Tesco.com - Competition Commission

Product choice

Product Choice is increasing

Choice is not just about deciding where to shop, but also about having a choice of different products when you get there, and the right information to help chose between them. Many of our stores stock over 40,000 product lines. Even our little neighbourhood ‘Express’ stores stock a choice of well over 2,000 lines.

Individual customers tell us they value being able to buy from a wide range; their favourite brands, regional produce, international cuisine, organic and healthy options to name but a few. And customers' demands are changing as lifestyles change. Innovation is therefore essential if we are to keep pace with our customers’ needs. We introduced around 8,000 new product lines last year to help do this. Here are just a few examples of the diversity of choice available through Tesco’s food ranges:

• 400 ‘Healthy Living’ products. Many customers look to Tesco to help them live more healthily. We try to do this through dedicated ranges, through better information on products, and advice in store and online. The ‘Healthy Living’ range originally launched in 1985 now contains over 400 products which are low in fat and sodium.

• 150 ‘Free From’ products. The feedback from one customer whose son had severe food intolerances led to the development of the ‘Free From’ range which was launched in 2002. The range now includes 150 products designed to make life easier for people with food allergies and intolerances.

• 40 Special healthy Kids snacks. We have also introduced the 'Kids' range designed for 5 to 10 year olds to ensure that they enjoy healthy mealtimes. Children's diets actually need more nutrients, not just a reduced number of unhealthy ingredients, so the Kids range was developed as a good source of fibre, wholegrain and five-a-day fruit and vegetables.

• 1,200 Organic product lines. Customers from all walks of life told us they wanted to buy more organic food. They also told us the barriers to buying more were availability and affordability. Over the last year we have broadened and integrated our organic ranges, and are working with our suppliers to ensure even more diverse and more affordable organic food.

• Widest Fairtrade range in the UK. We strongly support Fairtrade. We offer our customers the widest fair-trade range available in the UK with almost 100 product lines. Fairtrade guarantees that developing world farmers are paid a fair price that covers the cost of production plus a premium to be spent on community projects such as better healthcare, sanitation, education or housing.

Product innovation is not limited to our food ranges, but our growing non-food ranges too have introduced choices of many new product lines: from sporting goods including equestrian equipment to new ranges of ‘homeware’ and recently PC software. Whatever we develop is done in partnership with suppliers through listening to what customers want.