Morrisons unveils ‘farm shop’ overhaul in premium push across UK stores
Morrisons is set to revamp its UK stores as it seeks to offer shoppers a more premium "farm shop feel".
Morrisons is set to revamp its UK stores in a bid to offer shoppers a more premium “farm shop feel”.
The overhaul is being implemented under a strategy dubbed Morrisons magic, headed by the supermarket’s group trading director Andrew Staniland, The Grocer reported.
Its Warrington shop has been the first to implement the changes, with its major alterations including the axing of 2,500 SKUs and the launch of 500 new SKUs to its offering.
Morrisons is set to launch the changes to its estate over the coming months, The Grocer understands.
The revamp is set to focus space on the supermarket’s bestselling lines, with its main focuses on a fresh look for its market street and ready meals section.
The market street overhaul will heavily focus on farm shop influences, with the business insisting it was seeking to make the feature more accessible and attract a broader range of amateur and accomplished home cooks.
The grocery giant is rolling out branded bays, with brands including Coca-Cola and Myprotein.
It also explained a key part of its revamp would centre around simple merchandising, with a “laser focus on clear pricing and value”.
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The retailer has also moved its lineup to provide a more premium product offering as part of the overhaul.
Staniland said: “It’s early days, we are testing and we are learning, but the Morrisons magic programme is now well underway.
“The trial in Warrington is going really well and customer reaction has been fantastic. Market street’s modernisation is continuing at speed and the farm shop influence and added-value fresh products is really catching our customers’ eyes.”
“And through the rest of the store crisper, cleaner look is underscoring our value credentials, together with a tighter focus on customer favourites, some great innovations and some wonderful new products.”
It comes after Morrisons unveiled plans to relaunch its Market Street proposition in March, as part of a wider overhaul of the supermarket’s trading team.
Later that month, the grocer also revealed plans to close 52 cafés, all 18 of its Market Kitchens, 17 convenience stores, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters, and four pharmacies as part of a major operational shake-up.
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