**Tesco Unveils Significant Toy Range Expansion in Over 2,000 UK Express Stores from April**
Tesco, one of the UK’s leading supermarket retailers, has announced a sweeping change that is set to reshape the shopping experience in more than 2,000 of its Express stores. Starting this April, Tesco will expand its partnership with The Entertainer, a renowned toy specialist, to bring an expertly curated selection of toys to local convenience stores across the country.
This move follows a successful year since Tesco first launched in‑store toy concessions with The Entertainer in hundreds of its larger supermarket formats. The latest phase extends the offering beyond the supermarkets and into local Express outlets, a strategic step that is poised to provide families and shoppers with easier access to popular children’s toys on the go.
Shoppers can look forward to seeing shelves in Express stores stocked with a range of beloved brands and top-selling products, including Disney, LEGO, Marvel, Star Wars, Peppa Pig, Spiderman, and CoComelon — all names familiar to children and parents alike. In addition, the collaboration will introduce exclusives from The Entertainer, such as the Addo collection, and hit lines like Hot Wheels and TY plush toys, with prices ranging from just £1.50 to £7. This pricing strategy suggests a clear intent to appeal to a broad range of households, ensuring affordability in the current economic landscape.
Andrew Murphy OBE, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Entertainer, expressed his enthusiasm for the expansion, stating, “We are thrilled to enlarge our successful partnership with Tesco by introducing our ranges to their convenience-format stores – putting even more of Tesco’s shoppers within easy reach of our outstanding toy offer. One year in, our collaboration with Tesco has delivered everything we’d hoped for. We look forward to building on these great foundations with such a supportive and accomplished partner and to further demonstrate the strength and versatility of our ‘Toy Box’ retail solution for multi-category retailers.”
The partnership between Tesco and The Entertainer, which launched in October 2022 with just 35 concession stands, has grown at a frenetic pace. By early 2024, over 860 Tesco supermarkets and larger convenience stores across the UK and the Republic of Ireland featured in-store toy concessions, creating 1,200 new jobs. This rollout has effectively positioned The Entertainer amongst the UK’s largest toy retailers in terms of physical retail footprint — a notable achievement in a market increasingly shaped by online competitors.
According to Pauline Chisholm, Head of Strategy and Partnerships at Tesco, the company has high hopes for the new initiative. “We are delighted to bring easy access to great toys for every budget to even more customers by extending our partnership with The Entertainer to include our Express stores. We are confident that our customers will appreciate the chance to pick up some of the latest and most popular toys close to home, as well as in our large stores.”
The decision to broaden the toy offering into Tesco’s smaller convenience stores highlights a changing shift within the retail sector, where major chains are adapting to trends in consumer shopping habits. With more people shopping locally, especially since the pandemic, Tesco’s expansion holds the potential to make high-quality, affordable toys widely reachable without the need for large shopping trips or online orders.
The initial success of Tesco and The Entertainer’s venture is evident not only in their rapid expansion but also in the volume and variety of stores involved. Alongside urban hubs such as Brixton, Liverpool, and Hackney, concessions are now open in sizeable market towns, smaller communities, and even remote areas, ensuring comprehensive UK coverage. This strategy marks a significant stride towards making everyday shopping trips even more convenient for families — whether for birthdays, treats, or spur-of-the-moment surprises.
Overall, Tesco’s move to incorporate a leading toy range into its Express network is expected to be welcomed by busy families and last‑minute gift buyers alike. As the partnership continues to evolve, it will be worth monitoring how other UK retailers respond to this innovative blend of convenience and variety in a highly competitive marketplace.
For families and collectors, the message is clear: soon, picking up the latest must-have toy could be as easy as nipping down to the corner shop.