Morrisons 'Keeping An Eye' On Chiswick
Supermarket starts online delivery service and hints at local store
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Supermarket Morrisons could possibly move into the Chiswick area, as it starts its trial home delivery service into London this week.
The delivery service, in partnership with Ocado, covers 400,000 homes across north and west London, including Chiswick. But the company has also confirmed it has been thinking about having a premises locally.
Asked about rumours that Morrisons might open a smaller 'Morrisons Local' shop, a spokesman said that they had been "keeping a eye out" for sites in the area but nothing has been confirmed as yet. There are two large Morrisons stores nearby in Acton and Brentford.
The Bradford-based chain, which is the fourth largest UK supermarket, reported a £176 million annual loss earlier this year and has only recently started its online business, several years after Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose. It has also started a competitive 'I'm Cheaper' price-cut campaign and is launching a loyalty card scheme as it battles discounters Aldi and Lidl throughout the UK.
Morrisons online delivery service made its debut in the Midlands this January and extended into Yorkshire the following month.
Ocado said it had created fifty new jobs in the new delivery trial which will span more than 250kms of northwest London, including Chiswick, Ealing, Hounslow, Watford, Harrow, Ruislip and Hillingdon.
The trial will determine how deliveries can be further rolled out across London.
Simon Thompson, managing director for online food at Morrisons said: “It’s an exciting time as we look to move into London."
All delivery slots across the area will be made available for just £1 for the first month. There is also a 'doorstep check' facility to allow customers to check if they are happy with the freshness of products.
May 13, 2014
