Retail Business Transformation
Working with Sainsbury’s to overcome ineffective governance, adopt a modern product approach, and deliver major gains in revenue, culture, and market responsiveness.
Case Details
Client: Sainsbury’s
Date: 2016
Tags: Retail, Faster Delivery
Project Duration: 12 Months
Client Website: sainsburys.co.uk
Accelerate Your Transformation Today!
Is your organisation ready to overcome legacy barriers and drive innovation at scale?
Connect with our experts to learn how tailored strategies in leadership alignment, rapid experimentation, and streamlined decision-making can deliver tangible financial gains, empower your teams, and strengthen your market position.
Don’t let old processes hold you back – start your transformation journey now.
The Background
Sainsbury’s, a longstanding British supermarket with a rich heritage, was under intense pressure from emerging competitors such as Aldi and Lidl. Despite a strong values-driven culture emphasising inclusion, the organisation struggled to respond swiftly to market shifts. Prolonged decision-making processes – often delayed by multiple steering committees – hampered progress, while the legacy approach to store layouts and operations hindered innovation. Senior leadership had made a public commitment to bring forward an additional £500 million in revenue and savings, but ineffective ways of working risked falling short of market expectations.
There were a number of key challenges to address:
Simple operational decisions could take nine months due to cumbersome governance and inclusive but inefficient steering committees.
A genuine desire to ‘include everyone’ paradoxically led to paralysis, preventing rapid adaptation.
Disruptors like Aldi and Lidl leveraged their pan-European buying power and lean store operations, challenging Sainsbury’s market share.
Outdated processes – from hand-baked bread inconsistencies to technology that lagged decades behind – undermined customer experience and store efficiency.
Leadership teams had strong ideas but faced rigid controls around spending and an entrenched “perfect before we start” mindset.
The Solution
The organisation engaged external consultants from Adaptavis and JCurv to inject pace and collaboration – no more slow committees, no more drawn-out decisions. They needed a modern way of working that mirrored the realities of a fast-evolving retail landscape.
Leadership alignment was the first priority. Senior figures, including the CEO and transformation lead, convened in offsite strategy sessions to hammer out a fresh vision. This vision laid down clear principles that empowered teams on the frontline. Through a Mission Command model, these goals and principles flowed down through every level, so everyone understood both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’.
A cultural shift followed, anchored in rapid experimentation. Safe-to-fail trials meant that new ideas – like self-scan devices or premium product tests- were rolled out in weeks rather than months. Meanwhile, transparency took centre stage: expansive Kanban boards put everything on display in communal spaces. That visibility helped teams spot bottlenecks, celebrate wins, and stay energised. Crucially, steering committees handed over more budget and decision rights to frontline teams, reducing red tape and slashing overall lead times.
Practical tools and coaching underpinned this transformation. Cost of Delay analysis made the financial consequences of slow decision-making crystal clear, spurring leaders to act. Regular check-ins guaranteed open dialogue, letting teams raise blockers early and leadership remove them fast. The result? A simpler, swifter, and more collaborative approach that finally aligned with modern retail demands.
