Walmart is to open the first of its Marketside small-scale grocery stores in Phoenix, Arizona on 4 October, in what will be a direct challenge to rival Tesco in the fresh grocery and prepared foods market.
It is just under a year since the UK retailer unveiled its small-scale convenience concept in the US and it now operates 78 Fresh & Easy stores in Arizona, California and Nevada. Walmart is now looking to grab a slice of the market, offering customers what it calls quick-strike, affordable options to buying fresh groceries and prepared meals.
“Everyone is looking for the answer to the question of ‘what’s for dinner?’”, said Mike Thomas, store manager at a Marketside in Chandler, Arizona. “We’re providing a meal solution for people on the go, people who want something that’s convenient, fresh and affordable.”
He said he believes shoppers will find the 15,000-square-foot stores attractive despite the weak economy. “Our pricing is going to be very competitive and accessible to everybody,” he told Reuters.
The new Marketside stores are located in former drug store properties in growing suburban areas.
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