Sainsbury's Merton: Grocer 33 store of the week

There has been lots of work done at the store recently. How have you been able to keep standards high? It’s fantastic news to get this win and I’m so proud - especially given we’re going through some major changes. It’s a great signifier that we’re doing our job well. We’re having some massive improvements, including two refits, but we’re aiming for minimal disruption. We’re getting an Argos and EE store incorporated and expanding our online capacity by 40%. The store is on a journey and these improvements are our current key focus.

How has the store been impacted by the in-store management restructure? There has been lots of progression of management employees in our store into new roles and with new responsibilities. The team has felt empowered by the restructure.

How have employees reacted to Sainsbury’s merging with Asda? There hasn’t been too much conversation in our store about it. The information we get about it is what’s passed down from the press office or head office.

Has the store been affected by CO2 supply issues? We did have a dip in availability with some lines but always try to have an alternative for customers if a specific product isn’t available.

Does the store have SmartShop? No, but we have technology we use on the shop floor, such as tablets. A lot of Sainsbury’s stores are trying new things when it comes to technology being part of the shopping experience. You can see the direction we’re progressing in when it comes to being a modern retailer and employer.

How do you reward staff? I find something as simple as saying “well done” can go a really long way. Open communication like this can really boost morale and motivation - it’s always the first port of call. We also give staff reloadable Sainsbury’s gift cards called ‘love cards’ that management can top up in recognition for a job well done.