UK.

A spokeswoman for the supermarket chain says: “We want all of our stores to reflect the customer base it supports.”

Sainsbury’s is collaborating with a number of fashionable restaurants and suppliers, including Caviar Cabinet, Crussh juice bar and Baker & Spice bakery, to offer customers 1,200 new premium product lines.

Other new features include an organic fresh meat counter and a sushi section, and include a conveyor belt and a chef preparing dishes on demand.

Research into Cromwell Road shoppers found that top-selling products are Champagne, gourmet fish and organic products.