Sainsbury's is embarking on a significant transformation of its retail experience by introducing Costa Coffee cafés to 30 of its stores across the United Kingdom by the summer of 2026. This strategic move follows the supermarket chain's decision to close 61 of its own in-house cafes, which was part of a broader restructuring that resulted in approximately 3,000 job cuts.
A New Partnership for Enhanced Customer Experience
The collaboration with Costa Coffee aims to revitalise the café offering within Sainsbury's locations, providing shoppers with a refreshed and high-quality option for refreshments before or after their grocery shopping. Costa has expressed that the partnership is focused on delivering a fantastic new café experience for customers, building on an announcement made back in 2024.
Rollout Schedule and Initial Locations
The rollout will occur in two phases. The first ten locations are scheduled to open by the end of March 2026, with at least twenty additional stores set to welcome the new Costa cafés by the summer. Confirmed locations for the initial phase include:
- Swindon, Bridgemead
- Newport
- Nantwich
- Durham
- Plymouth, Marsh Mills
- Stanway
- Kelso
- Denton
- Darlington
- Livingston
This initiative represents a notable shift in Sainsbury's strategy as it competes with rivals like Tesco, Asda, and Morrisons in the highly competitive UK supermarket sector.
Concurrent Announcement on Staff Pay
Coinciding with this café announcement, Sainsbury's has also revealed a 5 per cent pay increase for its hourly-paid colleagues. Chief Executive Simon Roberts emphasised that this uplift, which is above the current inflation rate, recognises the exceptional contribution of staff and reinforces the company's commitment to being a great place to work.
Roberts stated: "Our colleagues are at the heart of our business. Their hard work, dedication and commitment have driven our strong momentum and helped us win grocery market share growth for the sixth consecutive Christmas period. I'm delighted to share that we will be raising pay for our hourly-paid colleagues by five per cent this year. This increase reflects our commitment to rewarding our colleagues for their exceptional service and productivity."
The dual announcements highlight Sainsbury's focus on both enhancing the customer experience through strategic partnerships like the one with Costa Coffee and investing in its workforce to maintain a leadership position in the retail industry.
