Ever wondered how Tesco got its name? The story behind one of Britain's most iconic supermarket brands is more intriguing than you might think.
From humble beginnings to retail giant
What started as a simple market stall in 1919 has grown into the UK's largest supermarket chain, but few know the clever wordplay behind its famous name.
The tea connection
The 'Tesco' brand actually originated from tea. Founder Jack Cohen began by selling surplus tea from a stall in London's East End, using his military service initials and his supplier's name to create the brand.
A name born from partnership
The 'Tesco' name combines 'TES' from T.E. Stockwell (Cohen's tea supplier) and 'CO' from Cohen's own surname. This clever fusion created a memorable brand that would eventually dominate British retail.
From market stall to supermarket
The first Tesco store opened in 1929 in Burnt Oak, North London. The company grew steadily, pioneering self-service supermarkets in the UK during the 1950s and expanding nationwide.
Innovation in retail
Tesco revolutionised British shopping with innovations like the first 'pile it high, sell it cheap' approach and later introducing loyalty cards and online shopping.
Today, Tesco operates over 4,000 stores across the UK and internationally, employing around 360,000 people - all from that simple tea-inspired name.
