Tesco - Latest circular - United Kingdom
TescoLatest circular, valid until 27 November 2026

Quick answer: Tesco plans to open more than 70 new Express stores by the end of its 2026/27 financial year, after around 60 openings in 2025. Five former Amazon Fresh sites in London are being converted to Express stores, with reopening scheduled before summer 2026. Estimates of the Express network vary: one source says more than 2,000 across the UK and Ireland, and a December 2024 article gave 2,074 stores. I found no current UK figures for Extra, Metro or Superstore formats.

Last updated: November 2026. Store numbers and opening hours change often. Use the Tesco store locator for your nearest branch.

What Express is

Tesco runs several shop formats. Superstores and Extra stores are the big ones with groceries and general merchandise. Metro stores are mid-sized shops in town centres. Express stores are the small convenience shops you see on high streets and in housing estates, and they're what most people mean when they search "tesco express near me", "tesco esso express" or "tesco express delivery". Tesco also runs Express shops on petrol forecourts in partnership with Esso, which is why you'll see the 'Esso Express' name in some searches. Express stores stock the essentials: milk, bread, sandwiches, ready meals, drinks, a limited range of fresh food and basic household items. Prices are usually the same as in bigger Tesco shops for most items, but I haven't verified that for 2026, so check labels. Clubcard Prices apply in Express stores too, according to a 2026 guide that says Clubcard works across all formats, Tesco online groceries and Tesco petrol stations.

The expansion

Trade press reported that Tesco plans to open more than 70 new Express stores by the end of its 2026/27 financial year, after around 60 openings in 2025. Five former Amazon Fresh sites in London were bought and are being converted to Express stores, with reopening scheduled before summer 2026. That's a notable move, because Amazon's grocery format closed some of its UK stores, and Tesco is taking the sites over. One headline described it as Tesco securing former Amazon Fresh stores for its Express expansion. How many Express stores are there? Estimates vary. One source says Tesco already operates more than 2,000 Express outlets across the UK and Ireland, and a December 2024 article gave an existing network of 2,074 Express stores. The UK-only number may be lower because of the Irish stores. A stockanalysis page lists UK and Republic of Ireland stores at 3.85 thousand, but I couldn't confirm the year or the split by format. Tesco's annual report is the place for exact numbers.

ItemReported
New Express stores plannedMore than 70 by end of 2026/27 (after about 60 in 2025)
Former Amazon Fresh sitesFive in London converted to Express
Express network sizeMore than 2,000 (UK and Ireland); 2,074 in a Dec 2024 article
ClubcardWorks across formats and Tesco petrol stations (2026 guide)

Finding your nearest and checking hours

Use the Tesco store locator on tesco.com with your postcode. It lists the address and opening hours for each branch. Hours vary a lot between stores: some Express shops open until 11pm or midnight, some are open 24 hours, and some close early. Bank holiday hours often differ, and Christmas Day and Easter Sunday are special cases. Small shops of up to 280 square metres can open any hours on Sundays in England and Wales, as I explain in the article on Sunday trading, but larger Tesco stores are limited to six continuous hours. Map listings can be out of date. If you need a particular service, such as a cash machine, a Post Office counter or a parcel locker, check the store page or ring the branch. Don't assume every Express has them. Alcohol sales follow the licence conditions of each shop, and there's the age-limit rule: you must be 18, and staff will ask for ID if you look under 25 under the Challenge 25 policy. If you need delivery rather than a trip, Tesco has Whoosh for rapid delivery from local stores and Delivery Saver plans. Tesco's terms say Whoosh costs £2.99 plus a £2.50 small-basket charge under £15 outside the plan, and I cover that in the Tesco online article. For everyday top-ups, a walk to the Express is nearly always cheaper.

Getting value from an Express

Aldi - Latest circular - United Kingdom
AldiLatest circular, valid until 4 November 2026

Convenience stores charge for convenience. Compare the price of a few items you buy often with a bigger Tesco or Aldi, and you'll see where the premium bites. Milk, bread and meal deals are usually fine. Cleaning products and tinned goods can cost more. Clubcard Prices help narrow the gap. Meal deals in Express stores follow Tesco's pricing: £3.85 with a Clubcard and £4.25 without as of August 2025, which I look at in the meal deal article. Check dates on short-life items, and use the reduced-to-clear section in the evening, where fresh food is marked down. Freeze bread and meat bought on offer the same day. Don't let a convenience trip turn into a big shop at convenience prices. Safety and fraud: if you're asked to hand over card details by text or on a link about a 'Tesco order', ignore it. Real Tesco communication comes through the app and verified emails. Forward scam texts to 7726. If the Tesco offers are not quite what you need, it is worth comparing them with the latest Asda leaflet before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

How many Tesco Express stores are there?

Sources say more than 2,000 across the UK and Ireland, with a December 2024 article giving 2,074. Check Tesco's annual report for exact UK numbers.

What is happening with Tesco and Amazon Fresh?

Tesco bought five former Amazon Fresh sites in London to convert to Express stores, with reopening scheduled before summer 2026.

Does Clubcard work in Express stores?

A 2026 guide says Clubcard works across all Tesco formats, including Express.

Sources