Poundland steps up drive to revamp stores and widen ranges

More than 350 stores have already had Project Diamond makeovers in the last three years, bringing chilled and frozen food and more PEP&CO clothing and home departments to those locations.

That revamp is now being stepped up so almost all of Walsall-based Poundland’s UK locations will offer customers new and extended ranges by the end of September.

It also has an ambitious store opening plan for 2023 and a commitment to helping customers cope with the effects of soaring inflation.

Since the first pilot in 2019, Project Diamond makeovers have given customers a better shopping experience, including installing chiller and freezer cabinets and making more space available for PEP&CO clothing.

All Diamond Poundland stores will offer Britain’s best value meal deal for £2.50 giving customers, a selection of sandwiches, snacks and drinks.

Poundland has unveiled the next 28 stores that will get a revamp and introduce a wide range of chilled and frozen food to more customers in England, Scotland and Wales under the latest phase of Project Diamond. The list includes some of the earlier stores to get the Diamond treatment which are now scheduled to get a “re-sparkle” through a follow-up makeover.

In August, Poundland announced plans to open, relocate or extend up to 25 new stores by the end of this year. The next in line are Bloxwich, Port Glasgow, Swiss Cottage, Perth St Catherine’s and Morecambe, with more to come through November and December. Recent openings include Broadstairs, Inverness, Aberdeen, Whitechapel, Bradford Forster Square and Speke.

December openings include two supersize stores through an extension at Denton Crown Point Shopping Park in Manchester and a new store at Peterborough’s Brotherhood Retail Park. Each will be around 18,000 square feet, putting them among the largest Poundlands in the country.

Poundland plans to unveil its store opening plans for 2023 early in the near year.

Tim Bettley, Poundland’s commercial director, said: “Our ambition is to offer more value in more places through opening relocating and extending new stores and accelerating the rollout of Project Diamond so that customers can find more of what they need close to home.

“We’re working hard to extend our ranges in new categories such as chilled and frozen food and clothing and to constantly select the items that give customers value for money at a time when they need it the most.”