WAITROSE LOOKS TO DOUBLE ONLINE SALES

WAITROSE has pledged to double its online sales within five years after losing its contract with Ocado.

The grocer, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership department store group, will welcome thousands more customers by next year as it builds its second warehouse for online shopping. Managing director Rob Collins said: ‘We have strengthened our own online business significantly and said we will double Waitrose.com within five years.

‘In future Waitrose.com and our shops will be the exclusive places in the UK to buy Waitrose & Partners products.’

Ocado’s tie-up with Marks & Spencer will bring Waitrose’s contract with the technology firm to an end after 19 years. The pair have had a fractious relationship, with Waitrose threatening to sue Ocado in 2012 after it signed a deal with supermarket Morrisons.

Experts suggest Waitrose will struggle to keep up with demand without Ocado’s warehouses and slick deliveries. Waitrose has just one warehouse for online shoppers.