Details

30 mins, 2003

Tesco is the biggest UK supermarket. What are the secrets of its marketing mix?

Tesco’s product isn’t the stuff on the shelves – it’s the fact that it sells everything from mince to mortgages.

Tesco used to “pile’ em high and sell’ em cheap”. Today, it still fights price wars. But how cheap is Tesco, in reality?

In the ’60s Tesco’s place was in the high street. Then it began out of town shopping. Now it has specialised outlets everywhere. It uses TV ads to create a cuddly image.

But it has other promotional tricks, too – its club card and “computers for schools” scheme.

But are such tactics ethical? Tesco claims to pursue socially responsible policies. But how is it really using its enormous power?