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Pound Shop Wars

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Documentary series following the competition between Britain's pound shop chains.

Documentary series following the competition between the rival pound shop chains on Britain's high streets.

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Pound Shop Wars: Series 2

Cat Lewis

Tom Williams

Nine Lives Media

Pound Shop Wars: Series 2: Episode 4: The Multi-Price Battle

The Multi-Price Battle

Episode 4

Episode 4: The Multi-Price Battle

Series 2

BBC One - Pound Shop Wars, Series 2, The Multi-Price Battle

With multi-price retailers doing well, Chris decides he wants a piece of the pie.

Documentary series following competing pound shop chains. With multi-price retailers doing well, Chris decides he wants a piece of the pie.

The rise of the pound shop has helped us all save our pennies in recent years, but there's another type of discount store we've also been flocking to - the multi-price retailer. There's no limit on price, which can ensure the retailers rich rewards. With the current discount leader B&M Bargains valued at double the price of all the pound shop chains put together, it's no wonder Poundworld owner Chris Edwards wants a piece of the multi-price pie.

Chris is going back to his roots, because his first ever chain of discount shops was multi-price rather than single-price. Chris and his team believe they have now come up with a new brand that will stand out from his competitors - Bargain Buys.

Chris plans to soon have fifty Bargain Buys stores, and one will be in St Helens. It's a challenging shop because it's standalone. All of Chris's other stores are on high streets, in shopping centres or on retail parks, so they can take advantage of shoppers' footfall. This store will have to attract customers, and divisional manager June admits that this is a big gamble.
 
New recruit Dom has ambitions to one day be where big boss Chris is, but for now he's willing to do anything to help publicise the new brand, including dressing up as the company's superhero mascot - Bargain Bob! With temperatures soaring, new recruit Dom finds it a tough job, but his efforts don't go in vain, as the shop's opening is a huge success.  

But now the customers are through the door, the store needs to make more sales. When prices are higher than a pound, shop staff need the skills to sell, so the manager organises some sales training. Can new recruit Dom step up to the multi-priced plate?

Poundworld has become a household name across the UK, and there is hope Bargain Buys will too, but Chris doesn't just create branding for his shops. He has also come up with own brands for his pet, baby and DIY ranges. In Canterbury, one fur-loving fundraiser thinks the pet range is the cat's pyjamas and buys big for a local dog charity.  

The success of pound shops and other low-price outlets is threatening the future of traditional markets. In Chester, market stalls closed down after the first Poundworld opened. With another nearby shop on the way, the future of the whole 150-year-old market could be in jeopardy. Chris himself may have started out as a market trader with just one stall, but now he's seen as the enemy, and the local traders take the opportunity to tell him what they think.

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Pound Shop Wars

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Episode 4: The Multi-Price Battle

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