Woolworths was noted for the variety of products it offered, but this lack of specialisation may have also contributed to its downfall.
British shoppers are picking at the remains of Woolworths, formerly one of the UK's most successful retailers.
However, over the past 12 months, the High St retailer has fallen victim to the global financial crisis.
Shoppers have today been scouring the half-empty shelves for bargains before the doors
close for the last time tonight (NZ time).
All of its 815 stores in the UK are set to close down, with the loss of 27,000 jobs.
"Woolies" was known as the place to buy "anything" - from pick 'n' mix to CDs and tights.
However, analysts have suggested one of the key reasons Woolworths struggled in recent years is because its "one-stop shop" concept is a thing of the past.
The company's debt-laden predicament is a far cry from the clamour that greeted the first British store, which opened in Liverpool, northern England, in 1909 under the FW Woolworths brand - a subsidiary of the US company.
The British retail company has outlasted its original US parent, which closed its final Woolworths stores in 1997.
- NZHERALD STAFF
