Sainsbury’s has installed its first non-food ordering kiosk in a local convenience store in a bid to drive growth in general merchandise.

The grocer put the kiosk in its Warren Street store in London, allowing shoppers to buy from its full online general merchandise offer and have items delivered either to their home or the shop.

A spokesman said it was a trial and was too early to say whether it was likely to be rolled out to its 357 convenience store estate.

Sainsbury’s has been pushing non-food both online and in stores and aims to double the size of the category. Over Christmas, Sainsbury’s said that non-food sales grew at three times the rate of food.

The grocer has a click-and-collect service in 150 of its big shops, and has also been expanding larger stores to put in more non-food.

At an investor trip to Sainsbury’s first 100,000 sq ft store in Crayford this month, Shore Capital analyst Clive Black said non-food categories including clothing, cookware and homewares looked strong.

He said then: “The apparel range, Tu, gains authority and breadth each season. It still has progress to make but its development to date has surprised and impressed us.”

Sainsbury’s convenience arm became a £1bn business last year.

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