[7][8][9] The company holds a royal warrant to supply groceries, wine, and spirits to King Charles III.

[15] In the early 21st century, Waitrose continued its expansion, which included purchasing shops from Somerfield,[16] Morrisons[17] and Woolworths.

[19] The partnership between the companies ended in 2012 having been deemed unsuccessful, which led to Boots replacing Waitrose products with items from Irish retailer Musgrave's SuperValu chain.

[23] In March 2010, Waitrose released a series of adverts, in print, online, and on national television, featuring celebrity chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal.

In September 2009, Duchy Originals, the struggling organic food business started by King Charles III was rescued by Waitrose, which agreed to an exclusive deal to stock the range, and to pay a small fee to his charity.

It differed from supermarket loyalty schemes like Tesco Clubcard and Nectar, giving cardholders access to exclusive competitions and offers instead of allowing them to collect points.

"[34] The Daily Telegraph also later reported that Waitrose has faced "complaints from disgruntled middle-class shoppers who claim its free coffee offer is attracting the wrong kind of customer".

[40] However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Partnership bonus was suspended in both the 2020 and 2021 financial years, angering many Partners as they felt their hard work was not recognised.

[42] The supermarket launched the Waitrose Foundation in 2005, providing funds for education, worker facilities, and health services among other things for fruit growers in South Africa.

[44] However, the company's expansion northwards and into Scotland since the mid-2000s has changed this significantly: the most northerly Waitrose shop is now located in Stirling, which opened in January 2013.

For example, the smallest branch, little Waitrose at King's Cross station, London,[46] occupies only 2,500 sq ft (230 m2) of retail space.

[54] A trial of a 'little Waitrose' fascia on smaller floor plate shops may yet lead to brand differentiation of some or all of the convenience estate.

John Lewis Partnership came on board as a principal supplier and part owner in October 2000, although the relationship between the two began formally in January 2002.

[67] In October 2011, Waitrose opened a "Dotcom Fulfilment Centre" in Acton, West London, less than two miles from its original shop.

The shop employs over 200 Partners and provides Waitrose internet food deliveries for most of west and central London from a dedicated site.

[68] In March 2020, Waitrose announced that it was to add its Waitrose.com online delivery service to 24 more of its stores across the UK in preparation for its split with Ocado in September 2020.

[70] Undercover footage captured at a slaughterhouse in the Waitrose supply chain showed distressed ducks being roughly put on to shackles before being sent to an electrical bath to be stunned.

[71] In 2024, it was reported staff at a slaughterhouse supplying Waitrose repeatedly hit pigs with paddles before they were killed in a carbon dioxide gas chamber.