Waitrose Reclassifies Up to 15 London Branches as Convenience Stores, Raising Some Prices

Waitrose has reclassified up to 15 London supermarkets as convenience stores and raised prices on certain everyday goods, with some items at its Bloomsbury branch up to 13.6% more expensive than online or at its Canary Wharf flagship. The Telegraph reported the change on November 14, 2026.

Which Waitrose Branches Raised Prices

Branches in Bloomsbury, Marylebone, Stratford East, Crouch End, King's Cross, Islington, Clapham Junction and Chelsea Kings Road have been reclassified, according to the report. The affected shops are restricted to six hours for Sunday trading despite their new convenience-store category.

A member of staff said prices at the affected shops were updated on digital shelf labels from head office on Wednesday. A 14-item basket of identical products cost £30.68 at Bloomsbury, compared with £28.60 on Waitrose.com for home delivery. Packs of two chicken breast fillets cost £6.05 in Bloomsbury against £5.50 online and at Canary Wharf, and four-packs of Heinz baked beans were 10.9% more expensive at £3.05 instead of £2.75.

Jon Robertson, a regular Waitrose shopper, said he was "taken aback" when he noticed higher prices at the Marylebone and Bloomsbury branches on Thursday. "It's pretty brutal... just as the cold weather kicks in," he said. A Waitrose spokesman said: "While pricing in the vast majority of our shops won't change, we're updating the prices in a small number of shops to reflect their higher running costs." The spokesman said Waitrose is reducing prices on around 1,000 popular items in its convenience shops to match its supermarkets.

Waitrose's Scale Behind the Price Change

Waitrose is the UK premium supermarket chain of the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership, with more than 350 shops and revenue of £8.5 billion for the year to January 2026, up 7% year-on-year, according to akta.pro company records. The same records describe a multi-year investment programme of more than £1 billion covering refrigeration upgrades, new store openings, refurbishments and technology. In September, Waitrose said it would invest £20 million to cut the cost of the weekly shop, reducing prices of more than 370 everyday own-brand products.

Waitrose's Expansion Before the Repricing

Waitrose opened its 15,000 sq ft Hale Barns supermarket on November 12, 2026, part of a £1 billion nationwide investment plan, Insidermedia reported. The store employs 73 new recruits and offers over 15,000 products. On November 3, 2026, The Grocer reported that Waitrose confirmed a travel retail partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail, making its range available in three Relay stores at Bristol Airport from next summer.

What Waitrose Has Said About the Rollout

Waitrose was unable to confirm the exact number or locations of the affected stores now categorised as convenience branches, according to the report. The spokesman's statement covers the price reductions on around 1,000 convenience-shop items and the New Lower Prices on hundreds of everyday staples.