Waitrose

Waitrose supermarket chain is part of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), principally targeting the UK middle-class market. JLP is held in trust for its approximately 69,000 employees, all of whom are partners. Thus, the 40,000 or so Waitrose employees have a voice in the business. Waitrose operates over 190 supermarkets, four distribution centers, and manages its own farm—the 4,000-acre Leckford Estate in Hampshire, England. It commands approximately 4 percent of the UK market.

Like all major UK supermarket chains, Waitrose is anxious to exhibit its green credentials. Its innovative initiatives range from experiments with “eco-bikes” as an alternative to delivery trucks, to replacing cardboard shipping boxes with reusable plastic. They include locating stores in town centers, using empty delivery vehicles to collect stock from suppliers (backhauling) ...