Wilko relaunches essential service at over 200 locations following return to UK high streets
WILKO is relaunching an essential service just eight months after scrapping it.
The retailer has re-launched its free, click and collect service.
It means shoppers can choose from over 30,000 products and pick-up their wilko.com orders from over 200 locations.
Items ordered through the service will be available to collect with as little as two hours’ notice.
Customers will be able to collect their shopping from the ever-growing number of reopened Wilko stores and from over 200 collection points at The Range.
Having successfully completed concept store trials in Exeter, Luton and Plymouth, Wilko has continued its store roll-out programme with recent launches in St Albans and Rotherham.
More store opening are planned throughout the remainder of 2024.
Alex Simpkin, chief executive of CDS Superstores, trading as wilko, said: “We’re getting great feedback as we reopen wilko stores as part of our ongoing roll out programme.
“We’re also getting lots of requests from loyal customers asking when their town or city will be next.
“This latest addition to wilko.com means we can make products available immediately in over 200 new locations so busy customers and their families can easily get the things they need for their home and garden jobs.”
Shoppers were left heartbroken when Wilko collapsed into administration last year – but it wasn’t the end of the beloved chain.
Since December 2023, the Wilko name has officially been back on the high street after new stores opened their doors to customers.
CDS Superstores, now trading as The Range and Wilko, revealed late last year that it was relaunching the chain across Britain’s high streets.
Three old Wilko sites reopened and welcomed customers for the first time in December. These stores are located in:
- Armada Centre, Mayflower Street, Plymouth – opened December 1
- Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter – opened December 1
- Arndale Centre, Luton – opened December 8
Two further stores also opened under the Wilko brand this year in:
- The Maltings, St Albans – March 29
- Parkgate Shopping Park, Rotherham – March 29
The retailer has also revealed that its next store will be at the Dolphin Centre in Poole, Dorset, but the opening date isn’t yet confirmed.
The new shops offer value items including cleaning and household, decorating and DIY, garden and seasonal products.
Shoppers can also snap up Wilko items via wilko.com, which relaunched in October.
What happened to the original Wilko?
WILKO fell into administration in August last year before a flurry of potential buyers expressed an interest in buying out the ailing business.
The retailer collapsed after being hit hard by inflationary pressures, competition from rivals and supply chain challenges.
However, a buyer could not be found for the whole business, and in September, the retailer announced all 400 shops would close that same month.
Several rivals swooped in to buy out some of Wilko’s store portfolio though, including Poundland, which purchased 71 stores.
B&M also agreed to buy up to 51 locations as part of a £13million deal.
The brand had been scooped up by The Range in a £5million deal – meaning the name would live on.
OTHER HIGH STREET NEWS
Several major retailers are also expanding their presence on UK high streets.
Aldi has announced that it will open 35 new UK stores.
The openings form part of Aldi‘s long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK.
The supermarket is set to invest £550million in expanding its UK footprint this year alone.
Aldi said that each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.
Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
B&M plans to open “not less than” 45 brand new stores across the UK in each of the next two consecutive years.
The parent company of Bonmarché, Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) and Peacocks, Purepay Retail Limited, has said it wants to open 100 new high street stores over the next 18 months.
It has yet to give the exact locations where it will open the 100 stores or when they will open.
One of the UK’s favourite bakery chain, Greggs, has exclusively revealed to The Sun plans to open more outlet branches by the end of 2025.
Home Bargains, which was running just under 600 branches as of last June, has said it wants to “eventually have between 800 and 1,000 retail outlets open”.
The major discounter has stopped short of saying when it wants to reach the 1,000 store target however.
Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.
Screwfix is set to open 40 new stores nationwide as its owner, Kingfisher, seeks to expand the DIY brand’s national presence.
The brand opened two new stores in March, and a further three new shops will open this month.
Tesco has revealed plans to open 70 more stores across the UK over the next year as part of major expansion plans.
WHSmith has turned its focus to the travel side of its business, with plans to open new sites in airports, railway stations and hospitals.
Lidl is also looking to open 12 new stores across the UK as it bids to raise £91million in funding from investors.