£4m invested in refresh programme

Lincolnshire Co-op is celebrating the success of its cyclical refresh programme, which launched one year ago.

So far, over £4m has been invested into 31 outlets across food, funeral, pharmacy and post offices.

The long-term plan will see work take place at around 40 Lincolnshire Co-op trading outlets each year with approximately £5m being invested annually.

Cyclical refreshes, major refits including replacing equipment like fridges and shelving, will take place in each trading site location every 12 years.

Mid-cycle refreshes, which have a more cosmetic focus including repainting, will happen every six years to keep outlets revitalised.

The co-operative’s Carlton Centre Food Store and Post Office in Lincoln is one of 15 food and 8 post office outlets to have undergone a cyclical refresh, with £524,000 being invested overall. (Pictured above)

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Carlton Centre Food Store Manager Kieran Smalley said: “Our customers are loving their refreshed local food store and we’ve had lots of positive feedback about our new range of services and products.

“The team is so happy with the transformation and it’s gone above our expectations – we’re excited to continue making life better in our communities!”

These refreshes will ensure the business can deliver high quality services by strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty with modernised outlets.

Community needs have also been reviewed, such as services provided and product selections in food stores being based on locations of these trading outlets. This includes COOK frozen meals and puddings, Tango Ice Blast and Costa Coffee Express machines and gifting ranges.

Refreshes have also taken place in five Lincolnshire Co-op pharmacies, like St. Botolph’s in Lincoln, and two funeral homes, such as Spilsby.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Louth Travel branch has undergone a major refit. It is the first of the society’s 13 travel agencies to receive a revitalised look that will shape future travel outlet refits.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Chief Operating Officer Steve Leach said: “Our cyclical refresh programme has ensured we bring the best of our format thinking, latest products, and service for our local communities – we’ve changed the way we work to deliver this plan.

“Feedback from colleagues and customers has been excellent and we continue to incorporate their feedback to make sure each refresh is better than the last and we focus on delivering continuous improvement.”