Booths forms buying pact with Waitrose

Preston-based luxury supermarket chain, Booths, has formed a buying alliance with larger rival Waitrose to exploit the "many synergies between the two brands".

A joint statement said the deal "will involve sharing cost prices and deal structures for branded food purchased by both supermarkets on a selected range of products".

Booths has 26 stores based in the North of England, while Waitrose, part of the John Lewis Partnership, has 192 supermarkets in England, Scotland and Wales.

Edwin Booth, chairman, said: "Booths has a history of having sourced an outstanding range of quality food and drink for over 160 years. We are looking forward to the alliance between Waitrose and Booths enabling us to continue to trade strongly to the benefit of our customers."

Booths was founded in 1847 and remains privately owned with the fifth generation of family in active management. It has 2,900 employees with a turnover of £244m to 31 March 2008.