Supermarket chain Tesco has opened the first Tesco Express in Castletown on the Isle of Man following its acquisition of nine Shoprite stores, marking the beginning of a significant rebranding effort.
The new outlet on Arbory Street is the first of the stores to undergo a rebrand, the BBC has reported.
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Shoprite announced the sale of its Isle of Man outlets to Tesco in October 2023 after five decades of trading. In December, Tesco announced its intention to create more than 100 new jobs on the Isle of Man following the purchase.
Tesco plans to transform the nine stores into five superstores and four express outlets. Locations will include Port Erin, Ramsey and Peel.
The expansion plan builds on the supermarket chain’s existing presence on the island where it opened its Douglas store in 2000.
BBC quoted store director Andy Sanderson as saying: “Over the course of the store openings there’ll be around 120 new jobs created – all from the local community.”
Tesco has collaborated with local suppliers and the government to offer the best service for its customers.
The Castletown opening was commemorated with a £1,000 donation to Isle Listen, a mental health charity.
But shortly after the opening ceremony, Tesco Express customers were evacuated due to the emission of a significant amount of white smoke or vapour from the tobacco and vape counter, reported Isle of Man Today.
According to the retailer, an alarm was accidentally triggered and needed to be reset and the store is now trading as normal.
