Sainsbury’s has hired a senior manager from fashion retailer Next as part of the expansion of its £2 billion non-food business this year.

The grocer has drafted in Claire Sollis, general manager of homewares for Next, to expand its own home and lifestyle department, according to The Times. Sollis has also worked for Mothercare and Marks & Spencer.

Sainsbury’s wants to almost double the size of its non-food business by 2010. Half of the group’s new store space in the next two years will be given over to clothing, furniture, entertainment and kitchen appliances.

Sainsbury’s director of general merchandise and global sourcing, Richard Jones, said the grocer will launch a series of new non-food ranges this autumn. It is also expected to relaunch its non-food online business.

Retail Week has reported that Sainsbury’s wants to launch clothing online in the next 12 months and is gearing up to introduce a combined non-food and web catalogue business.