The Co-op has launched trials of what it has dubbed the “ultimate convenience store”.

The Everyday Convenience Plus stores feature digital screens to provide extra theatre and ramp up branding messages, as well as more fresh food to go and less cluttered store layouts.

The programme will initially be a three-store trial, which will take place over the next 12 weeks. However, it is set for a wider rollout across the UK.

The revamp has been given to medium to large stores located in Horbury, West Yorkshire, East Leake in Leicestershire and Walderslade, Kent. The store are all between 7,000 sq ft and 11,000 sq ft, and have collectively undergone a £3.8m overhaul.

The retailer said they would cater specifically for a larger, three-day top-up shop, underpinned by enhanced fresh ranges, which will showcase prepared and semi-prepared meal ideas.

It said the stores would feature a simpler and “more intuitive” store layout, which would help make the shopping experience quicker.

The stores will also carry a wider range of non-food items, including music and entertainment, homewares, travel accessories, party and special occasion items.

The Co-op is using in-store digital communications to ramp up brand messages on membership, community and value, with screens at point of sale.

“The trial is an extremely innovative and exciting collaboration between our customer, formats and operations teams and shows how we’re able to tailor our in-store proposition to establish a blueprint for the modern convenience store,” said Co-op customer director Jemima Bird.

“An improved top-up offering, set against the backdrop of visually stunning stores, which are simple and easy to navigate, is one that we can see is already resonating with our members and customers in these key locations. We’re looking forward to seeing how the trial performs over the next three months and will be making a decision on where else to roll out these stores after February.”

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