Asda has revealed plans to open 300 convenience stores across the UK as it accelerates the rollout of its new Asda Express concept.
After the supermarket giant opened its second Asda Express convenience store this week, the chain confirmed that it plans to open 300 more by the end of 2026, reports The Manc.
Asda says it is looking to bring the Express concept to customers in convenient neighbourhood and residential settings.
This expansion will create a whopping 10,000 new jobs, all while “bringing Asda value and products” to even more customers and local communities throughout the UK.
It is particularly targeting those areas where there isn’t an Asda store nearby.
Set to stock around 3,000 products, Asda Express stores are designed to cater for a broad range of customer needs, including ‘top up’ shops for essential items, grabbing a spot of lunch on the go, or buying the fresh ingredients to cook dinner from scratch.
Image: Asda
Not only that, but customers can also enjoy a range of hot and cold ‘food for now’ options from Asda and partner brands like Leon, plus ‘food for later’ choices such as ready meals, pizzas, stir frys, and a selection of £10 meal deals for two people.
Asda’s ‘to you’ parcel collection and return services will also be available, as will a rapid delivery service through Uber Eats in some stores.
“A key part of our growth strategy is to provide customers with more opportunities to shop at Asda closer to where they live or work,” explained Mohsin Issa, co-owner of Asda.
“With more than three quarters of the UK population visiting a convenience store in the last 12 months, the potential for growth in this market is significant, and our ambition is to become the convenience destination of choice by providing shoppers great value and a comprehensive and convenient range of products and services under one roof.”
The target of 300 Asda Express stores by the end of 2026 does not include the convenience stores that Asda is acquiring from the Co-op.
IKEA will be launching its own online marketplace full of second-hand furniture.
Just like the ever-popular Facebook Marktplace, the IKEA second-hand marketplace is a dedicated space where pre-loved IKEA products can find a new home.
In bid to make affordable second-hand home furnishings easily accessible, the new online platform will enable customers across the UK to connect with one another directly, so they can buy and sell pre-owned IKEA items locally.
Designed specifically for IKEA products, the marketplace will provide everything shoppers need in one place.
The Swedish retailer is already known and loved for its 'functional' and 'affordable' home furnishings, all produced with care for people and the environment, but the launch of the new IKEA second-hand market place will make it just as easy to pass on an old favourite as it is to find a new one.
IKEA is launching its own online marketplace full of second-hand furniture / Credit: Supplied
"At IKEA, we are always looking for new ways to make life at home even better and help our customers discover products they love," a spokesperson for the retailer said.
"With the launch of IKEA second-hand marketplace in the UK, we’re taking a meaningful step toward creating a destination that simplifies access to pre-owned IKEA furniture.
"Our goal is to make passing on beloved IKEA pieces as seamless as possible.
"We’re creating a trusted and vibrant space to make it quick and easy for our IKEA Family members to trade directly with one another. We want the process for buying and selling pre-owned IKEA products to be simple, accessible and rewarding."
Detailed information regarding the official launch and how customers can get involved will be made available in the coming months.
Featured Image - Supplied
Shopping
The Leeds Chilli Shop selling sauces so hot they come with a warning
Clementine Hall
If you think you can handle your spice, then there’s one shop in Leeds that will put that to the test.
Tucked away on Merrion Street, Chilli Shop has been a staple of the Leeds high street for over a decade.
First opening back in 2014, Chilli Shop was founded by Frank Jay and has built a reputation as one of the city’s most wonderfully niche (and hottest) destinations.
It's basically a shrine to all things hot, a proper haven of everything spicy to get your tastebuds tingilng.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We're talking everything from chilli hot sauces and jams to chocolate, cheese, dried chillies and even novelty gifts perfect for the chilli lover in your life.
But what they're most famous for is a shelf fully dedicated to the Youtube hit Hot Ones, a show where celebrities are pushed to the limit and served hot wings coated in a variety of hot sauces from mild to blow-your-head-off hot.
So if you've ever watched that show and wanted to have a go yourself, this shop stocks all the sauces so you can be the star of your own Hot Ones episode.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Best of all, you can try before you buy. Free, heat-rated tasters are available, meaning you can work your way up from “that’s got a bit of a kick” to “I can no longer feel my face”.
We can't promise there's any milk or ice cream on hand though, so get tasting at your own risk.
So whether you’re looking for a new sauce, a spicy gift for your mate or simply want to discover exactly how much pain your tastebuds can withstand, the Chilli Shop is one Leeds independent that deserves a visit.
The Hoot -
7th December 2022 
