With six out of stock items last week and five products missing the week before, Sainsbury's seriously needed a decent availability score this week. Not only did the retailer's branch in Loughborough, Leicestershire - this week's Top Store - provide all 33 items on the list, our shopper noted the shelves were brimming with merchandise across the entire shop floor. Located in the heart of a university town with a strong sporting heritage, the 30,000 sq ft store has two accomplished The Grocer 33 veterans at the helm. Store manager Craig Flewitt and deputy manager Nick Jackson won a Top Store award for Sainsbury's in Kimberley near Nottingham. Shortly after, the duo were despatched to the Loughborough branch to provide some "tender loving care and attention", said Jackson, who was managing the store while Flewitt was on holiday. But with a Tesco Extra a short distance away and our CACI data revealing Loughborough's relatively high percentage of "hard-pressed" shoppers putting Sainsbury's in fourth place, Jackson needs to have a sporting attitude to competition. "We face stiff competition from the Tesco Extra, especially as it had a refit last year," he says. "But by listening to our customers' needs - which being a student town are mixed in terms of generations - we can offer the best quality products in town."



Q&A with Nick Jackson Store manager of the week


 


Being in a student town you must keep a large stock of Pot Noodles? Not in this student town! There are a large amount of sports students at Loughborough so they are really into their fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, pulses and health food in general. It's interesting watching the different shapes and sizes pass through the doors - 7ft rugby players to 4ft netballers. A fair few of our staff are students. They work here during term time and in their local Sainsbury's branch when they return home. It's a great system as it effectively reduces our level of staff turnover. Have sales of meat been affected by the foot and mouth outbreak? We have had no loss of sales and no questions about the meat whatsover. I like to think our customers have confidence in how we source our produce. What have you done to make your store environmentally friendly? We have the best performing recycling area in Loughborough but our store is also trialling a new Tetra Pak recycling scheme in conjunction with our local council. It is easy to recycle milk and drinks bottles but it is more difficult for people to recycle plastic food packaging. That's something we hope to rectify. Have you got any new technological gadgets in store? The students are loving the handheld self-scanners! I think they like the level of independence the scanners provide. They see them as hi-tech pieces of equipment, a bit fun and similar to a mobile phone. What does your store do for the community? We have a very successful food donation scheme with the local homeless shelter The Carpenter's Arms. We donate food that has slightly damaged packaging but is fit for consumption. What products are selling well at the moment? Anything fresh or organic is proving popular with customers. And since Jamie Oliver's new TV show: tomatoes. We all love Jamie!


 


Asda Bury, Lancashire


0 - This Asda branch only stocked 3-packs of chilled garlic baguettes instead of the required 2-pack but our shopper noted strong availability and tempting offers throughout the store. Many aisles were blocked by packing trolleys and containers, but the checkout assistant had an "excellent" professional manner. We visited on 10 August at 2pm. Our shop lasted one hour and 10 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was seven minutes.


 


Morrisons Ipswich, Suffolk


1 - This Morrisons boasted an impressive fruit and vegetables display, but only 13 of a possible 28 checkouts were operating, causing long queues. Although staff were helpful on the shop floor, the checkout operator seemed to be feeling the pressure and didn't say hello or goodbye. The Ambrosia Creamed Rice was sold out. We visited on 10 August at 9.45am. Our shop lasted one hour and 11 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was 11 minutes.


 


Sainsbury's Loughborough, Leicestershire


0 - With all 33 items accounted for and shelves brimming with stock, this store's performance detracts from any talk of a Sainsbury's availability problem and scoops our Top Store award. With only 11 of a possible 22 checkouts operating, queues were quite lengthy but the staff were friendly and informative. We visited on 10 August at 4.31pm. Our shop lasted 50 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was 11 minutes.


 


Somerfield Streatham, South London


0 - With eight items not stocked at this small Somerfield branch, it didn't take long for our speedy Streatham shopper to complete the shop - though a neglected packing trolley hindered her progress. When asked for assistance, the staff were enthusiastic and knowledgeable, although the checkout queue was "far too long". We visited on 10 August at 7.00pm. Our shop lasted 20 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was 13 minutes.


 


Tesco Dinnington, South Yorkshire


3 - This warm and welcoming store was well organised and had good availability despite the loose new potatoes, courgettes and 800g loaf being out of stock. A floor assistant cheerfully accompanied our shopper to help find certain items from the list and with only one of the 17 checkouts closed, queues were kept to a minimum. We visited on 10 August at 10.35am. Our shop lasted 50 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was three minutes.


 


Waitrose Chandlers Ford, Hampshire


0 - This bright and smartly presented store provided a full basket of goods but was slightly let down by a set of ladders and packing trolleys in the aisles. The customer service was excellent - our shopper noted how kindly an assistant was in helping a disabled customer. We visited on 10 August at 9.30am. Our shop lasted 45 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was three minutes. minutes.


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