WAITROSE NEWBURY

When Waitrose created its first Home of Food Lovers store in Newbury, the focus was a sales-floor LED upgrade that could support a completely new retail layout. As the trial site for several concepts within the retailer’s £1bn investment programme, the 27,000 sq ft store needed lighting that felt unified across departments yet remained flexible enough to evolve as the format develops.

The design was shaped around four new concept lighting products, developed from an initial Waitrose brief and refined through sample installations at Waitrose HQ. This iterative process led to the approval and supply of the final products for the Newbury store.

STORE LIGHTING CONCEPT

2.4m Wood Effect Rafts: Suspended over the Meat, Fish & Bakery, each raft carries twin Traqer Blades in a wood-effect housing, framed with Egger Parona Walnut panels. Groups of four run together with around 100mm between each linear to create a neat, structured sequence.
6m ‘Pitched’ Slyce: Suspended above the fruit and vegetable aisle, ten rows of this moss-green extrusion set the tone as customers walk in. The positioning was carefully refined to negate any lightspill and preserve clean visual lines across the produce displays.
Decorative pendants: Metal lampshades with a zig-zag cable detail, mounted on a 3m track, are suspended over the Delicatessen. They introduce a bit of character above the counter and cheese cases, supporting the store’s more crafted feel.
3m moss-green Linteq 50: Suspended over checkouts and the customer service desk, these linears are suspended with clear flex, giving the checkout and services area a unified identity that ties in with the front-of-store palette.

PITCHED SLYCE – FROM SKETCH TO COMPLETION

WOODEN RAFT – FROM SKETCH TO COMPLETION

PROJECT VIDEO

IN STORE FEEDBACK

Following completion of the installation, the impact of the new lighting was quickly noticed by both customers and Partners. The refreshed layout has transformed the store’s overall feel, particularly noticed within the Bakery area.

It’s looking really good… we’ve got brand new food service propositions, so counters, Cheese Island, which is a first for the business. There is also a new and improved bakery, which I think is my personal favourite part of the shop. As well as our beers, wines and spirits areas which looks absolutely amazing, especially with the lighting that’s been put in.

Alex Stout

Branch Manager, Waitrose Newbury

RESULTS

A clear visual identity for a new store format: The combination of raft linears, colour-matched features and bespoke pendants helped define the look and feel of Waitrose’s first Home of Food Lovers concept, giving Newbury a distinct character.
Stronger product storytelling: Carefully positioned luminaires supported the presentation of fresh produce, bakery and service counters, helping each zone feel purposeful and well considered.
Intelligent control: Dimmable fittings and integrated emergency monitoring support Waitrose’s wider technology investment, ensuring the store can adapt its lighting behaviour while managing energy use responsibly.
A smoother development process: Close collaboration with the Waitrose design team, including sample reviews during the design phase, allowed concepts to be tested and adjusted early, helping shape standards for future stores.