Waitrose has announced plans to open 100 new convenience stores over the next five years.

The supermarket said the new stores would open across England, Wales and Scotland, but could not disclose the exact locations of all stores.

Waitrose confirmed that the move to convenience stores was a response to changing consumer habits and demand. The first new store in London’s Hampton Hill district is confirmed to open later this year.

The company, which is part of the John Lewis partnership, currently has around 45 Little Waitrose stores, mostly located in the south of England.

“We know the opportunity is there, but currently we only have around 45 small Waitrose convenience stores,” said a Waitrose spokesman.

The supermarket said it plans to invest £1 billion in its expansion plans and modernisation of its existing 329 stores, some of which are part of motorway services and petrol stations.

Clive Black, an analyst at Shore Capital, says the general shift from supermarkets to convenience stores could be due to planning permission constraints and affordability.

“Such stores are easier to obtain planning permission than larger, traditional supermarkets due to greater land availability. They are also cheaper and quicker to develop,” he said.

Waitrose is not alone in its plan to focus on smaller stores. Asda had previously announced plans to open 300 convenience stores by 2026.

Eleanor Simpson-Gould, retail analyst at GlobalData, said “traditional” supermarkets would increase their investment in smaller stores in response to the “gains” of discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.

“Convenience stores allow grocers to enter new locations with lower capital costs than big box stores,” she said. “Consumer habits are changing, and convenience is driving this demand for smaller stores.”

GlobalData predicts that online shopping will see a 6% increase in sales in 2024.

“This demand can be met by smaller stores, which provide a base for expanding rapid delivery capabilities,” added Ms Simpson-Gould.