Persil outlets go into Sainsbury’s

Unilever has teamed up with supermarket chain Sainsbury’s to create Persil Service, an instore “laundrette-style” service, where shoppers can have their laundry washed, dry-cleaned and ironed.

Unilever’s last attempt to add a service element to its household products brands ended last October, with the sale of its Myhome home cleaning company to cleaning services company Chores. It also abandoned an attempt to extend the Persil brand into home dry-cleaning earlier this year, when it pulled the plug on Persil Revive, which allowed consumers to “refresh” dry-clean only clothes in their own tumble dryers (MW March 7).

Persil Service – which will use Persil products where appropriate – will be part of a new service area within Sainsbury’s supermarkets. The outlets will be placed next to a photograph-developing service, run by Kodak. The concept has been developed by branding and design consultancy SCG London.

The Sainsbury’s Service Centre is being tested in seven stores in the London area, and will be supported with local press advertising and leafleting.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s has unveiled a new-look “store of the future” in Manchester. The store offers seven different kinds of shopping, including personal shoppers (whose services will cost &£5 extra, including a free drink in the instore café) and a Sainsbury’s to You “Bring to your Car” service. The store also has vending machines for “distress purchases” when the store is closed.