Costcutter Supermarkets Group has launched a brand transformation called Shopper First, which it describes as “the most important announcement in our 30-year history”.

Six stores will go live with a pilot of the new look and logo in December. Precise locations are under wraps but the symbol group did disclose that one of the six sites will be a forecourt in Wales.

The Shopper First Programme was launched at Costcutter Supermarket Group’s annual Conference and Expo, and includes:

• a new Costcutter brand designed to connect with shoppers, stand out from the crowd, and make Costcutter retailers more relevant to the lives their shoppers live;

• a new in-store design for Costcutter stores, delivered in a unique, fully flexible modular approach that allows retailers to invest at a pace that suits their individual needs; and

• complete offers so that retailers can fully deliver their shoppers’ priority missions – Top Up, For Tonight, Treat and a new Food To Go offer, which was unveiled at the conference.

The cost of the full shop refit was said to be about £80,000, but Costcutter Supermarkets Group customer director Jenny Wilson said Costcutter will “assist” retailers.

To create the Shopper First Programme, Costcutter Supermarkets Group has undertaken an in-depth study of shoppers, drilling down to an individual store level, and each retailer in the group now has access to detailed shopper profile information that means they can develop their store to best meet the needs of their shoppers.

Wilson said: “The key to unlocking sales growth is to drive footfall. By putting the needs of our shoppers first, we are providing our retailers with the ability to respond to changing shopper expectations and buying habits. Delivered through an innovative unique brand and retail offer, our retailers can now engage shoppers with a truly distinctive proposition. This is why we believe this is the most important announcement in our 30-year history.”

The Costcutter brand has been redesigned with a new strapline: “Shop the way You Live”. New marketing and advertising will be designed to reflect this and connects with shoppers’ lifestyles.

The new Costcutter store design will offer retailers a choice from a selection of exteriors with open windows that appeal to shoppers’ desire to be able to see into a store. Inside, the stores will feature a new vertical landscape with low level units to create a clear line of site and new natural materials and textures such as galvanised steel, cork, stained wood and green chalk board. Other features include sprayed ceilings, lifted where possible, and drop lighting. The new store design is modular in order to allow retailers to invest at their own pace.

Pilot stores go live from December and the store-specific shopper profile insights and the new Food To Go offer are available immediately for all Costcutter, Mace, kwiksave, Supershop and Simply Fresh retailers.

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