Today Sainsbury’s new non-food range of 2,500 homeware and cookware products, chosen to complement the company’s quality and choice food offering, goes on sale in the first 12 selected stores. The range will be introduced into over half the estate by the end of October and is the biggest ever range launched in Sainsbury’s history. In addition, 1,500 new own-label and established brands have been added to Sainsbury’s existing 4,500 strong health and beauty products and are also being rolled out to selected stores.
Sainsbury’s chief executive, Sir Peter Davis said; “Our customers are clear that we should be first for food but also wanted us to develop a non-food offer the Sainsbury’s way – providing quality products but at great value prices.
“Customers increasingly want supermarkets to offer other ranges and services in addition to their core food offer and we have developed products to satisfy this need and complement our focus on quality and value.”
The full new non-food range consists of soft furnishings, cookware, bedding, home and bathroom accessories, as well as new, larger ranges of home entertainment products, books and toys. By the end of October, 285 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK will be selling the new products and by the end of the financial year 80 stores will have a dedicated home area. Nearly all Sainsbury’s supermarkets will sell a selection of crockery, cutlery, glassware, home accessories and stationery.
Sainsbury’s has been reshaping the portfolio of its stores as part of the company’s business transformation programme which began in 2001. Stores have been extended and refurbished enabling the company to considerably increase sales space, so that the new ranges can be accommodated without impacting Sainsbury’s First for Food customer proposition. There are now 152 stores over 40,000 sq ft.
The non-food team has been significantly strengthened and is headed up by Keith Evans, formerly Trading Director at B&Q and Director of Homeware at Marks and Spencer. A new team of designers and buyers from retailers such as Carrefour, Conran, Habitat, Heals, Marks & Spencer, Next, Target and Wedgewood have spent the last 12 months developing the range to suit the tastes and budgets of Sainsbury’s customers and compete directly with the leading, high street, home furnishing stores.
The range will be updated twice a year to reflect seasonal changes.
For enquiries:
Media
Camille Bentley
+44 (0) 20 7695 6000
Investor Relations
Lynda Ashton
+44 (0) 20 7695 7162
Notes to Editors:-
The UK non-food market – clothing, footwear, electricals, health and beauty, homewares, games, music and videos, books, newspapers and magazines is estimated be worth over £100bn – Verdict Research 2002.
Fuller details of range:
COOKWARE – Includes a range of professional copper pans never before sold in a supermarket and ranges of stylish, kitchen utensils.
TABLEWARE – Exclusively, designed dinner sets ranging from gilt-edged luxurious designs to a simple white dinner service starting at £1.50 a plate, serving bowls and chargers and exclusive lines of stylish cutlery.
HOME ACCESSORIES – Includes vases, picture frames, candles, clocks, photo albums, faux fleurs and storage solutions.
TEXTILES – Using contemporary, natural materials like suede, cotton, Mongolian wool and soft leather, the range consists of bed linen, cushions, towels, throws and quilts.
KIDS AND STATIONERY – New range of educational and creative toys including miniature kitchen appliances, dressing up kits, party packs including everything needed for children’s party. In addition, a large exclusively designed selection of cards, wraps, and professional and novelty stationery.
BOOKS – In some stores, the space dedicated to books will quadruple. The new book zones will include best sellers, adult books, children’s books and an exclusive range of cookbooks called ‘Simple Ways to Success’.
HOME ENTERTAINMENT – Includes games, DVD’s, videos, televisions and DVD players.
