List of convenience shops in the United Kingdom
| Industry | Wholesale and retail |
|---|---|
| Products | Convenience stores, retail chains (Londis, Budgens) |
| Owner | Tesco (via Booker Group) |
History
In September 2015, the Booker Group expanded its portfolio by acquiring Musgrave Retail Partners GB, the proprietor of the Londis and Budgens brands, for £40 million. This deal incorporated 1,630 Londis convenience outlets and 167 Budgens franchise locations into Booker’s operations.
By December 2016, McColl's had announced its purchase of 298 former Co-op stores.
In August 2017, Sainsbury's initiated exclusive discussions to buy Nisa, but withdrew due to regulatory competition issues. Following this, the Co-operative Group entered negotiations and successfully acquired Nisa in November 2017 with a £140 million bid endorsed by its board.
In 2022, following voluntary administration, McColl's was taken over by Morrisons.
Current
The current convenience store market is categorized into major retail chains and symbol groups.
Major retailers
| Shop name | Image | Founded/ UK Entry |
Owned by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Local | Aldi | Compact urban convenience format, approximately 6,500 sq. ft. in size. | ||
| Amazon Fresh | 2021 | Amazon | Cashier-free convenience stores; collaborates with UK retailers such as Morrisons, Booths, and Co-op for online grocery distribution. | |
| Asda Express | Asda | Convenience chain introduced in 2022; targets 300 locations by 2026. Also operates petrol forecourt outlets and 'Asda On The Move' partnerships. | ||
| Circle K | Alimentation Couche-Tard | Prominent forecourt and convenience retailer in Ireland, with a presence of 49 sites in Northern Ireland. | ||
| Co-op Food | 1844 | Various consumers' co-operatives | A federation of around 15 UK co-operatives operating under a supermarket brand sourcing through the Co-operative Retail Trading Group; the largest convenience multiple in the UK with roughly 2,400 owned and franchised outlets. | |
| Heron Foods | B&M Group | Network of about 300 convenience stores. | ||
| Iceland Local | 2023 | Iceland | Newly launched convenience format introduced in 2023. | |
| Lidl | Lidl | Smaller format urban stores focusing on the supermarket convenience sector. | ||
| Little Waitrose | 2008 | Waitrose | Small-scale convenience shops offering Waitrose products; aimed to reach 300 stores by 2018. | |
| Marks & Spencer Simply Food | 2005 | Marks & Spencer and BP franchise partnership | 120 convenience outlets located within BP Connect fuel stations. | |
| Morrisons Daily | 2019 | Morrisons | Convenience chain comprising approximately 480 company-owned and franchised stores. | |
| One Stop | Tesco | Approximately 1,000 owned and franchised locations across the country. | ||
| Poundland Local | Poundland | A chain of convenience retail outlets. | ||
| Sainsbury's Local | 1998 | Sainsbury's | A network of roughly 800 convenience shops operated by Sainsbury's. | |
| Tesco Express | Tesco | The second smallest Tesco store format with around 2,000 locations nationwide. |
Symbol groups and chains
| Shop name | Image | Established/ Introduced to UK |
Owned by | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bargain Booze Select Convenience | 1981 | Bestway Wholesale | Franchised convenience outlets managed by the UK's largest off-licence network. Took over Central Stores in December 2017. | |
| Best-one | 1990 | Bestway Wholesale | Symbol group comprising more than 2,000 convenience stores across England and Jersey, Channel Islands | |
| Blakemore Retail | 1917 | Privately owned | The largest family-run convenience retailer in the UK; part of Spar UK. Acquired several My Local shops following the chain’s collapse. | |
| Budgens | 1872 | Tesco (Booker Group) | Symbol group active throughout England and Wales since 1872. | |
| Central Convenience Stores | Bestway Wholesale | Franchise-based convenience chain operating in the Dorset region. | ||
| Costcutter | 1986 | Bestway Wholesale | Symbol group supplied through Nisa, operating under brands such as Costcutter, mycostcutter, Mace, Supershop, and kwiksave | |
| Day-Today | 2003 | United Wholesale (Scotland) | Symbol group with a network exceeding 300 stores throughout Scotland. | |
| Family Choice | Tesco (Booker Group) | Symbol group | ||
| Family Shopper | 2014 | Tesco (Booker Group) | Discount-focused symbol group launched by Booker to complement Premier by offering more discounted products | |
| Go Local Extra | A G Parfetts Cash & Carry | Symbol group catering to independent retailers owned by A G Parfetts | ||
| Greens Retail | Greens | Leading convenience chain in Scotland with over 16 stores; targeting £100 million in annual sales from more than 50 locations. | ||
| GT Retail | James Retail Group | Convenience outlets located in the Midlands and Northern regions of England | ||
| HKS Retail Ltd | 1984 | Operator of petrol forecourts and convenience stores across the Midlands | ||
| Jones Convenience Stores | 1911 | Privately owned | A chain of 16 convenience shops based in Somerset | |
| KeyStore | 1995 | J.W Filshill | A prominent Scottish convenience symbol group. | |
| Lifestyle Express | Unitas Wholesale | Symbol group encompassing approximately 2,000 independent retailers | ||
| Londis | 1959 | Tesco (Booker Group) | Symbol group alongside convenience store operations | |
| Mace | Bestway Wholesale (UK) and Musgrave Group (NI) | Symbol group network | ||
| Nisa | 1977 | The Co-operative Group | Symbol group supplying close to 5,000 outlets | |
| Park & Shop | 1975 | Park Garage Group | Own-brand convenience retail stores | |
| Premier | 1994 | Tesco (Booker Group) | Symbol group comprising over 2,400 independently owned shops | |
| Proudfoot Supermarkets | 1946 | Privately owned | Supermarkets and convenience stores located in the Scarborough, North Yorkshire region | |
| Select & Save | Privately owned | A chain of 100 symbol group convenience stores supplied by Nisa | ||
| Shop'N Drive | 2012 | Rontec | Convenience outlets situated at roadside fuel stations | |
| Simply Fresh | Bestway Wholesale | Symbol group consisting of 25 convenience shops affiliated with Costcutter | ||
| Spar | 1957 | Owned by independent retailers; supported by five key wholesalers including AF Blakemore. | Symbol group | |
| Today's Extra | 1985 | Unitas Wholesale | A retailers' cooperative and symbol group with about 400 convenience stores; previously part of Nisa-Today | |
| USave | 2003 | United Wholesale (Scotland) | More than 200 USave convenience shops across Scotland. | |
| Welcome | Southern Co-operative | Franchise-based convenience chain with roughly 69 stores concentrated in southern England. | ||
| Whistlestop | Select Service Partner | Convenience chain specializing in rail, coach, and airport locations; also operates Marks & Spencer Simply Food outlets at major travel hubs. |
Defunct
Karolina Shop 2008 Closed operations in 2021 Network of 19 Polish stores throughout Northern IrelandLocal Plus 2001 Acquired by the Co-operative GroupConsisted of 64 convenience shops formed from a management buyout of South West Alldays storesMcColl's Acquired by Morrisons in 2022; transitioned to Morrisons Daily format by September 2024. Loco 2012 Taken over by The Co-operative Group (Nisa Group) A symbol group managed by Nisa with approximately 50 locations nationwide as of 2013; fascia phased out and replaced with Nisa Express branding. Misselbrook & Weston (M&W) Original operator behind One Stop; subsequently acquired by T&S Stores, which operated Dillons Melias Purchased by Dee Corporation A convenience chain owned previously by Fine Fare; either rebranded or sold following Gateway acquisitionMorning, Noon & Night 1991 Bought by Scotmid in 2004 My Local 2011 Entered administration in June 2016; all locations closed shortly thereafter. A convenience chain established by Morrisons, initially branded M Local; sold and renamed My Local in September 2015.RS McColl's Scottish McColl's stores acquired by Morrisons in 2022; converted to Morrisons Daily format by September 2024. 7-Eleven Taken over by BudgensConvenience store chain Sperrings 1985 Converted into AlldaysConvenience store chain founded by Bob Sperring Swift Acquired by Iceland Foods Stores closed in 2023. Ugo 2011 Owned by Haldanes Group A chain of 22 convenience outlets created after acquiring Netto stores; entered administration in 2012VG Stores rebranded either as Spar or Alldays Wavy Line A small network of supermarkets and convenience stores located throughout South and South East England| Shop name |
Image | Established / Entered UK Market |
Outcome | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberness | Acquired by Somerfield in 2004 | Convenience store chain based in Scotland | ||
| Alldays | 1991 | Taken over by the Co-operative Group | Convenience retail group founded in 1991 by Watson & Philip; went into receivership in 2002 | |
| All 'Ours | Integrated into Premier Stores | Symbol group operating under the Moffat company | ||
| Bells Stores | Acquired by Sainsbury's in 2004; initially rebranded as Sainsbury's at Bells, later transitioned to Sainsbury's Local | Network of 54 convenience outlets in North East England | ||
| Botterils Convenience Shops | circa 1950s | Purchased by Scotmid in 2010. | Small-scale convenience chain with 51 locations across Scotland | |
| Central Shops | 2013 | Purchased by Conviviality Retail in 2017 | ||
| Circle K | Acquired by Watson & Philip for £21 million in 1993; rebranded as Alldays | American-owned convenience outlets | ||
| Cullens | 2004 | Bought by Tesco from Adminstore | Central London stores; part of Adminstore group alongside Europa and Harts | |
| David Sands | 1812 | Acquired by Co-operative Group in 2012 | Chain of 28 convenience stores operating in Scotland | |
| Dawn Til Dusk | 1986 | Entered receivership in 1999 | English convenience chain with around 90 outlets across Northern England | |
| Dillons | Symbol group that was rebranded as One Stop during the early 2000s | |||
| Europa | 2004 | Acquired by Tesco from Adminstore | Central London presence; part of Adminstore group with Cullens and Harts | |
| Happy Shopper | Acquired by Booker Group | Former symbol group now functioning as a sub-brand sold within Premier Stores following purchase of parent company Nurdin and Peacock | ||
| Harts | 2004 | Purchased by Tesco from Adminstore | Central London stores; part of Adminstore group alongside Cullens and Europa | |
| Healds Day & Nite | Acquired by Tesco-owned One Stop in 2000 | Chain comprising 98 convenience outlets | ||
| Jacksons Stores | 1991 | Bought by Sainsbury's in 2004; initially rebranded as Sainsbury's at Jacksons before conversion to Sainsbury's Local | Regional retailer operating across Yorkshire and North Midlands |