Stars News Shops has announced that it is to leave Spar “by mutual consent”.

The company’s 150-odd stores have been supplied by Spar distributors AF Blakemore and Capper & Co since the Wolverhampton-based chain linked up with Spar in early 2003. It was one of several chains to join forces with a symbol group in the aftermath of Tesco’s takeover of One Stop.

A brief joint statement said that Stars and Spar were “moving in different directions”, and that a mutually beneficial compromise could not be achieved.
Stars News Shops’ break with Spar may be because the retail chain has not made the progress it anticipated in developing a full convenience offer across its largely CTN-based estate.

It has already signed up with Kerry Foods Direct to Store for its chilled supply, citing the fact that the service can offer daily deliveries with no minimum order constraints. Palmer & Harvey McLane will supply the group with ambient products.

All stores will now revert to the Stars brand.

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