Tesco shoppers have been left baffled to learn the clever meaning behind the supermarket's brand name, as many had no idea it had such a long history. It has been 97 years since Tesco opened its first ever supermarket in the UK, and customers are only just discovering the story behind the name.
Reddit Revelation
One Tesco shopper took to Reddit's 'Casual UK' subreddit to share their discovery. They wrote: 'Just been thinking before Tesco was called Tesco it was called T.E. Stockwell and Co. So does that mean Tesco's official name is just Tes company? TES for T.E Stockwell and company?' They also shared a photo of T.E. Stockwell tea bags, which are still sold in Tesco stores today.
In the comments, people were quick to clarify details. One user explained: 'The name came about after Jack Cohen bought a shipment of tea from Thomas Edward Stockwell. He made new labels using the initials of the supplier's name (TES), and the first two letters of his surname (CO), forming the word TESCO.'
Another shopper joked: 'Ohhh that's my chat-up line sorted next time I'm in Tesco. Hello, did you know...' A third admitted: 'Spent a lot of my life believing it was short for Tea, Eggs, Sugar, Company… as in, they provide all the essentials for the housewife of old.'
Origin of Tesco's Name
According to the official Tesco website, in 1919, Jack Cohen began selling surplus groceries from a stall in the East End of London using demob money from leaving the Royal Flying Corps after the Great War. Five years later, in 1924, he sold his first 'Tesco' branded item. The name derived from the initials of T.E. Stockwell, a partner in the tea suppliers firm, and 'CO' from Jack's surname.
Jack's shop idea quickly grew, and he opened his first Tesco store in Burnt Oak, Edgware, north London in 1929. This later blossomed into a store empire. In 1934, he bought a plot of land at Angel Road, Edmonton, north London, where he built a new headquarters and warehouse, making it the country's first modern food warehouse.
Tesco stores soon popped up all over London. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Jack introduced rationing ahead of the government to ensure everyone was treated equally, rich or poor. Today, Tesco stores are found all over the UK and have expanded abroad, with stores in Czechia, Ireland, Slovakia, and Hungary.
