Southampton drivers pulling up to the petrol pump at their local Co-op garage have been puzzled to find it has been replaced by ASDA.

The change comes after Asda acquired 132 convenience stores alongside their respective petrol station forecourts from the Co-op Group in 2022 to add to its Asda Express convenience brand.

The converted Asda Express sites will stock up to 3,000 branded and own-label products.

ASDA said these include essential items for a ‘top up shop’ - such as milk and bread, grabbing lunch on the go or a range of ingredients for cooking dinner from scratch.

Four Southampton petrol stations will now operate under the ASDA brand:

  • Lymington - Southampton Road
  • Southampton - Mill Brook Road West
  • Fareham - Highland Road
  • Southampton – Broadoak

While some petrol stations have already made the switch, all sites officially reopen under the ASDA brand by March.

Asda’s co-owner, Mohsin Issa, said: “The launch of our conversion programme is an incredibly exciting moment for our business and accelerates our presence in the fast-growing convenience market.

“We look forward to bringing Asda’s great value in fuel and groceries to many more communities across the UK and to welcoming over 2,000 former Co-op colleagues to the Asda family in the coming months.” 

The deal has cost Asda a whopping £611m - the total transaction value. 

In August 2022, Co-op first revealed plans to bolster its finances by selling off 132 petrol stations and attached convenience stores to a worthy competitor.

Co-op said proceeds from the sale would be reinvested into its core shops, pricing, stores day-to-day operations and reducing its debt.

The move comes after a deal worth more than £2bn saw Asda acquire the majority of independent convenience retailer EG Group's UK operations.