Sainsbury’s plans push into UK beauty market. Supermarket to test beauty aisles staffed with specialists in 11 stores around the UK. Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) is taking on Boots, Superdrug and Debenhams with department store-style beauty aisles staffed with specialist assistants. As part of a substantial push into the UK’s £2.8bn beauty market, which is continuing to grow while fashion and homeware sales fall back, the larger beauty aisles will be tested out in 11 stores around the country and taken to more stores next year if it proves a success. The investment in beauty comes as supermarkets hunt for ways to use up shelf space once sued for TVs, microwaves and homeware. Sainsbury’s said it would be doubling the size of its beauty offering to up to 3,000 products, including brands such as Revlon, Essie, Tweezerman and Dr. PawPaw for the first time. Existing ranges from L’Oreal, Maybelline and Burt’s Bees will also get more space with branded areas similar to those found in shops like Boots
