Tesco stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland 2012-2023

How many Tesco stores are there in the UK?

Tesco operated 4,169 stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland including franchise stores in 2023. Store numbers have been increasing since 2012. The company had the biggest increase in store numbers in 2014 with 246 more stores compared to the previous financial year. In comparison other years only a minor growth in store numbers.

Company profile

The multinational-operating grocery and general merchandise retailer Tesco PLC was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen (1898-1979). Their product portfolio includes food and beverages, clothing, home appliances, and financial services. Tesco is one of the leading supermarket brands in the United Kingdom (UK), consistently ranking highest in terms of grocery market share. The company is headquartered in Hertfordshire, England and employs roughly 337,000 people worldwide.

Tesco operates almost 5,000 stores around the world. In the UK, they provide about six different store formats to their customers which vary in size and product range. Tesco Superstores, for example, are standard large supermarkets that sell mostly food products and a much smaller range of non-food products in comparison to Extra stores.

Tesco’s market position in detail

Most of Tesco’s annual revenue is generated from its key market: the United Kingdom. Additionally, they sell products in stores located in other European and Asian countries. Based on market share, Tesco’s main rivals in the grocery store business include Asda and Sainsbury’s. The latest business figures showed that discount stores are gaining more and more market share as customer spending moves from traditional retailers to discounters, such as Lidl or Aldi.