A UK discount store said its attempts to win customers over has had the opposite effect and instead was "overwhelming" people.

13:12, Wed, Jun 10, 2026 Updated: 13:17, Wed, Jun 10, 2026

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B&M 'overwhelmed' their customers with too much choice, its chief executive believes (file) (Image: Getty)

A UK discount store believes its 2026 shortcomings are self-inflicted as they gave customers an "overwhelming" set of options. Tjeerd Jegen, the chief executive of variety store B&M, believes that the problems for the business are of their own making rather than effects of the cost-of-living crisis or any change to customer appetite.

B&M has 787 supermarkets across the UK and a further 137 stores in France. But customers were not flocking to the store as frequently as they once did, with Jegen outlining the issues facing the business at present. Shares in the variety store have almost halved since the start of the Covid pandemic six years ago.

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Jegen told The Times: "Our pricing wasn’t great, promotions weren’t sharp enough and our range was too overwhelming for customers."

B&M is now cutting between 20% and 25% of its product range as part of a turnaround plan designed to simplify stores and improve value perception, according to Retail Gazette.

Jegen added that he expects these changes to be visible over this year and next year, adding that B&M remained well placed to benefit from shoppers looking for value.

B&M is not the only budget supermarket facing difficulties as Primark faces difficulties following a period of rapid expansion. Despite the drop-off in some businesses, retail experts believe that budget outlets are here to stay.

Retail analyst Richard Hyman said: "The discount boom isn’t over."

Analysts also pointed to growing competition from online low-cost platforms such as Temu, Shein and Joybuy, as well as the rise of resale platforms including Vinted and Depop in fashion.

GlobalData retail analyst Sofie Willmott said mainstream retailers had strengthened their value credentials, with Tesco and Sainsbury’s expanding loyalty-led pricing and M&S focusing on quality at more affordable prices.

She said shoppers were now prioritising value for money rather than low prices alone, making traditional discounters less compelling.