A new central city supermarket opens its doors on Tuesday.
Countdown Auckland Metro has been designed with city dwellers and visitors in mind, and is a concept store in which shoppers use mini-trolleys or wheelie baskets rather than park their cars and load up.
The 2200sqm store opens at 17-25Victoria St West at 9am, and includes a range of ready-meals and snacks, including sushi, hot foods and sandwiches made in store.The supermarket will be open daily 7am to 10pm.
Along with the usual supermarket fare, the supermarket also has a Lotto store and a cafe.
Countdown Auckland Metro will employ 65 people, around 40 of those are new employees. It will also have eight self-service checkouts.
The store's owner, Progressive Enterprises, says it has been carefully designed and constructed to reduce its impact on the environment, and features a range of initiatives including an energy-efficient CO2 refrigeration system and night blinds on refrigerated cabinets, plus energy-efficient lighting to help minimise the store's carbon footprint.
The store is celebrating its opening with more than 4000 specials. Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye will open the store at 8am Tuesday.
Another new CBD supermarket - a New World - is also due to open, just a few hundred metres away at 125 Queen St.
