Waitrose followed up its victory in last week’s online Grocer 33 with a win for its physical store in Holloway Road, London.
Despite its relatively small size, the store recorded no out-of-stocks and two not-stocked items – cementing its triumph in a relatively poor week for availability across the board.
Scoring 83 points, the store most impressed our shopper with its “just right” layout. Its size also meant our shopper didn’t “feel overwhelmed”.
There were several counters at the back of the store, including sushi, deli and cheese, all of which were “fully stocked and attractive”.
The staff were a further plus. Everyone took our shopper to the necessary aisle rather than just pointing to an item. Their handheld devices also meant they could offer advice quickly.
Second was Morrisons in Seaham, which could have taken top spot with a better performance on availability. However, three out-of-stocks and one not-stocked item took its total down to 78 points.
Our shopper was effusive in his praise for most of the store, which appeared to be “well managed” and “prioritised customer needs over stocking and picking”. He pointed out the “nice touch” of table and chairs in the main shopping area for customers who “become weary or need to stop and think”.
The store’s market stalls were also highlighted for being “attractive to the eye and tempting”.
While the Grocer 33 doesn’t cover the quality of cafeteria food and drinks, our shopper noted they were “exceptional value for money and generally very good quality”.
Our shopper was also pleased to see how easy it was to donate to food banks, with groups of items bagged up and ready to pay for.
Third place this week went to Asda in Portadown with 76 points. Overall, the store was “very good”, well laid out and offered “great variety”.
However, on availability, it had two out-of-stocks.
And at the end of the visit, there were only two tills open, both of which had long queues.
Our shopper found that “disappointing” on a Saturday, when you might expect “they would have more open”.
However, that disappointment was somewhat tempered by being served by “a lovely, happy man” who was “very helpful” and “full of joy”.
Next came Sainsbury’s in Durham with a score of 70. The store had two items out of stock and scored poorly on standards, with sometimes four restocking trolleys in one aisle. This made it “a struggle” to get past.
Our shopper found the store “chaotic” on the whole, with lots of “unaware toddlers running around”.
On a brighter note, he described the store as “visually appealing”, “modern” and commended its “clear and bold signage” in the fruit & veg section.
Bottom of the pile this week was Tesco in Garforth with 67 points. Its total was not helped by a score of zero for availability thanks to eight items not being stocked and one out-of-stock.
Our shopper pointed to the store’s size as a mitigating factor here, but there were two smaller sites in this week’s selection.
The store scored relatively well in most other areas. Our shopper initially hadn’t realised she’d stumbled in for ‘quiet hour’, which explained why she was “having a lovely time”.
This did not continue, though, once the lights were turned up and the PA started playing music and announcements. “I couldn’t wait to get out!” she said.
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