Text entered

Boots UK and Waitrose commence trials for strategic partnership

Waitrose

29 March 2010

The lunchtime food offering will be the first trial with four Boots stores selling a new range that combines the best of Boots and Waitrose lunchtime. From today, customers at the Boots trial stores[i] will be able to select from a range of Waitrose lunchtime favourites such as sandwiches, wraps and desserts, as well as items from the Boots Shapers range.The second trial will start in April with three Boots stores[ii] stocking a larger range of lunchtime and convenience food, enabling Boots customers to buy groceries including the hugely successful Essential Waitrose range, and special treats from a range of 1,500 products supplied by Waitrose. At the same time the partnership will begin a trial of Boots health and beauty products and toiletries offer in seven Waitrose stores[iii]. These branches will offer an exciting range of Boots brand and exclusive health and beauty products and toiletries to Waitrose customers, including the prestigious No7 skincare and cosmetics brand. Two of the trial store locations will include a full Boots pharmacy offer.Simon Potts, Business Development Director, Boots UK, comments, “We are delighted to be partnering with Waitrose on this initiative that will deliver genuine convenience to customers. No7 is the UK’s leading skincare and cosmetics range, and has for many years been exclusive to Boots stores in the UK. The trial of No7 and Boots products in Waitrose stores will give customers greater access the products they love, whilst Boots customers will benefit from Waitrose’s strong reputation for offering quality food.”Richard Hodgson, Commercial Director, Waitrose says, "We want to make Waitrose accessible to more people in more places and this exciting partnership will help us achieve this goal - and we believe our customers will be delighted to buy Boots loved and trusted health and beauty products and toiletries in our shops."[i] Lunchtime food will be available at Boots Canary Wharf, Boots Swansea, Boots Abingdon and Boots Milton Keynes from 29th March 2010 [ii] Details of the convenience food offering and locations will be made available in due course.[iii] Four of the seven Waitrose stores will launch the health and beauty products and toiletries range in April and May: Bristol Westbury Park, Dorchester, Ringwood, Bury St Edmonds and Hersham.