Sainsbury's Drumchapel, Glasgow: Grocer 33 store of the week

What has changed about the store since it opened over 20 years ago? It had a massive refit a couple of years ago. This saw our bakery area completely transformed with new cabinets and up-to-date Sainsbury’s branding. The bakery is probably still the store’s best feature.

Have you noticed the ‘cautious customer spending’ Sainsbury’s said caused a drop in sales in 2018’s third quarter? Not really. We had great results over Christmas and sold out of many higher-priced goods, including some in our Taste the Difference range and some fresh items.

Has Veganuary and the increasing popularity of plant-based food affected what customers want? There are many more shoppers looking for vegan and vegetarian products than ever before, and what’s great is that we now have a large enough range to offer a full plant-based or vegetarian shop.

Did the store have to overcome the availability issues Mike Coupe said many branches encountered last year? Luckily no. Our availability levels are great and we have a fantastic supply chain, so it’s not something I have to spend a lot of time on. But we did experience the CO2 crisis in 2018 just as much as other supermarkets.

How have customers taken to the Price Lockdown initiative? It’s really got them talking and engaged because they know they can buy around 700 everyday items including bread, milk, toothpaste, biscuits, fabric softener and tea bags for a price that’ll stay frozen.

How do you reward great employee performance? I think recognising and appreciating staff’s efforts is very important, including our 20 colleagues who have been working at the store since it opened, and those going the extra mile.

What has reaction to the merger with Asda been like? It’s been pretty positive from employees and customers, but it’s a case of business as usual until we hear something concrete.