Wilko owner says 'significant opportunity' to bring back brand to shops after new Morrisons launch
The new owners of Wilko have said they ‘see significant opportunity’ to grow the brand further, as it launches a new partnership with Morrisons. The budget homeware chain was bought by rival The Range for £5million in 2023 after it collapsed into administration. Wilko made its return to the high street in December of that year as its products were sold in hundreds of The Range's shops, as well as seven standalone Wilko stores. Now, it is launching a partnership with supermarket Morrisons, with home and DIY products to be sold in its store in Speke, Liverpool. Before its collapse, the budget homeware chain had 400 stores across the UK but collapsed into administration last August, leading to nearly 12,500 job losses.The Range was set up by Chris Dawson, a tycoon dubbed the 'Del Boy billionaire', in 1989 and has 264 stores across the UK. Products from Wilko, which was salvaged by the owners of The Range in 2023, will now be sold in a Morrisons supermarket, as well as The Range.The business plans to launch more partnerships with retailers and bring back Wilko’s physical presence on the High Street.Alex Simpkin, the chief executive of CDS Superstores, which trades as The Range, said: ‘We’re excited about the future of Wilko as we continue to expand and develop the brand under CDS Superstores. 'Our focus has been on bringing back everything customers loved about Wilko, from trusted everyday essentials to great value and quality products.’He said the group had seen ‘strong momentum as the brand continues to reconnect with customers’ by stocking it across its 264 The Range shops and on the Wilko website.Simpkin added: ‘Looking ahead, we see significant opportunity to grow Wilko further, building on its 96-year heritage as a trusted destination for home and garden essentials, while evolving the experience to meet the needs of today’s customers.'Wilko helped Dawson’s empire boost sales from £1.29billion to £1.47billion for the year to 2 February, 2025, the most recent financial results available for his Norton Group Holdings. The Range was set up by Chris Dawson, a tycoon dubbed the 'Del Boy billionaire', in 1989 and now has 264 stores across the UK.It credited £60million in sales from incorporating Wilko’s website into its business.Signs of Wilko's woes emerged six years before its collapse when the company commenced a redundancy consultation affecting 4,000 jobs.The brand also struggled with growing competition from rivals B&M and Poundland, who captured a larger share of the market at a lower cost. B&M and the owner of Poundland agreed to take on a number of Wilko shops, before CDS Superstores stepped in to strike a £5million deal for its remaining stores and intellectual property.AJ BellAJ BellEasy investing and ready-made portfoliosHargreaves LansdownHargreaves LansdownFree fund dealing and investment ideasinteractive investorinteractive investorFlat-fee investing from £4.99 per monthFreetradeFreetradeInvesting Isa now free on basic planTrading 212Trading 212Free share dealing and no account feeAffiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.Compare the best investing account for you
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Wilko owner says 'significant opportunity' to bring back brand to shops after new Morrisons launch
