Sainsbury's Barnwood: Grocer 33 store of the week

This is your first week as deputy manager. How’s it been? Great, especially winning the Grocer 33 store of the week - it’s put a spring in everyone’s step! There is a real ethos in store to do the best for the customer and if we can get awards and recognition for that then even better.

Have customers been talking about Brand Match going? Not really. I think they know it’s about value simplicity - about trusting that we will keep the price steady, permanently, and that we’re trying to make the shopping experience easier. We have a lot of regular customers here and there is a good rapport with the colleagues, so I’m sure we are explaining it.

And what about the phasing out of multibuys? Has anyone missed them? It was a bit of a shock for colleagues at first, that we were having fewer promotions, but they’re very much on board now. And, again, I think customers recognise that we’re trying to go back to the simplicity of people buying only what they need and at the right price, which has an impact on food waste as well, of course.

On that subject, what do you think of The Grocer’s Waste Not Want Not campaign? I’ve read about it and cutting food waste is definitely a company objective. We recently met with a local homeless charity in Gloucester to discuss how we can help them, which also gives us another link with the community.

Your store is in an industrial estate, near offices and within a ring road. Is it a good location for an Argos concession? It’s still early days and we don’t know what the format will be so we’ll just have to wait and see. I think the whole Home Retail Group acquisition is very positive as it gives us another way in which we can serve customers what they want, when they want it. Shopping habits are changing and we are changing: it’s exciting and I’m all for it!