Waitrose is entering a leadership transition, appointing a new Managing Director, Tom Denyard. His predecessor steered the business through the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Denyard faces challenges on a similar scale: rising costs, shifting customer expectations, and intensifying competition. His task will be to transform the business to withstand these challenges.
A central part of that transformation has to be digital. For premium grocers like Waitrose, growth increasingly depends on optimising digital experience and uniting brand, UX, content, personalisation, and CRO into a coherent strategy, writes Gareth Sully, Head of Experience Design at MMT.
The retailer has already shown intent with a revamped MyWaitrose app featuring an ‘in-store’ mode to enhance shopping journeys. It is a useful first step, but on its own will not give Waitrose an edge over competitors such as M&S and Ocado.
Waitrose must treat digital as more than an app upgrade. It requires a wider strategy, embedded across the business. But what steps should it take to deliver it?
Customer first
A successful digital strategy starts with the customer. As Walt Disney put it: “Start with the experience and the sales will follow.” Too often, retailers design technology first and then try to retrofit consumer needs. The lesson for Waitrose is to reverse that approach.
Successful examples include Tesco’s Clubcard and the pricing it offers which has reshaped customer loyalty in the mainstream, or Ocado which has built its entire model on digital-first convenience.
The reality is also that shoppers don’t distinguish between a brand’s website, app, and in-store service. They see one brand, and expect that brand to work consistently at every touchpoint, and digital drives this. The updated MyWaitrose proposition shows what’s possible when experiences are functional, human and helpful. Extending this ethos can make everyday shopping smoother and more rewarding, while also driving commercial return.
Data is central here, and without it, Waitrose cannot personalise, refine, or even prove the value of MyWaitrose. Instead, access to high quality data can help Waitrose to understand the full shopping journey in unobtrusive ways, producing insights that would be difficult to capture otherwise.
By implementing the right data strategy, Waitrose gains the ability to personalise experiences, test ideas before scaling, and measure impact with clarity.
Bring digital in-store
The opportunity goes beyond screens. Physical shops remain critical for Waitrose, but digital tools can reframe them as more than just grocery outlets. Stores can become experience hubs that connect lifestyle, retail, and reward.
This in practice means creating a smooth, seamless connection between the MyWaitrose app and the in-store experience. Customers browse, select, and buy without friction, and can access support and engagement when and if they choose to take it. And the loyalty rewards flow naturally through each step rather than feeling like an afterthought.
If implemented correctly, this can reshape loyalty. Traditional schemes often revolve around points or small perks, like Waitrose’s well-loved free coffee and newspapers. But loyalty today is about more than transactions. It’s about consolidating shopping, lifestyle, and data-driven rewards into something customers value and brands can build long-term advantage from.
Protect against disruption
Digital transformation is not without risks and data privacy and security must be handled with care. Shoppers are willing to trade some data for better experiences, but trust can be lost in a flash if boundaries are crossed or services are disrupted.
Look at the impact of M&S’ cyber attack earlier this year. M&S, which has leaned heavily into data-driven retail, suffered widespread and highly publicised service disruption. Online ordering for clothing and home goods was suspended for over a month, while its Click & Collect services and Sparks loyalty app were also affected – damaging both sales and hard-fought brand reputation.
This disruption drives home that clarity and caution are non-negotiable in a revamped digital strategy. Waitrose must take steps to protect data throughout their transformation.
The other risk is speed without structure. For sure, investing in AI and optimisation tools should be at the root of a digital transformation. But these are only valuable when the underlying content, data, and culture are ready. And the customer need is clearly defined.
Trying to roll out digital initiatives without these ingredients will lead projects to stall or fail to scale. Waitrose must fix the foundations first by streamlining content, aligning brand and UX, and embedding test-and-learn habits. This can create the conditions where technology can add real value.
Digital to feel good about
Tom Denyard faces a defining challenge at Waitrose: embedding digital transformation across every part of the business. The grocer has made a start, but needs consistent customer journeys, a reimagined approach to loyalty, and robust data foundations.
This only works when the C-suites treat digital as a board-level priority. Executive backing allows teams to move faster, reduce waste, and focus on outcomes like retention and revenue. Without that backing, digital efforts stay fragmented, underfunded, and misaligned with customer needs.
Waitrose’s next growth phase will not come from physical stores alone – it depends on seamless digital-physical integration that feels personal, and rewarding.
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