Waitrose is piloting a new initiative of hosting evening yoga classes at its stores. 

The pilot commences next week in three of its supermarkets, The Telegraph reported. 

If successful, the upmarket grocer will roll out the initiative to further stores across its 353-strong network.

It comes as retailers with large store estates attempt to make better use of surplus space and draw shoppers by creating a destination status. 

The yoga classes will be launched at its stores in Newbury, Basingstoke and Banbury. Customers will be charged £7 per session or £35 for six sessions, with classes to be held in private rooms or cafes in-store.

The grocer has also been trialling a nutritional service, “designed to provide customers with dietary advice tailored specifically to their individual needs” in its Canary Wharf and Kingston-Upon-Thames shops since the beginning of January.

The move follows similar efforts from stablemate John Lewis to ramp up the in-store experience as it strives to compete with the threat of ecommerce.

Fashion retailer Next has partnered with multichannel car retailer Rockar to turn excess space at its largest store into a car showroom.