Tesco is one of the largest food retailers in the world, operating around 2,318 stores and employing over 326,000 people.
As well as operating in the UK, it has stores in the rest of Europe and Asia. It also provides online services through its subsidiary, Tesco.com. The UK is the company 's largest market operating under four banners: Extra, Superstore, Metro and Express.
Tesco sells approximately 40,000 food products in its superstores, as well as clothing and other non-food lines. The company 's own-label products are at three levels, value, normal and finest. Own brand accounts for approximately 50% of sales.
As well as convenience produce, many stores have gas stations. The company has become one of Britain 's largest petrol independent retailers. Other retailing services offered in the UK include Tesco Personal Finance and Tesco.com. Tesco Personal Finance is a joint venture with the Royal Bank of Scotland. It has over 3.4 million customers, and provides various financial products and services.
The company has operations in the rest of Europe, including the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Turkey. In Asia, the company operates in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Tesco 's Republic of Ireland business operates in the region of 82 stores, and around 60 stores in the Hungarian market. Tesco 's Polish operations include former HIT operated stores. It operates around 66 hypermarkets and supermarkets in this country. In the Czech Republic and Slovakian markets, Tesco operates 22 and 23 hypermarkets respectively.
Tesco also operates stores in Asia, including Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. The company operates 64 stores in Thailand and 28 stores in the South Korean Market, while in the Taiwanese and Malaysian markets it has three stores in each nation.
HISTORY:
Tesco was originated in the markets of London 's East End, where in 1914, war veteran Jack Cohen