Sainsbury’s is one of the pioneers of UK grocery retailing. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann, the business was one of the earliest adopters of the self-service shopping model that would go on to revolutionise the way people purchased food. Based in Holborn, London, the business operates around 1,500 stores across its supermarket format and Sainsbury’s Local convenience division. In 2016, Sainsbury’s acquired Argos in a £1.4bn deal designed broaden its reach into general merchandise, ramp up its online and digital expertise, and provide Argos with a greater presence inside the grocer’s larger stores. As well as Argos, Sainsbury’s also owns the Tu clothing label – one of the largest fashion brands in the UK by sales volume – but its core grocery business continues to account for the majority of group sales.
A host of retail’s frontline workers have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours list for their response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Issa brothers’ £6.8bn swoop on Asda may be an exception that proves the rule. While the forecourt convenience retail entrepreneurs have put their money into a primarily bricks-and-mortar business, other people’s cash is increasingly going elsewhere.
The battle for the online food home-delivery market is entering the world of the surreal.
The retail industry’s meritocratic reputation has always been celebrated.
Retail is an industry long admired for the shop floor-to-boardroom career path it can offer workers from all walks of life.
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