Tesco has set out ambitious store growth plans for 2026, underlining the central role of convenience in its UK strategy as competition for local shoppers continues to heat up.
The retailer said it opened 60 new Express stores in 2025 and is on track to deliver more than 70 additional Express openings before March 2027, extending its reach into both urban and rural communities across the UK.
A key boost to the pipeline comes from Tescoās acquisition of five former Amazon Fresh sites in London. The stores, located on Kensington High Street, in Hounslow, Moorgate, Aldgate East and Wembley, are set to reopen as Tesco Express outlets before the summer.
The move follows Amazonās decision to pull back from physical convenience retail in the UK. In September 2025, Amazon confirmed it would close all 19 of its Amazon Fresh UK convenience stores, with five earmarked for conversion to its Whole Foods Markets brand. That retreat deepened in January this year, when Amazon said it would close its Go and Fresh real-world stores to focus on Whole Foods and online grocery delivery.
Beyond London, Tesco said new Express stores are planned in a wide range of locations in 2026, including Bickington in Devon, Pontrhydyrun in Torfaen, Strabane in County Tyrone and Wallyford in East Lothian. The retailer said the openings reflect its focus on āmeeting customers where they areā with convenient access to value-led grocery shopping.
While Express remains at the heart of its growth strategy, Tesco is also continuing to invest in larger formats. Following the openings of new superstores in Ripon in November and Harrogate in December, two further large stores are scheduled to open in Scotland in 2026, in Pitlochry and at Heartlands.
Nick Johnson, Tesco Group Property Director, said the business was looking forward to the year ahead as it expands its store network.
āAs one of the UKās leading retailers, we support jobs and local economies up and down the UK, and as we grow our store network weāre delighted to have the opportunity to serve even more people, in even more communities,ā he said. āWe are hugely excited about the year ahead and looking forward to meeting our customers where they are with great quality, exceptional value and brilliant customer service.ā
Sustainability is also featuring more prominently in Tescoās estate strategy. The retailer highlighted its new low-carbon concept superstore in Harrogate, which has created around 120 jobs and was built using design and construction methods aimed at reducing environmental impact. Features include a timber frame to cut embodied carbon, solar panels to generate electricity on site, and the latest heating and lighting systems to reduce energy consumption.
Tescoās expansion plans come amid an aggressive store-opening push by rivals across the grocery sector. Discounters in particular continue to accelerate. In January, Aldi announced plans to invest Ā£370m in 2026 as part of its drive to open 40 new UK stores, as it works towards its long-term ambition of operating 1,500 UK outlets.
Meanwhile, Lidl GB revealed it would open 19 new stores in just eight weeks, alongside a Ā£43m programme to refurbish more than 70 existing sites from Dundee to the Isle of Wight.