Waitrose considers halving food brands to simplify its range

Waitrose is reportedly considering cutting the number of food brands it stocks by about half as part of a plan to make shopping easier and reposition itself as the “home of food lovers”. The move would reduce duplication and focus shelf space on products that sell, while the retailer also plans to invest in stores and fresh-food facilities.

Waitrose stocks more than 15,000 products, but a supplier presentation reportedly showed that a quarter of its range generated less than three per cent of sales. The proposed overhaul, led by John Lewis Partnership chairman Jason Tarry, could cost up to £1 billion; Waitrose has more than 320 sites and says it is growing sales and customer numbers. A recent Which? comparison also found its delivered fresh food had an average of 7.7 days left before use-by dates.