Sainsbury’s expands beyond groceries online

Sainsbury’s is launching its non-food expansion online this week with the addition of home electronics bathroom suites, home furnishings and sports equipment.

Sainsbury's
Sainsbury’s

It says around 4,500 non-food branded and own-brand items will be added to its online range, including its “different by design” and “Tu” homeware range.

Brands stocked will include Apple, Le Creuset and Sony ranges and two thirds of the new stock will be exclusively sold online and not available in Sainsbury’s stores.

The supermarket already sells a range of white goods online alongside its grocery offering. It is also adding garden furniture and computers to its online ranges which it plans to expand to 8,000 products by September.

Non-food non-store sales in June were 16.8% higher than a year ago, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Sainsbury’s has steadily increased its grocery market share during the recession. Latest figures show its market share grew by 0.3% during the 12 weeks to July 12, compared to the same period last year taking its total to 16%, according to latest TNS Worldpanel grocery figures.