Number of Waitrose stores in the United Kingdom (UK) 2009-2024

British supermarket retailer Waitrose operated 329 supermarkets across the United Kingdom in 2024. Part of the John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose is equally invested in its store and online sales, and currently accounts for a large share of the company’s annual revenue and gross sales.

Waitrose customers and competition

In the UK, Waitrose is perceived to cater to a high-income clientele and holds a relatively small share in the UK grocery market. In a supermarket landscape where the market giants, including discount retailers, trade in an overwhelmingly higher number of locations, Waitrose ranks far behind in the competition.

Online grocery retail

Since 2000, Waitrose has been in a partnership with Ocado, the world’s largest online grocery retailer. Earlier this year, Marks and Spencer also struck a grocery delivery deal with Ocado, coinciding with the expiry of Ocado’s contract with Waitrose in 2020. This has raised questions as to the future of Waitrose’s online grocery business with or without Ocado.