Morrisons is to open its first M Local in a petrol station as competition to expand convenience stores in the sector mounts.
The Bradford grocer opened the store in a petrol station it recently acquired in Doncaster today.
The opening follows Sainsbury’s acquisition of 18 former Total garage sites. However, sources have indicated that Morrisons is unlikely to make a similar acquisition in the near future.
The 2,500 sq ft store is positioned 500 yards from a larger Morrisons supermarket, set to open next year.
Morrisons intends to open 20 convenience stores this financial year. Director of convenience Miles Foster said: “We are having a year of trialling new formats and this latest store is part of that strategy.”
A Morrisons spokesman said that the Doncaster store would feature an enhanced food-to-go offer compared with other M Locals due to the nature of petrol station customers but it would give a large proportion of store space to fresh food.
The grocer has also trialled the M Local format at three other locations, including a converted education centre in Ilkley, an office block in a Manchester suburb as well as a store in the city centre.
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