Waitrose announces unprecedented price reductions while maintaining high standards of quality.

Waitrose announces unprecedented price reductions while maintaining high standards of quality.

• New £100m investment to lower prices on hundreds of everyday favourite products
• Nearly a quarter of the prices being cut will be lowered by 20% or more
• Cuts help customers to keep buying quality products, sourced to industry-leading standards

Waitrose is investing a record £100 million to reduce the cost of hundreds of common items, making it simpler for customers to continue purchasing high-quality goods even when household budgets are tight.

Over 300 well-known own-brand products, including Fairtrade tea and British sausages made from outdoor-bred pork, as well as British carrots and frozen peas, will start offering price reductions starting today, February 15. A quarter or more of the prices are being reduced.

The price decreases include a 14% average decrease in nearly one-third of our lowest priced own brand line, “Essential Waitrose.” The Essential line, which is the largest value range in any supermarket and is used by approximately 7 out of 10 consumers, has over 900 products. Customers typically purchase four or more Essential goods each time they shop with us.

“We recognise that delivering value for money has never been more vital for everyone,” Waitrose Executive Director James Bailey said.

As a result, we’re slashing the prices of hundreds of staples like carrots, butter, tea, and coffee, many by 20% or more. This translates into better value for our customers in every store, and by cutting the cost of our Essential range, we’re able to keep our lowest pricing even lower.

Although we’re lowering our prices, we won’t compromise on our promises to provide outstanding customer service, exceptional quality, and the distinctive ranges we know our customers will love. We’ll also honour our promises to our farmers and suppliers, so customers can continue to feel good about shopping with us.

The price reductions extend our commitment to promoting UK suppliers by including a variety of British goods, from cheese and ham to vegetables.

We’ve made significant investments recently to help our British farmers through really difficult circumstances. This has helped to maintain their high-quality items on our shelves and ensured that their enterprises thrive for many more generations.

Supporting our farmers is just as crucial as supporting our customers, James Bailey explains. We gave our British beef, chicken, egg, milk, poultry, and fish producers an extra £56 million last year alone as a result of the cost increases they were dealing with.

We are still committed to purchasing British products and upholding the best standards for animal welfare, not just for entire pieces of meat but also for other items like sandwiches, stocks, and mayonnaise.

Examples of price cuts

• Prices shown are available in Waitrose supermarket shops and online

How we assist myWaitrose members in saving money

• Weekly promotions based on consumer purchasing patterns. Every week, hundreds of thousands of coupons are distributed through our myWaitrose loyalty programme, saving customers money.

• a daily, complimentary hot beverage that is given to customers who make purchases.

• Every Saturday, 20% off a selection of meat at our counters, and every Friday, 20% off a selection of fish at our fish counters.

• Free copies of the Waitrose Food and Waitrose Drinks magazines as well as dry cleaning discounts are additional bonuses.

• We’re offering more meal packages than ever before, and to encourage our customers to prepare meals that are affordable per

• serving, we’ve published 12 new recipes.

Animal protection

• We are the best supermarket for animal welfare because we have received more awards from Compassion in World Farming and animal welfare than any other retailer.

• All of the fresh meat in our Essential line is British and produced with greater welfare standards than are typical for an entry-level line in the business.

• We are the only supermarket to guarantee that all of our cheapest “Essential” milk is produced using Free Range milk; our dairy animals now graze outside for at least 180 days each year, up from 120 days.

Contact Details:

Mandy Pursey
mandy.pursey@waitrose.co.uk

With regards to the John Lewis Partnership

The John Lewis Partnership is the owner and operator of John Lewis and Waitrose, two of the most well-known retail brands in Britain. With over 80,000 employees who are all Partners in the company, the Partnership, which was founded as a daring experiment more than a century ago, is now the largest employee-owned corporation in the UK. The objective of the Partnership is to build a more equitable and sustainable future for our Partners, clients, suppliers, and communities. Our Purpose directs us to act differently and better in order to make the world a happier place for everyone and everything we come in contact with. It inspires our ideals, shapes our choices, and serves as our compass for being a force for good.

Waitrose

Waitrose & Partners operates 331 stores across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands. These stores include 59 convenience stores, 27 Welcome Break locations, and Waitrose.com, a rapidly expanding online retailer that has consistently received top marks in independent studies. The retailer, committed to providing high-quality, ethically produced food together with exceptional customer service, combines the convenience of a supermarket with the knowledge and services of a specialty shop. All Partners have a voice in how the company is run because they are a part of an employee-owned company.

GSN