Tesco Annual Report and Accounts 1996

<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Tesco Annual Report and Accounts 1996</TITLE> <BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#FF0000" ALINK="#00FF00"> <p align=center> <TABLE> <TR> <TD> <A HREF="/../../default.htm"><IMG SRC="images/but1.gif" width=72 height=24 border=0 ALT="Tesco Homepage"></A><A HREF="page1.html"><IMG SRC="images/but2.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Corporate Strategy"></A><A HREF="page1b.html"><IMG SRC="images/but3.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Financial Highlights"></A><A HREF="page2.html"><IMG SRC="images/but4.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Chairman's statement"></A><A HREF="page6.html"><IMG SRC="images/but5.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Business Review"></A><A HREF="page20.html"><IMG SRC="images/but6.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Board of Directors"></A><A HREF="page22.html"><IMG SRC="images/but7.gif" width=73 height=24 border=0 ALT="Financial Review"></A><A HREF="page27.html"><IMG SRC="images/but8.gif" width=74 height=24 border=0 ALT="Accounts"></A> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=center> <IMG SRC="images/14a.gif" width=585 height=110 ALT="Product offer 2"> </TD> </TR> </table> <p> <IMG SRC="images/title.gif" width=104 height=19 align=right ALT="Tesco Plc"> <IMG SRC="images/12b.gif" width=134 height=19 ALT="Product offer 2"> <br> <br> Tesco offers customers the widest choice and the finest products from around the world. Yet the best supplies are often to be found on our very own doorstep. <p> <IMG SRC="images/14c.gif" width=130 height=130 align=right hspace=10 vspace=3 ALT="Product offer 2"> As part of our commitment to home products, we have continued to increase the amount of British goods sold in our stores. All our milk and eggs come solely from home suppliers, and the volume of fresh fruit and vegetables we buy in this country accounts for a quarter of the entire British market. Working closely with British suppliers, we have encouraged innovation so that products traditionally purchased abroad can now be produced at home. <p> A factory, built specifically to supply Tesco with ready-made Italian chilled meals, has opened in Warrington, Cheshire, creating two hundred jobs for local people. <p> New regional contracts, providing Tesco suppliers with greater financial security and commitment, have encouraged investment in new technology. For instance, extended growing seasons now mean that carrots and swedes can be produced in Britain all year round, so reducing the need to import from countries with warmer climates. <p> Investment in technology is also allowing us to make good use of other British crops. Trials have begun on a new British computer programme which uses weather information accurately to predict crop growth up to ten weeks in advance, allowing planned price promotions and substantially reducing waste. <p> <br><center> <IMG SRC="images/map.gif" width=353 height=553 ALT="Map of England"> </center> <p> <br> <A NAME="scotland"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>Scotland</B></FONT SIZE> <br> When Tesco acquired Wm Low, we kept a large number of local products on sale in stores. Shoppers north of the border can sample Strathmore spring water, Scottish Golden Wonder potatoes and Scotch Orange Marmalade. <p> <A NAME="northwest"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>North West</B></FONT SIZE> <br> Responding to local customer needs is a key priority for Tesco - hence Blackpool bread is on sale in the north west of England along with other locally sourced products. <p> <A NAME="midlands"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>Midlands</B></FONT SIZE> <br> Taste buds in the midlands can be tempted by Lincolnshire Sausages and Blue Shropshire cheese. Tesco stores sell a wide variety of local cheeses, catering for regional preferences. <p> <A NAME="wales"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>Wales</B></FONT SIZE> <br> A taste of the countryside is provided in Wales, thanks to products such as Welsh butter and Cariad table wine. <p> <A NAME="southeast"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>South East</B></FONT SIZE> <br> Tesco stores in the south east of England cater for customers with products such as New Forest charcoal, Gloucester honey and Canterbury teabags. <p> <A NAME="southwest"> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>South West</B></FONT SIZE> <br> The south west of England has a strong identity, which is reflected in products such as Fairings biscuits and Somerset brie. <br> <br> <br> <p align=center> <a href="page12.html">[Previous Report page]</a><a href="page16.html">[Next Report page]</a> <HR width=75%> <p align=center> <a href="/../../default.htm">[Tesco Homepage]</a><a href="index.html">[Annual Report Homepage]</a><a href="page1.html">[Corporate Strategy]</a> <a href="page1b.html">[Financial Highlights]</a><br><a href="page2.html">[Chairman's Statement]</a><a href="page6.html">[Business Review]</a><a href="page20.html">[Board of Directors]</a><a href="page22.html">[Financial Review]</a><a href="page27.html">[Accounts]</a> </body>