Morrisons is to start stocking its own-brand budget food and household products in 500 of its convenience stores over the coming weeks.

The supermarket chain said it is bringing its Savers range to the shelves of its Morrisons Daily stores, despite convenience stores typically not stocking lower-cost products.

It will come as a welcome step after consumer champion Which? urged supermarket giants to bring budget and essential ranges to smaller shops.

The rollout will start with 10 products including washing-up liquid, toilet rolls, skimmed milk, sausages and soup.

In the coming weeks, a further 30 items will hit the shelves such as eggs, ham, juice, butter, cheese and mince.

The supermarket giant has converted around 500 McColl’s convenience stores into Morrisons Daily shops, since buying the rival out of administration in May last year.

The overhaul resulted in prices going down by about 12% as it brought its own product ranges into stores, it said.

David Potts, chief executive of Morrisons, said it was unusual for convenience chains to stock cheaper items due to cost pressures.

He said: “Inflation is stubbornly high and the cost of living is showing no signs of reducing.

“Speaking plainly, the reason that convenience stores don’t stock entry price point products is because they make very little, if any, money and do not fit with the significantly higher cost structure of convenience stores.

“But customers – especially those living in areas without easy access to a supermarket – have told us how much they would appreciate it at this difficult time and so we are doing it.”

Essential budget ranges are hardly ever stocked in convenience stores, despite lower-income households shopping in the smaller local shops at least once a week, Which? said earlier this year.

In April, Which? found that budget line items were available less than 1% of the time in small Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local and Morrisons Daily convenience stores.

The group previously urged supermarket bosses to ensure affordable ranges that support a healthy diet are available in local shops, especially in areas where households are struggling the most.Morrisons said a number of franchise partners have also agreed to stock the budget range.

Furthermore, it said it was cutting the price of 18 top-selling products in its convenience stores, including two and four-pint milk, bread and tomatoes.