Original version

BBC One North West

Pound Shop Wars

Documentaries

Factual

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.

BBC Two

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

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.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Pound Shop Wars

Series 2

Episode 4: The Multi-Price Battle

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One North West

About BBC One