‘The Waitrose Effect’ – Fact or Fiction?

What exactly is the Waitrose effect?

The Waitrose effect is simply the added value put on to local property when one of these supermarkets are located in the immediate vicinity. Property prices are said to be generally higher thanks to a Waitrose being nearby, though many will say that the area itself is what adds the value to property and attracts interest from Waitrose in positioning itself there.

Waitrose

Founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor, Waitrose & Partners began as a small grocery, Waite, Rose & Taylor, in Acton, West London. In 1908, two years after David Taylor had left the business, the name “Waitrose”, from the remaining founders’ names, was adopted… Waitrose & Partners has 338 shops across the United Kingdom, including 65 “little Waitrose” convenience shops, and a 5.1% share of the market, making it the eighth-largest retailer of groceries in the UK.‘ Source Wikipedia

Stores are usually located within upmarket demographics so to appeal to consumers with larger spending budgets and over the years has gained a reputation for delivering on superior quality compared to rival chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury, Aldi and more. It may cost you more to shop at Waitrose which will appeal to

“Value at Waitrose comes as affordable quality rather than as Every Day Low Pricing, so while you pay more, the quality is better.” Source marketingweek.com

 

What effects house prices?

It is more than just whether your local supermarket is a Waitrose or a Lidl that will effect house prices. The most common factors helping to increase house prices include transport links, closeness to cities / London, local schooling, crime rates and much, much more.

There have been many articles written and latest figures revealed that frequently backup the Waitrose Effect claim with homes close to, especially walking distance, a Waitrose store will cost £43,571 more than other houses in the wider town.

Estate Agents will be very familiar with the term also and many use the pull and lure of a Waitrose nearby to further promote said listings on their books – Not only Waitrose, a supermarket close to your property will add value for convenience purposes, Marks & Spencer being close behind the figures of Waitrose along with all the other big brand supermarkets adding £££’s.

Andy Mason, Lloyds Bank mortgages director, commented: “It’s easy to assume the effect of different factors on the value of a property but this research clearly shows that there is a significant link between the convenience of a local supermarket and house prices.

The Waitrose factor has been known for some time and although the likes of Aldi can’t yet boost house prices in quite the same way, the research shows that all stores are now having a positive effect on local property prices.

 

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Estate Agent Content

Do you think that your estate agency / property business requires content? Is content marketing still a thing in 2025? Are you concerned if anyone will read your words? Is it worth investing in estate agent content? Businesses with blogs generate 67% more leads than those without. As competition for attention online increases it remains…
Read More
Breaking News

The cost of voids rises by £200 for England’s landlords

The latest analysis by Dwelly, one of the UK’s leading lettings acquisition and success planning experts, has found that landlords have been hit with a 26% increase in the cost of void periods in the past year, equivalent to lost income of almost £200. Dwelly analysed average void period data from March 2024 and March…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 5/06/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Demand Rises for Housing and Infrastructure Projects Rising demand for housing, infrastructure and energy projects across Wales has driven continued growth at Lichfields’ Cardiff office, which this year marks 25 years in the capital. The team of 17 planning professionals is one of the largest…
Read More
Breaking News

Construction continues to enjoy a season in the sun

Underlying performance is on the rise during Q.2 2025 Today, Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight experts, releases the June 2025 edition of its Construction Index. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of May 2025, covering all underlying projects, with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Busiest May for sales agreed since 2021

The latest insights from Rightmove show that it was the busiest May for agreed property sales since 2021, and the busiest out of any month since March 2022 May is typically a busy month in the year for agreed sales, but this year’s figure highlights the improved market conditions, as home-movers carry on following the…
Read More
Breaking News

New anti-money laundering rules now in effect: what landlords need to know

New anti-money laundering (AML) rules came into effect this month, marking a significant change for landlords and the lettings industry as a whole. The new rules mean financial sanctions checks are now required for all lettings, regardless of how much rent is charged. Here, Steve Bond, managing director of residential lettings for Beresfords, explains what…
Read More