Sainsbury’s plots green expansion

Sainsbury’s new “green store” concept will set a precedent as the retailer ramps up its convenience format expansion, the supermarket has revealed.

Sainsbury's

The Gloucester store, opening today, has “kinetic plates” fitted under the car park to power generators via the pressure of customers’ cars as they drive over them, among other ‘energy-saving measures.

The supermarket says the design will be influential as it pushes on with its convenience store expansion by two a week by the end of the year despite the downturn.

Convenience director Dido Harding says convenience has become more important for retailers because “you’ve got more single-person households and because you’ve got people with more working partners.”

The day that every family does a big grocery shop and never forgets anything is gone,” she adds.

Sainsbury’s reported a 7.8% rise in its first quarter results this morning (Wednesday 17 June) compared to the same period last year. It also announced it was seeking £445m via placing of new shares and bonds to fund expansion.

The 140 year old firm currently has 500 supermarkets and 300 convenience stores.