The Co-operative Group has sold 75 Alldays stores that fall outside its trading area to fellow retail co-operatives.

Midlands Co-op and Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op have picked up the lion’s share of the disposals, acquiring 30 stores apiece, while Colchester and Ipswich Co-ops have seven stores each. Lincoln Co-op is buying one store.

The deal boosts the food retail estate at Midlands Co-op to 155 stores, said a spokesman.

The priority in the run-up to Christmas would be integrating staff and business operations at the new stores, while full-blown refurbishments and re-branding would start next year, he said.

The deal came as the Co-operative Group rebadged the 100th Alldays store to the Welcome banner in Aberdeen.

Refurbished stores were showing average sales uplifts post-conversion of 50%, while stores awaiting conversion were also seeing better growth following the introduction of fresh, chilled and frozen goods from the society’s distribution arm ACC, said a spokeswoman.

A new concept for smaller Alldays stores is being worked on.

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