Poundland has started a new pilot in selected stores to expand the availability of its general merchandise and clothing ranges.
The trial, which began rolling out in mid-September, is now live in 15 stores across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The pilot “improves store layouts, organising them around customer needs and occasions, not simply traditional retail departments,” according to the discounter.
Poundland is also “testing customer appetite” for an edited range of its Pep&Co clothing in its smaller pilot stores, where space has previously been limited.
The pilot is running alongside the root and branch range re-invention across the retailer’s store estate over the past year.
This has seen the launch of a new general merchandise offer, the return to simple prices in its grocery aisles, and the completion of the transition back to its Pep&Co brand in clothing.
Related Story
The news comes as Poundland confirms its forecast for Q4 FY26 issued last month, with the first quarter of its new FY27 financial year underway.
The business returned to like-for-like growth as projected. It saw positive like-for-like sales growth on an unadjusted and adjusted basis for the full quarter to 27 September 2026.
Poundland’s unadjusted Q4 like-for-like growth was also confirmed as 3.3 per cent and 6.4 per cent on an adjusted basis.
The brand now expects profitability at the upper end of its expectations.
Poundland managing director Barry Williams said: “We ended Q4 with significant momentum, returning to positive like-for-like growth and that momentum has only strengthened in the first week of the new financial year.
“Our recovery plan is working, thanks to our investment in simple low pricing and new ranges, powered by our new in-house teams.”
He added: “That positive customer reaction is great news for our shareholders, colleagues and suppliers.
“And while our new merchandising pilot is a demonstration that it’s ‘business as usual’ at Poundland, what’s unusual is our new trial also highlights the top-to-bottom refresh of all our ranges over the last 12 months.
“We’re excited about putting those new items in front of our customers as they return to our stores.”
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
