Tesco completes nationwide rollout which sees big change to 850 UK stores

The partnership with the Entertainer first began in October 2022, when the toy retailer opened 35 concession stands in 35 Tesco stores – the major rollout was confirmed in January this year

Tesco has introduced new toy concession stands in over 860 of its UK supermarket stores.

The concession stands are from the major UK toy retailer The Entertainer, which has a partnership with the grocery giant. The rollout of the 861 concession stands has taken eight months, and on average, around 100 new ones were opened each month. The Entertainer noted that 4.5 million toys were delivered to Tesco stores to stock the new concessions. These included much-loved brands such as Barbie, Nerf, L.O.L. and Paw Patrol.

The partnership first began in October 2022, when the toy retailer opened 35 concession stands in 35 Tesco stores. The major rollout was confirmed in January this year.

Thanks to the rollout, the Entertainer now one of the biggest toy retailers in the country with more “points of presence” across the UK than any other retailer. To support its expansion plans, the retailer opened a new distribution centre, which it said “has played a pivotal role in stocking the in-store concessions and meeting the soaring demand created by the roll-out”.

The Entertainer group CEO Andrew Murphy OBE said: “I couldn’t be prouder of our teams and the great work they’ve done. Just as importantly, we’re all hugely appreciative of the support we’ve had from colleagues across Tesco throughout the year. This roll-out has significantly increased our retail footprint in the UK and Ireland – putting over 90% of the UK’s shoppers within easy reach of our unmatched toy offer. The speed and impact of this growth is a testament to our team’s agility, attention to detail and a deep understanding of customer needs.

“Our partnership with Tesco is the biggest and most important step we’ve taken in expanding our unique ‘Toy Box’ retail solution for multi-category retailers, but we look forward to on-boarding further retail partners, at home and abroad, in the coming months.”

Alongside this, it has been reported today that the Entertainer and Moonpig are “discussing” a new partnership. According to a report by Toy World Magazine, the new partnership will see a curated selection of The Entertainer and Early Learning Centre toys available to buy alongside Moonpig’s range of personalised cards.

Commenting on the announcement, David Rimmer, Moonpig’s general manager, said: “Over the years it’s become clear that our customers want to send gifts to loved ones, safe in the knowledge that what they send will be just as well received as our cards.”

“We needed to partner with the best toy purveyor in its field, a business which is known and trusted in households all across the country. That’s why The Entertainer and ELC were the obvious choice, top of the list.”