Poundstretcher is a UK discount retailer founded in 1981, operating more than 300 stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.[1] The chain was previously styled as £-stretcher, a name that directly referenced the British pound sign in its wordmark.[2]
Design and History
Poundstretcher’s visual identity has undergone several significant changes since the company’s founding. In 2003, the retailer commissioned design consultancy Dalziel & Pow to create a new name, visual identity and interiors concept, leading to a rebrand of stores under the name “instore.”[3] The company was renamed Instore plc, and Poundstretcher stores were gradually rebranded to the new name.[2]
By 2006, a new chief executive concluded that the rebranding was not working, and from June 2009 new stores were opened under the Poundstretcher name once again.[2]
In September 2009, a new brand identity for Poundstretcher was created by Leeds-based print and production company Imageco. The six-figure project involved refreshing the existing brand identity before implementing new shop fronts and directional signage across roughly 400 new and existing stores.[4] The rebrand introduced new slogans: “Poundstretcher: Look What’s New Instore!” and “Welcome To The Original Value Store.”[5]
The current Poundstretcher logo features a red rectangular badge with white text, a design that appears on storefront signage across the chain’s UK locations.[6] The wordmark is accompanied by a pound sign (£) motif, which has been described as the “£-stretcher logo” in press coverage of the brand.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The brand name and logo directly reference the British pound sterling. The “£-stretcher” styling plays on the idea of stretching the value of a pound, a concept reinforced by the company’s “every penny counts” motto, which appeared on signage alongside the pound sign logo.[7] The pound sign remained part of the logo even when the retailer expanded to Dubai in 2012, where the local currency is the dirham.[7]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
