Waitrose is to launch a major assault on the convenience market and could open at least 100 smaller format stores.

The grocer is to open its first market-town format in St Neots, Cambridge, a remodelled store that will open on May 16. It also plans to open a large number of smaller convenience stores, as first revealed by Retail Week (March 3).

The market-town format will be between 15,000 and 20,000 sq ft, but Waitrose is also understood to be considering convenience stores of between 3,000 and 4,000 sq ft.

The St Neots store will have a new look and will sell more locally sourced products and fresh food.

Waitrose managing director Mark Price said: “We want at least half the space dedicated to fresh food and much of that will be local food from nearby farms. We’re aiming to reflect the ambience of a traditional grocery shop.”

Separately, Waitrose will launch a TV ad campaign featuring its employees this month. In the Waitrose Chronicle last month, Price said: "The five partners chosen to feature in the commercial performed brilliantly and I'm really looking forward to their television debut."

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