List of supermarket chains in the United Kingdom
This is a list of supermarket chains in the United Kingdom. Grocery sales in the UK are dominated by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. These, dubbed the 'big four', had a combined market share of 73.2% of the UK grocery market in the 12 weeks ending 4 January 2015, a decline from 74.1% in 2007. Discounters Aldi and Lidl have seen a combined rise in market share from 4.8% to 8.3% over that time, while upscale grocer Waitrose's share rose from 3.9% to 5.1%. As of KANTAR data published on 24 March 2019, the market share is dominated by Tesco, with Asda being second and Sainsbury's third. Morrisons are the largest of the remaining stores.
In early 2017, Tesco announced a deal to merge with Booker, the UK's largest wholesale food retailer, while Aldi became the 5th biggest supermarket.
Premier Supermarkets, a subsidiary of Express Dairies, opened the UK's first supermarket in Streatham, South London in 1951, though The Co-operative Food opened Britain's first fully self-service store in March 1948 in Albert Road, Southsea.
List of current UK supermarket chains
List of defunct UK supermarket chains
These supermarkets are either no longer trading, have been renamed, or have been taken over and rebranded.| Supermarket | Image | Founded / came to UK | Fate | Closed | Notes |
| APT Stores | Chain of small supermarkets with the catchphrase The Store with More. | ||||
| Bejam | 1968 | Bought by Iceland | 1989 | Frozen foods | |
| Big W | 1998 | Discontinued, rebranded as Woolworths | 2004 | 21 store chain of megastores styled after Walmart in America; 7 of the stores were sold to Asda and Tesco and the remaining 14 stores were rebranded and downsized under the regular Woolworths banner. | |
| Bishops | Bought by Budgens | 1984 | 63 stores in south east England | ||
| BP Safeway | 1962 | Dissolved following Safeway takeover by Morrisons | Partnership between BP plc and Safeway, listed as Equinox retailing; some stores now Tesco Express | ||
| Brian Ford's Discount Store | 1975 | Bought by Tesco in 2004 | 2010 | Opened by Brian Ford after the sale of the family Ford & Lock business to Gateway in 1974. The business opened in the former Deveres Kensington engineering building in Barnstaple, Devon expanding with an extension in 1981. The business was based on the 'cash & carry' principle. The business was purchased by Tesco in 2004 but continued to be run as Brian Fords until permission was gained to build a Tesco Extra | |
| Brierleys Supermarkets | Superseded by Hillyards supermarket | Embrionic supermarket chain founded by a former market trader in Northamptonshire, offering very low prices with a moderate choice of products; on occasions the owner would set up a market stall right in the middle of the supermarket | |||
| Burton Supermarkets | Bought by Fine Fare | Small Nottinghamshire based supermarket chain purchased by Fine Fare and re-branded | |||
| Capital Freezer Centres | Now owned by Farmfoods | Chain of freezer stores located in England and Scotland; owned by United Biscuits since 1979; a management buyout happened in 1989 | |||
| Carrefour | 1970s | UK business sold to Gateway/Somerfield, then later to Asda | 1990 | ||
| Cartier's Superfoods | c.1970 | Bought by Tesco | 1979 | Small Kent based supermarket chain taken over by Tesco | |
| Cater Brothers | 1881 | Became part of Prestos | 1979 | Henry John Cater founded the grocery and provisions business in Mile End, London 1881. Cater Brothers were a South East-based chain. When their first supermarket opened in 1958 it was the largest in the UK. In 1972 they were bought out by Debenhams after the death of the chairman Leslie Cater in the same plane crash that killed F J Wallis. In 1979 Debenhams sold the chain to Allied Suppliers who re-branded the stores under their Presto brand. | |
| Challenge Supermarket | Became part of Frank Dee | Supermarket based in Yorkshire that was purchased by Frank Dee in the 1980s and incorporated into the chain. | |||
| Cooltrader | brought out by Heron Foods | 2017 | Opened in Wrexham, founded by Iceland founder Malcolm Walker. Cooltrader became part of Iceland after Malcolm Walker's takeover of that business, then sold in 2012 to Heron Foods. | ||
| Coopers & Co | Bought by Fine Fare | 1955 | Scotland based supermarket and grocers chain bought by Fine Fare and re-branded as Coopers Fine Fare | ||
| Cordon Bleu | 1964 | Owned by Argyll Supplies | Chain of freezer shops owned by Argyll Supplies; stores were re-branded under the Lo-cost or Presto name | ||
| County Stores | Sold to Gateway, converted to Somerfield | 1990 | |||
| Crazy Prices | Bought by Tesco | ABF owned Northern Ireland group | |||
| Dalgety Freezer Centres | Bought by James Gullivers Argyll Supplies | 38 freezer centre bought by James Gulliver and added to Argyll Supplies Cordon Bleu business. | |||
| David Greig | Bought by Fitch Lovell | Merged into Key Markets | |||
| DEE Discount Stores | Re-branded as Gateway, later Somerfield now owned by Co-op | Chain of supermarkets based in North East of England; parent company Linfood Holdings purchased the smaller Gateway chain and re-branded stores as Gateway and the parent company as Dee Corporation | |||
| Downsway Supermarkets | Bought by Fine Fare | 1978 | East Anglian based supermarket group with 80 stores owned by Vestey Group; sold in 1978 and converted to Fine Fare stores | ||
| Elmo | Bought by Fine Fare | Small chain of 28 stores based in East Anglia and the South of England; bought for £1m by Fine Fare; rebranded as Fine Fare | |||
| Fairway | c.1960s | Bought by Frank Dee | 1980s | Doncaster based chain of supermarkets bought by Frank Dee in 1980s and converted into that chain | |
| Fine Fare | 1951 | Bought by Gateway | 1986 | Britain's third supermarket until the 1980s behind Tesco and Sainsburys; bought by Gateway Corp. in 1986 and shops rebranded as Gateway by 1988 | |
| Ford & Lock | 1960 | Sold to Gateway | 1974 | 36 shops across south-west England; owner Brian Ford went on to open a new store in his own name | |
| Freeze Fair | 66 freezer store chain owned by Jobs Dairies bought by Argyll Supplies and added to Cordon Bleu chain | ||||
| Freezeway | Bought by Farmfoods | Small chain of freezershops bought by Farmfoods | |||
| FreshXpress | , a typical style of FreshXpress store inherited from Kwik Save, this store has since been demolished and a new Netto store proposed | 2007 | Administration in 2008, liquidated in 2009 | 2009 | Smaller stores of former Kwik Save chain; bought out by management team led by Brendan Murtagh |
| Frank Dee Supermarkets | Re-branded as Gateway, later Somerfield now owned by Co-op | Chain of supermarkets based in North East of England; parent company Linfood Holdings purchased the smaller Gateway chain and re-branded stores as Gateway and the parent company as Dee Corporation | |||
| Galbraith supermarkets | 1894 | Bought by Allied Suppliers, then Argyll Group | Scottish chain | ||
| Gateway Foodmarkets | 1950 | Rebranded as Somerfield | 1992 | ||
| Grandways | Some stores sold to Argyll Group for their Presto chain and Kwik Save, remainder renamed Jacksons | 1992/3 | Regional in Yorkshire | ||
| GT Smith | Bought by Co-operative Group | 2002 | Regional in West Yorkshire | ||
| Haldanes | 2009 | 2011 | Went into administration 2011 | ||
| Hanburys | 1889 | Bought by Co-Op | 1997 | Started in 1889 when Jeremiah Hanbury opened a small store in Market Street, Farnworth, selling butter and bacon. In 1929, the business was bought by Bolton wholesale grocers E.H. Steele Ltd. In 1997 the 31 Hanburys stores, which cover the north-west, including 8 in Bolton, were acquired by United Norwest Co-op and subsequently re-branded. | |
| Hillards | 1880 | Bought by Tesco | 1988 | Several locations throughout Midlands, North East | |
| Hintons | Bought by Argyll Foods to become part of Presto | Mainly in North East England and Yorkshire | |||
| Homefare Supermarket | Based in former Wickhams Department Store building on Mile End Road. | ||||
| Irwin's Stores | Bought by Tesco | ||||
| International | 1874 | Bought by Dee Corporation | 1996 | Stores were re-branded gateway or sold off to competitors | |
| Jacksons | Bought by J Sainsbury | 2008 | See also Grandways, above, which was originally part of the same group. Stores originally traded under the Jacksons name, and were slowly converted to the Grandways brand. After the sale to Sainsbury, the Jackson name was revived for a chain of smaller stores in the Wm Jackson until they were sold and were re-branded Sainsbury Local. | ||
| Kenton Supermarkets | Small chain based in North West of England | ||||
| Key Markets | Bought by Dee Corporation | Created by food giant Fitch Lovell. Re-branded as Gateway. | |||
| Kibby's Supermarkets | Chain of supermarkets bought by Unigate. Stores were sold off to various companies including WM Low and International Stores. | ||||
| Kwik Save | , 13 July 2007 | 1959 | Brand now owned by Costcutter | Company purchased by Somerfield in 1998. Name and 177 stores sold by Somerfield in 2006 but went into administration in 2007. | |
| Laws Stores | c.1890s | Bought by Wm Low for £7.1 million in 1985 | 1985 | Chain of supermarkets focused on North East England | |
| Lennons Supermarkets | 1958 | Bought by Dee Corporation | Chain of Supermarkets based in North East. Started as small chain of grocers but opened first supermarket in 1956 in Widnes. Bought by the Dee Corporation before being re-branded as Gateway. | ||
| Leos | Rebranded Co-operative Pioneer | Name given to larger co-operative stores during the 1980s | |||
| Liptons | 1871 | Bought by Allied Suppliers | Converted to Presto or Lo-Cost stores | ||
| Lo-Cost | Converted to Safeway | ||||
| Lodges | 1921 | Bought by Co-operative Retail Services | 1995 | Trading name of F and A E Lodge. Founded in Huddersfield by Albert and Frank Lodge growing to more than 30 shops, mainly in market halls in West Yorkshire and Lancashire by the early 1960s. Opening first supermarket in a converted cinema in Marsh, followed by another converted cinema at Waterloo. Market hall shops were then closed with other supermarket branches opening in Meltham, Huddersfield Town Centre, Crossland Moor, Lepton, Darwen, and finally Honley and Holmfirth in 1975. In later 1960s Clough Mill in Birkby bought with plans for 90,000 sq ft hypermarket. Objections delayed opening until 1978 and it was sold to Asda in 1980. Remaining stores in management buyout in 1991 for more than £5 million. Chain sold to Co-operative Retail Services in March 1995. | |
| Lowfreeze | Bought by Bejam | Small chain of freezer shops bought by Bejam | |||
| Mac Fisheries | Bought by Dee Group | 1978 | Wet fish shops closed | ||
| Mainstop | Acquired by Morrisons | 1981 | |||
| Moore Stores | Bought by Cavenham and added to Allied Suppliers group | 1976 | Chain of small supermarkets based in the North East of England which had a turnover of £53m in 1969/70 Rebranded either Liptons or Presto. | ||
| Netto | Bought by Asda in 2010 for £778M from Dansk Supermarked Group. 147 stores were rebranded in 2011 as Asda local stores. The remaining 47 stores have been sold off to other companies such as Morrisons and new convenience store UGO and other retailers due to competition laws. Netto then returned to UK, with a partnership with Sainsbury's and is initially opening 15 stores in the north of England. In July 2016, Sainsbury's ended the joint venture, scrapping the Netto name in the UK once again. | 2011 | Was a no frills supermarket. On 30 September 2011, Netto UK ceased trading. In 2014, the supermarket announced they would be returning to the UK with 15 stores. | ||
| Normans supermarkets | Bought by Plymco | ||||
| Normid | Rebranded Co-op | Was owned by United Co-operatives | |||
| Norco | Rebranded Co-op | Aberdeen based co-operative society | |||
| Orchard Frozen Foods | Bought by Iceland | 1986 | Chain of freezer centres based in the South East of England | ||
| Premier Supermarkets | Bought by Mac Fisheries | 1965 | Subsidiary of Express Dairies, opened UK's first supermarket in Streatham, South London in 1951. Sold after losing out on purchase of Irwin's stores to Tesco | ||
| Presto | 1977 | After buying out Safeway, all stores were converted to Safeway | 1998 | ||
| Price Rite | Chain of stores purchased by British American Tobacco and incorporated into International Stores; stores re-branded as International Stores, before being sold off to Fine Fare and Argyll Foods | ||||
| Quality Fare | Bought by the Co-operative Group | ||||
| Queens Supermarkets | 1958 | Merged with Associated Dairies and GEN to form ASDA | 1965 | Small chain of supermarkets started by Asquith family in Pontefract. In 1965 merged with Associated Dairies and purchased the GEN brand, relaunching as ASDA Queens, before becoming ASDA. ASDA is an abbreviation of ASquith and DAiries. | |
| Rainbow | Discontinued, rebranded as parent Co-op | ||||
| Richway Supermarkets | Retail chain operating in South of England and the Isle of Wight | ||||
| Safeway | 1962 | Bought by Morrisons | 2005 | Safeway Compact stores sold to Somerfield. Was still trading under Safeway in Channel Islands until becoming Waitrose in 2010. | |
| Sainsbury's Freezer Centres | 1974 | Bought by Bejam | 1986 | Sainsburys opened the chain of freezer shops to try and compete with the new style of food store, with the first store opening in Southbourne near Bournemouth. By 1980 there was 21 freezer centres, but these were sold off in 1986 to Bejam. | |
| Sainsbury's Savacentre | 1977 | Discontinued, Rebranded Sainsbury's | 2005 | Savacentre was a joint project started by Sainsburys and BHS to compete in Hypermarket scene. Sainsburys added when BHS pulled out of the company. | |
| Saverite | 1968 | Bought by West Midlands Co-operative Society which later became Mid-counties Co-operative after a merger with Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-operative | 2000 | Shropshire based grocery business started in 1869. Renamed Saverite in 1968 and expanded into supermarkets. Sold to Mid-Counties Co-operative in 2000. | |
| Schofield & Martin | Rebranded Waitrose | c.1965 | Small chain of grocers based in South Essex purchased by Waitrose in 1944. Had the first self-service supermarket store within the Waitrose group in 1951. | ||
| Shoppers Paradise | Taken over by Gateway | Discount food store chain created by Associated British Food from un-profitable Fine Fare stores. Became part of Gateway as part of Fine Fare purchase. | |||
| Shop Rite | 1972 | Bought by Kwik Save, Still trades as ShopRite in the Isle of Man stocking a range of Waitrose & Iceland products as well as locally produced goods | 1994 | Discount supermarket chain | |
| Smiths Freezer Centres | c.1990s | Small chain of freezer stores located in Essex; went into liquidation during the 1990s | |||
| Somerfield | 1875 | Purchase agreed by the Co-operative Group on 16 July 2008 for £1.56bn; from 2009 many larger stores were sold off and smaller stores rebranded to The Co-operative Food | 2011 | ||
| Food Giant | Originally part of Somerfield group, all stores converted to Kwik Save following the Somerfield/Kwik Save merger | ||||
| Solo | Trading name of Gateways - rebranded Somerfield | Trading name created by Gateways | |||
| St Catherine's Freezer Centres | Bought by Iceland | 1983 | Chain of 18 freezer centres located in Bristol and South West area | ||
| Stewarts Supermarket Limited | Bought by Tesco | ABF owned Northern Ireland group | |||
| Stitchers Supermarkets | Bought by Downsway | Small chain of supermarkets purchased by Downsway and re-branded | |||
| Supernational Stores | 1935 | Bought by Gateway | |||
| Supa-Save | 1960 | Closed by owners Keddies | 1970s | Independent American style superstore opened by Southend's largest department store chain, Keddies, in the former Essoldo cinema. Store was closed in the 70s due to competition from national competitors, and the building demolished and the site used to extend the department store. | |
| Templeton supermarkets | 1880 | Bought by Allied Suppliers then Argyll Group | Scottish chain, rebranded as Presto | ||
| Victor Value | Bought by Tesco | 1968/1986 | Independent chain; larger stores were rebranded as Tesco, remaining sold to Bejam in 1986 | ||
| Wallis | 1955 | Bought by Somerfield | 2003 | Founded by Francis J Wallis of Rainham Essex in 1955. By 1968 there were 38 stores. In 1977 the chain's 100 stores were sold to British American Tobacco and merged with their already owned chain International Stores. The stores were re-branded International. The company officially still existed and was wound up by Somerfield, who had purchased International Stores in 2003. | |
| Wavy Line | Small chain of small supermarkets and convenience stores located in the South and South East of England | ||||
| Walter Willson | Bought by Alldays | Chain of small supermarkets and convenience stores in the north east of England and Cumbria | |||
| Wellworths | Bought by Musgrave Group & Safeway | 1997 | Northern Ireland supermarket chain split into Supervalu and Safeway | ||
| Whelan Discount Stores | Bought by Morrisons for £1.5 million | 1978 | Chain of supermarkets based in Lancashire started by JJB Sports owner Dave Whelan | ||
| Wm Low | Bought by Tesco | Presence in Scotland and northern England | |||
| Williamson & Treadgold | Bournemouth based grocers that opened a supermarket at The Hampshire Centre. The store was eventually purchased by Sainsburys. | ||||
| Woolco | 1966 | Discontinued, rebranded as Woolworth and later bought by Gateway in 1986 | 1982 | Hypermarket chain started by Woolworth |
Waitrose Effect
Proximity to a supermarket has been widely reported to be an amenity that can have a significant effect on residential property prices in Britain. Beginning under Andy Hulme and continuing under Mike Songer, the home mortgage unit of Lloyds Bank has published pricing research that examines the premiums commanded by homes in a given neighbourhood against comparables in the same post-code and correlates the difference in price with convenience of access to the various supermarkets. The following table averages information from neighbourhoods across England and Wales, compiled by Lloyds Bank for their 2016 report using supermarket location information from CACI Datalab and house price information from the UK Land Registry.| Supermarket | Nearby property premium | Nearby property premium |
| Waitrose | 10% | £38,666 |
| Sainsbury's | 10% | £27,939 |
| Marks & Spencer | 9% | £27,182 |
| Tesco | 9% | £22,072 |
| Iceland | 8% | £20,034 |
| Co-op | 8% | £17,904 |
| Morrisons | 5% | £10,558 |
| Asda | 2% | £5,026 |
| Lidl | 2% | £3,926 |
| Aldi | 1% | £1,333 |