DECEMBER 1995 J SAINSBURY Savacentre S^/333Y4^//(3 SANTA CLAUS IS MAKINa HIS ROUNDS AT JS STORES THROUOHOUT NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ENOLAND. HE PICKED UP HIS IS FT. SIEHIH IN HARROSATE ON NOVEMBER IS, AND WILL BE MAKINO APPEARANCES 'My best wishes to you all for a AND TAKINO CHILDREN FOR RIDES UNTIL DECEMBER 23 AT KEMPSHOTT. very happy Christmas and New Year. I would like to thank you most warmly for your hard work and CONTENTS commitment to the company over the last year. I hope that you and HEADLINES 2-7 your families enjoy good health and BRANCH OPENINGS happiness throughout 1996.' STOCKTON SAVACENTRE 7 RUISLIP JS 8 «\^^>_J J HERMISTON GAIT > HOMEBASE 8 HEDGE END HOIMEBASE 9 David Sainsbury WITNEY JS 9 WRITELINES 10/11 PHOTO COMPETITION RESULTS 12/13 RETAIL REVIEW LIVE 14 JUST THE JOB - PA IS BUYERS CONFERENCE 16 The Blue Peter Appeal is gaining CHECK THIS OUT 17-19 momentum in stores across the CHILDREN IN NEED 20 country, with 626 tonnes of paper waste having already been SPENDING THE 125 CHARITY MONEY 21 collected for recycling. The appeal aims to help a UK charity SSA - WIN A CRUISE ON THE QEII 22/23 called Whizz Kidz buy specialised wheelchairs for NEW LINES 24/25 disabled children through the collection of white paper, leaflets PUZZLES AND POSERS 26 and greeting cards. The waste is PEOPLE 27 then sold for recycling, and the money raised will be used to buy ARCHIVES 28 the wheelchairs. Store director Richard Smith had to decorate the tree as well as a six the idea for a giant tree and he and foot star at the top. MANAGING EDITOR his deputy Alan Seed set about The lights were officially BRIDQET WILLIAMS trying to find a tree large enough switched on by Arsenal footballer EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS to make an impact. Ray Parlour, the London Town ABBIE BOULTON SAVANA BURKE One and half miles of electric Crier and Santa Claus. cable and 4,000 lights were needed EDITORIAL SERVICES BY RED EDIT Season's cheatings DESIGN John Cleese has turned the successful recipe television ad campaign HELEN JONES on its head this Christinas. PRINTING SREENSHIRES PRINT LTD Rather than showing viewers how Christmas is to get someone else to to make simple but delicious do all the work!' dishes he shows them how to cheat The 60 second commercial is JS JOURNAL - by buying the Occasions range of being shown for three weeks from J SAINSBURY PLC STAMFORD HOUSE prepared party foods. He pokes November 26 and John is the 21st STAMFORD STREET LONDON SEl 9LL fun at the ads in his unique style: in a long line of celebrity after wreaking havoc in the kitchen presenters of the series of ads that TEL: 0171-921 7033 he concludes, 'The secret of OASIS I.D.: 'IS. JOURNAL' began over four years ago. JS JOURNAL JS role in royal visit Taliiing bacli at Haywards Heath store. Store manager Paul Stefansid with some of his staff. TalkBack comes to the crunch The TalkBack team says a matches up very well to big thank you to everyone this. who took part in the first Now all the data is being phase of the TalkBack 'crunched' to provide the survey, which featured in results which will be the October issue of the JS reported by store or head Journal. office department. These This was launched in will be available in mid- South Eastern region and in January, once the Christ­ Her Majesty The Queen met members of JS including Brendan Glynn and Jane Blower. the finance division and mas rush is over. Then for there was a tremendous all the Phase 1 locations, Attending a reception as 'The first thing the patron of Africa '95, a Queen asked me was why Christmas at the response rate of 70%. This the work really starts - celebration of the diversity Sainsbury's was included South ^'-^'^ ^ is higher than expected and gaining a clear under­ found in ttie Deptford area, in the royal presentation,' reflects the amount of effort standing of the results and the Queen was introduced laughs Colin. 'We will in that went into making sure taking action based on what to Colin Etheridge, South fact be the largest emp­ everyone had an opport­ you have said. East regional director, who loyer in the area and have unity to have their say. The rest of the company accompanied her on a tour enjoyed huge support from Other companies who will have a chance to fill in of the exhibits. During her the Deptford City Chall­ have well-established a TalkBack questionnaire walkabout the Queen also enge with recruitment. She employee surveys get an early in the New Year. met Brendan Glynn, was very happy to hear average response rate of More details will be in the designated manager for the that we are leading invest­ 65.9%, so our first attempt next issue of the Journal. new store under construc­ ment in Deptford, and that tion at New Cross Gate, we're looking forward to a and development market­ continuing relationship ing manager Jane Blower. with the local community.' Off the wall art experts from the Contem­ Tom's triumph Our intrepid explorer, porary Art Society for Roger Mear, has sale at bargain prices completed the first stage ranging from £100 to of his 1,700 mile journey. £2.000. 'This is an opportunity for people Roger, who is being interested in art to own an original work at a very supported by Sainsbury's, reasonable price,' says left Nerkner Island on George Yates-Mercer, November 24 and is now the Society's financial onto the Filchner ice shelf. secretary. 'We make it We sent Roger this possible for members of e-mail message on behalf of The aisles were full as both the public to take original all the Group's employees. experienced and first time art out of a gallery setting It will be read to him on his buyers of contemporary art and bring it into their L to r: South area general manager David Boverhoff; Tom arrival at the South Pole, perused the wares on offer own lives; a move that and his wife Denise-Anne; and Chris Papadapoulos of Addis. scheduled for Christmas. at the Contemporary Art can only be beneficial for Tom Davey, manager of two local Homebase stores 'Congratulations, Society Market at the collectors, artists and the Crayford Homebase, was - Rochester and Crayford. Roger - you're half way Royal Festival Hall in London. arts community as a runner-up in the Addis/ And because of the highly there! 130,000 staff at whole." DIY Superstore Magazine successful customer serv­ Sainsbury's, Homebase, Held from November Superstore Manager of the ice initiatives he has led in Texas, Savacentre and 7-12. this Sainsbury's This year's Market Year Competition. his store - one of these was Shaw's are rooting for you -sponsored event incr­ made over £200.000. Tom's entry made an inviting regular customers and send you warmest eases in popularity and which will be used to buy impression with the judges to meet him after hours in good wishes for a safe and success every year. Over new works of art for the because of his involve­ the store to voice their speedy journey home.' 1.000 works of art are nation's museums and ment in the revamping of comments and complaints. specially selected by public galleries. DECEMBER 1995 BffilffHI^ Seeing how the other half works Almost 100 store managers have visited head office over the past two months in an initiative to develop a better understanding between buyers and retailers. The store managers were given tours of various departments at head office including ISD, the comp­ any archives, various buy­ ing departments, marketing and logistics. Jeremy Howell- Thomas, retail project The enormous building distribution is to be manager, explains the near Liverpool is twice the handled by Northern Foods Staff are assurance of quality thinking behind the size of a typical Savacentre Transport. initiative: 'We are aware store and required 30,000 Northern regional there is a lack of under­ tonnes of concrete just for distribution manager Ian standing between the the foundations. At full Fidler told the Journal, branches and head office. speed, the new depot will 'This is a very exciting We hope with these visits move one million 'pieces' strategic development in we will give the people per week to JS stores in the the north as the Scottish taking part a greater under­ North West of England, openings are coming standing of each other's Scotland and the new through and we expand problems, and enable them stores in Ireland next year. into Ireland next year. It is to develop their network­ It is the first depot built a step forward in controll­ ing skills and improve by JS for over 25 years and ing our distribution system. their business awareness.' is uniquely to be operated This development rings the Charlton depot has attained a British Standards Next year, the visits as a partnership. Most of changes in distribution and Institute Award for its International Standards Organ­ will continue with mana­ the 500 staff will work for helps us maximise the isation (ISO) 9002 programme for quality assurance. gers from more districts. Wincanton, who manage payloads on vehicles and 'We would like to include the warehouse, and the the use of our fleet.' The award was achieved complaints are dealt with deputy managers in the through asking staff how to efficiently.