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Read all about it while you shop

Craig Archer
26/ 3/2003

THE Stockport Express has teamed up with supermarket giant Sainsbury's to give customers local news as they shop.

From this week, special plasma screens in the firm's flagship Hazel Grove store will flash up Express stories on a daily basis.

The initiative - one of only two in the UK - means shoppers will be able to keep up to speed with the events of the week as they do their shopping.

The electronic screens will give information on local news stories, sport in Stockport, entertainment and even the weather.

They will be in operation during the store's opening hours. Patricia Ferris, senior brand manager at Sainsbury's, said the exciting new scheme would provide shoppers with more 'infotainment'.

She said: "We want to make the shopping experience at Sainsbury's even more enjoyable.

"In line with our local marketing initiatives, we have decided to give customers local news so they can keep up with events as they shop in our store.

"The screens are based at the check-outs so shoppers can read their local news as they queue to pay for their items. This new level of infotainment will give people instant news updates throughout the day. It's a very exciting initiative and is currently only running at two of our stores."

Stewart Rigby, managing editor at the Stockport Express, said the pilot scheme was a great initiative.

He said: "We are delighted to be able to give Sainsbury's customers snippets of news from our publication. The scheme should prove to be a great success."