B&M will unveil its first ‘store of the future’ later this month, with the trial of a raft of new layouts, technology and in-store features.
The company has transformed its 24,449sq ft Worthington Way branch in Wigan, which will officially relaunch under the new concept on 28 August.
The store, which has remained open throughout the refurbishment, will act as a testing ground for ideas that could ultimately be introduced across B&M’s wider estate.
The revamped branch features a new frozen food section, self-checkouts and customer assistance buttons, alongside refreshed signage, upgraded product displays and a redesigned layout intended to make the store easier to navigate.
B&M said the concept had been developed using feedback from both shoppers and staff, with the retailer seeking to create a more “inspirational” and intuitive shopping experience.
A B&M spokesperson said: “We’re thrilled to be unveiling our newly transformed Worthington Way store.
“This relaunch is a fantastic milestone for both our store and the local community.
“Being selected as B&M’s concept store makes it even more exciting, as we’ll be trialling new ideas and innovations that could help shape the future of our stores.”
Chief executive Tjeerd Jegen added: “We’re incredibly excited to open our new Wigan store, the first to showcase our new store of the future concept.
“We’ve listened to our customers and colleagues to create a shopping experience that is more inspirational, more intuitive and even easier.”
Jegen joined B&M as chief executive after previously leading Dutch retailer HEMA, and has held senior roles at businesses including Tesco, Ahold Delhaize and Metro Group.
B&M is also preparing to open a larger Carmarthen store at Parc Pensarn Retail Park on 22 August, while recently refurbished locations have included sites in Corby, Towcester, Beeston and Liverpool.
It will use the Wigan concept store to assess how shoppers respond to its new features before determining which elements could form part of the future format of its stores across the UK.
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