Post Office sets out to rival WH Smith

The Post Office is setting itself up as an arch-rival to WH Smith with a new look that will turn more than 500 of its outlets into copycat versions of the high street stalwart.

Books, DVDs, CDs and toys will all soon make an appearance on the shelves of 540 branches of the Post Office under a new initiative aimed at rejuvenating its musty, dusty offerings of cards and stationery.

Retail analysts often argue that if WH Smith didn't exist, no one would create it, but the Post Office is seeking to do just that.

Gordon Steele, the sales and marketing director, said: "Post Office branches occupy some of the best retail space in the country. Through transforming these outlets with new fixtures, layout and lighting and offering great value-for-money products, we will set a real challenge to high street retailers across the UK."

The Post Office has been trialling the new offer in a dozen of its branches for the past 12 months but has decided the time is right to roll it out nationally. It has teamed up with ISA Retail, a distributor that also supplies Boots, J Sainsbury and John Lewis, and hopes to have completed the bulk of its rollout in time for Christmas. All the branches will be refurbished as part of the scheme. Eventually it hopes to offer its 14,000 sub-branches a similar offer.

The new offer will also include goods such as mini hi-fis and DVD players, pitting it against retailers such as Argos and WH Smith.