The Co-op will launch 65 new and extended stores, with more than 100 further outlets receiving makeovers as part of a £130 million store investment programme creating up to 1,000 local jobs.

Up to 12 new Co-op franchise stores are set to launch this year, including at Oxford Brookes University and Stirling University – with more university locations planned for 2021.

In addition, during the first half of this year, 304 new stores joined the Nisa network, with around 90 per cent of all Nisa retailer’s now stocking Co-op own-brand products.

This month sees Co-op’s partnership with John Lewis Click and Collect service exceed 500 Co-op stores - with stores reporting increased online demand by up to 10 to 15 per cent.

Co-op is also now the most widely available supermarket on the Deliveroo app, with over 400 stores making deliveries in as little as 30 minutes.

The Co-op was also the first UK retailer to use autonomous robots to deliver groceries, announcing local partnership trials with Buy Mie in Bristol and a partnership with Pinga in East London.

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman commented: “Convenience stores have firmly established themselves as a place that local communities can rely on, not just for groceries but for a growing range of services that have kept the nation going during the last few months.

"This commitment to investing in stores in the coming months is testament to the importance of the convenience sector and the role that local shops play in people’s everyday lives.”

Co-op operates over 2,600 food stores, as well as many more Co-op Funeralcare, Insurance, Health and Legal Services sites.

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