Waitrose is offering yoga classes in its supermarkets, meaning you can follow up your weekly shopping dash with a moment of zen. Namaste.
The evening yoga sessions will be trialled in selected stores in Basingstoke, Banbury and Newbury, with a view to rolling them out nationwide if successful.
The sessions, which cost £7 each or £35 for six, will be run by qualified yoga instructors and held in either the supermarket’s cafés or community rooms - so you won’t have to downward dog while surrounded by tinned goods. Phew.
Classes will be suitable for all levels and interested parties can book online. Yoga mats are provided so all you need to bring is yourself and some stretchy clothes.
Senior yoga teacher Sam Rao, whose school is running the classes, said: “My recommendation is to eat well and move well so yoga in a supermarket could be the perfect balance.
“Yoga works the whole body and is a discipline for all. Stretching and working the muscles has always been associated with releasing stress both in the body and the mind, leading to good health.”
From Monday 12 February, Waitrose shops in Basingstoke and Newbury will host evening yoga sessions for an initial trial period. From Monday 19 February, customers at its new Banbury shop, which opened last month, will also be able to take part.
Yoga classes will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 7.15pm and 8.15pm. Stores are open until 9pm, so you could hypothetically squeeze in a shopping trip afterwards too - after all, you don’t want your ice cream to melt mid-mountain pose.
Moira Howie, nutrition manager at Waitrose, said: “We know that overall wellbeing is increasingly important to our customers. In addition to eating well they can now relax and enjoy the benefits of yoga in selected Waitrose stores while meeting new people.”
As part of a renewed commitment to wellness, the supermarket is trialling a personal nutritionist service in its Canary Wharf and Kingston shops, which is designed to provide customers with dietary advice tailored specifically to their individual needs.
It also recently unveiled its Good Health label, which features on hundreds of nutritious food and drink products to make it easier for shoppers to make healthier choices.