Superbrands UK Annual Vol.21 Tesco was founded in 1919 when Jack Cohen, fresh from serving in World War I, set up a stall in Well Street Market, Hackney. With a commitment to offering great value for customers, Tesco has grown over the last 100 years into the UK’s leading grocer. It now has 400,000 colleagues and 6,700 stores worldwide Market Marketing Week recognised Tesco as its the whole food supply chain, including stores. Tesco is the UK’s largest grocer with a 27% Brand of the Year 2020. Furthermore, in 2019, Tesco had to rapidly adapt its response, market share (Source: Kantar WorldPanel). Tesco was voted by customers as Britain’s Favourite focusing on four key areas: providing food Its offering is unparalleled in the grocery market, Supermarket, for a fifth consecutive year, for all, safety for everyone, support for providing customers with affordable, quality and at The Grocer Gold Awards. Numerous other colleagues and support for communities. sustainable products. It serves nearly 50 million industry accolades include Grocer awards, shoppers every week in the UK, both online for both service and availability in 2019 and The investments and improvements that Tesco and across a range of store formats. 2020. It was also recognised as Supermarket had made over the last five years in the online of the Year 2019 at the Retail Industry Awards business meant that it was able to quickly ramp and Online Retailer of the Year 2019 at the up online capacity when the outbreak started. DID YOU KNOW? IGD Awards. It increased total slots from around 600,000 before the crisis to just under 1.5 million in August, Tesco fulfilled the first-ever online Tesco’s communications are also multi-award supporting more than 650,000 vulnerable winning. The Food Love Stories campaign was customers. In August 2020, Tesco announced grocery order, made by customer recognised at the Retail Week Awards 2019 and the creation of 16,000 new permanent roles Jane Snowball, in 1984 Media Week Awards 2018. It also received the to bolster its exceptional online growth. This is Grand Prix at Thinkbox TV Planning Awards, in addition to the 4,000 permanent jobs already 2019 and a prestigious Media Lions Grand Prix created since the start of the pandemic. at Cannes. Furthermore, Tesco’s Centenary In 2017, Tesco acquired Booker, the UK’s leading campaign won Best Paid Social Media at the Tesco has committed to removing one billion wholesaler. By combining the retail expertise Digital Drum Awards 2020 and Tesco Magazine pieces of plastic from its UK stores by the end of Tesco and the wholesale expertise of Booker, was Highly Commended for Best Use of Content of 2020. Addressing the key sustainability Tesco positioned itself as the UK’s leading food at the Marketing Week Masters 2018. challenges caused by food production and business, accessing new avenues of growth consumption is a longstanding priority for such as the out-of-home market. Recent Developments Tesco – ensuring products are good for customers, The outbreak of Covid-19 saw an unprecedented, good for the planet, and good for the people Product sudden increase in demand, putting pressure on that produce them. Tesco offers an expansive range of groceries, including 16 great value Exclusively at Tesco brands. This is complemented by its clothing brand, F&F; exclusive homeware brands, Go Cook and Fox & Ivy; other general merchandise available in larger stores; as well as Tesco Mobile and Tesco Bank, offering mobile phone and banking products. Achievements Over the last five years, Tesco has taken decisive action as part of its efforts to become a stronger, more customer-focused business. 2019 marked the completion of this turnaround, which spanned re-engaging colleagues, resetting relationships with suppliers and a focus on serving customers better. This has not only added value for shareholders but also placed Tesco in a strong position to respond to the impact of Covid-19, one of the most disruptive periods in its 100-year history. uk.superbrands.com 64021_SB20_092-093_Tesco.indd 92 06/11/2020 08:31 Tesco Brand History 1919 Jack Cohen starts out by running a market stall in east London. 1929 Jack opens his fi rst store in north London, selling dry goods. The name Tesco is born using the initials of his tea supplier T.E. Stockwell and CO from Jack’s surname. 1934 Jack continued to grow the business, opening a new headquarters and the UK’s fi rst modern warehouse. 1947 Tesco is fl oated on the London Stock Exchange. 1955 Tesco reaches the milestone of 500 stores and in 1958 unveils the fi rst supermarket. 1963 Green Shield Stamps are introduced, an early forerunner to Clubcard vouchers. 1968 Tesco opens the UK’s fi rst superstore. 1973 Tesco begins selling petrol at large stores. 1992 Tesco introduces smaller format Metro and Express stores. 1995 Tesco Clubcard launches. 2000 Tesco.com is launched, followed by Tesco Mobile in 2002. 2018 Tesco merges with Booker. 2020 Tesco donates a £30 million package of support for local communities tackling Covid-19. Tesco is also mindful of its customers’ evolving In March 2020, Tesco launched Aldi Price Match, In January 2019, Tesco’s best performing value needs, launching new plant-based and meat-free a bold new proposition matching the prices campaign in eight years, marking its Centenary ranges, including Wicked Kitchen and Plant Chef, on hundreds of Tesco and branded products year, saw the highest recall in ‘value advertising’ as well as an award-winning Free From gluten, with Aldi, ensuring customers are getting in the UK (Source: Millward Brown). This year-long wheat and dairy range. competitive prices on these products at Tesco campaign, to ‘Celebrate 100 years of Great Value’ and saving themselves a trip. at Tesco, used nostalgic and iconic characters Tesco launched Clubcard in 1995 to better from the past. understand and communicate with its customers, Promotion and today there are 19 million households in Tesco has a long history of witty and populist Meanwhile, the launch campaign for Clubcard the UK with a Clubcard. At the end of 2019, advertising campaigns. From the quirky Dudley Plus took legendary images and sequences Tesco launched the UK’s fi rst grocery loyalty Moore jet-setting around the globe in search from Casablanca and disrupted them with subscription service, Clubcard Plus, giving of great quality food to Prunella Scales’s long- conversations about Clubcard Plus benefi ts, customers benefi ts including 10% off two standing role as loveable customer, Dotty. bringing to life the idea of ‘value that you ‘big shops’ in-store each month. In recent years, the retailer has seen success can’t stop talking about’. across several campaigns. Food Love Stories, DID YOU KNOW? one of Tesco’s longest-running campaigns Brand Values in recent history, recognises the important role ‘Serving shoppers a little better every day’ that food plays in people’s lives while refl ecting is Tesco’s core purpose, underpinned by three Tesco has given £83m to 33,000 diversity and the different ways we enjoy values: No one tries harder for customers; local community projects through food. During lockdown, the ‘Food Love Stories We treat people how they want to be treated; – Dedications’ campaign saw Tesco customers Every little help makes a big difference. its ‘Bags of Help’ grants create and dedicate a special dish to a loved one and share it on social media. tesco.com 64021_SB20_092-093_Tesco.indd 93 26/10/2020 14:56.