Asda to open 300 Express stores by the end of 2026, creating 10,000 jobs 

The British supermarket giant confirmed in a statement it will open the stores in neighbourhood and residential settings by the end of 2026.

The first Asda Express opened Tottenham Hale, north London. New locations confirmed for 2023 include Wiltshire, Essex and Surrey.

Asda is making its foray into the convenience channel market, a departure from its usual focus on larger stores, to tap into an expected 13% increase in the convenience store market by 2027 to £50bn.

In October, Asda completed its acquisition of 132 grocery retail sites, with attached petrol stations, from The Co-Op as part of its strategy to enter the convenience retail space.

The circa 2,300 colleagues currently employed by The Co-op will move to Asda’s employment under TUPE transfer in the coming months, following consultation with USDAW.

The target of 300 Asda Express stores by the end of 2026 does not include the convenience stores Asda is acquiring from the Co-op.

Mohsin Issa, Asda’s co-owner said: “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. 

"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. 

"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.”