Supermarket chains spark off East End grocery’ war

THE supermarket giants have squared up for a groceries war’ in London’s East End with the latest store opening this-morning and another planned next week. A new Tesco opened on the site of a former petrol station in Bethnal Green a month after Sainsbury’s unveiled its newest branch half-a-mile away

By Mike Brooke

THE supermarket giants have squared up for a groceries war’ in London’s East End with the latest store opening this-morning (Wednesday) and another planned next week.

A new Tesco Express’ opened on the site of a former Total petrol station in Hackney Road in Bethnal Green with a cheque presentation for �500 to Oxford House community centre.

The development on the corner where the garage used to be includes a five-storey block of flats.

The ground floor supermarket employing a staff of 12 is aimed at catching the commuter market as well as neighbourhood family shoppers, opening daily from 6am to 11pm.

It started trading less than a month after Sainsbury’s unveiled its newest Local’ branch half-a-mile away in Cambridge Heath Road, next to Bethnal Green Underground station—also aimed at commuters as well as neighbourhood shoppers.

Both chains already run larger stores in the area, in Bethnal Green Road round the corner and at the beginning of Cambridge Heath Road.

But Tesco is stepping up the war opening its second Express’ branch in a week, at Mansell Street in Whitechapel next Wednesday (Nov 25).