Criticism has been directed at Tesco from various groups, including national organisations, trade bodies, individuals, consumer groups and watchdogs, particularly since the early 2000s.
Criticism of Tesco and related litigation As with any large corporation, the Tesco supermarket chain is involved in litigation, usually from claims of personal injury from customers, claims of unfair dismissal from staff, and other commercial matters. Two notable cases were Ward v Tesco Stores Ltd, which set a precedent in so-called 'trip and slip' injury claims against retailers, and Tesco Supermarkets Ltd v Nattrass, which reached the House of Lords and became a leading case regarding the corporate liability of businesses for failures of their store managers (in a case of misleading advertising). Criticism of Tesco includes disapproval of the effects supermarket chains can have on farmers, suppliers and smaller competitors; along with claims of generally poor labour relations with its staff concerning sick leave regulations. Accusations concerning using cheap and/or child labour in Bangladesh amongst other places, have also arisen since the millennium.
Cases in the UK
Corporate policy
The UK's Competition Commission monopoly inquiry In 2006, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) referred the UK grocery market to the Competition Commission for a new inquiry. In January 2007, the Competition Commission, published its initial findings into the UK grocery market. It said that they were "concerned with whether Tesco or any other supermarket can get into such a strong position, either nationally or locally, that no other retailer can compete effectively". It, however, found no actual basis for accusations that Tesco could use its land bank to control nearly half of national grocery retailing, and that suppliers' profits were being squeezed by the supermarket.
Tesco's 2004 Adminstore acquisition led to local and UK-wide protests. Tesco's other store openings and expansions are sometimes contested by campaign groups. When a company controls more than 25% of a business sector in the UK, it is usually blocked from buying other companies in that sector (but not from increasing its market share through organic growth). The Office of Fair Trading currently treats supermarkets and convenience stores as two distinct sectors—although this definition has been challenged by smaller retailers, including the Association of Convenience Stores.
Planning infringements and corporate "land bank" conspiracy theory In February 2006, a group of UK MPs produced a report highlighting the near monopoly powers of the big four supermarkets. One problem discussed by the group was that of building without appropriate planning permission. The discussion stemmed from the company's building of a store in Stockport that was 20% larger than the company actually had permission to build. In September 2006, subsequent (retrospective) planning permission was requested by Tesco but refused.
Tesco Stores Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment 1 W.L.R. 759; 2 All E.R. 636, deals with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, where Tesco wanted to build a superstore outside Oxford.
Criticism of Tesco includes allegations of stifling competition due to its undeveloped "land bank", pugilistically aggressive new store development without real consideration of the wishes, needs and consequences to local communities, using cheap and/or child labour, opposition to its move into the convenience sector and breaching planning laws.
In April 2011, longstanding opposition to a Tesco Express store in Cheltenham Road, Stokes Croft, Bristol, evolved into a violent clash between opponents and police. The recently opened storefront was heavily damaged and the police reported the seizure of petrol bombs. Opponents such as No Tesco in Stokes Croft, have suggested that the store would damage small shops and harm the character of the area.
Pricing and advertising The group has been criticised for its tactics, including allegedly misleading consumers with "phoney" price cuts. For example, advertising huge savings, when in fact they are only lowering the price of less popular items and raising the price of more popular goods or misleading customers into believing that a sale price was a genuine reduction, and not the most common price.
Trading relations with suppliers Tesco is also censured by those who think that it infringes upon the interests of farmers and smaller suppliers. The company responds by claiming that it follows industry-best practice and sources locally where it can to meet customer demand. In March 2005, the Office of Fair Trading published an audit of the workings of its code of practice on relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers. It reported that no official complaints had been received against Tesco or any of the other major supermarkets, but the supermarkets' critics, including Friends of the Earth, contested that suppliers were prevented from complaining by fear of losing business, and called for more rigorous supervision of the supermarkets. A further report by the Office of Fair Trading in August 2005 concluded that the aims of the Code of Practice were being met.
In September 2006, Tesco came to an agreement with Tyrrells Crisps to stop selling grey market supplies. Tyrrells was founded by potato farmer Will Chase after big supermarkets' purchasing-power almost put his farm out of business. He started Tyrrells to gain greater margin by selling directly, and only sold through delicatessens and Waitrose supermarket. After Tesco bought supplies from the grey market, Chase sought legal advice but Tesco backed down.
Tesco has been subject to several claims of apparently out-of-date food being 'back-labelled' to appear still to be within date, and poor café hygiene
Tesco denied squeezing its suppliers in December 2013 after retail analyst Cantor Fitzgerald accused Tesco of practices that risked breaching the Groceries Supply Code of Practice and criticised its trading relationships. Similar accusations were also made in April 2005 despite its record £2,000,000,000 profit.
Labour relations American union leaders, representing employees of Tesco's Fresh & Easy brand, have complained that a "stark contrast" exists between the way the supermarket chain treats their British workers and staff at their US business. The two countries have differing legal regimes for labor unions.
The UK trade union Usdaw relies upon a "partnership" model with large employers such as with Tesco, where there exists "privileged access" to the management of both organisations. This arrangement coupled with its actions has been met with criticism, such as where the union seemingly presents itself as being concerned more with maintaining its positive, comfortable position and easy membership supply than that of fair representation of its members, earning the union the pejorative backronym of Useless Seven Days A Week amongst workers and trade unionists.
Financial affairs
Taxation laws In 2008 Tesco sued The Guardian for libel and malicious falsehood over the newspaper's claims that Tesco has developed a complex taxation structure involving offshore bank accounts in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands. The case was ultimately settled, with The Guardian issuing an apology.
SFO investigation into relations with the auditor PwC In 2014, the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Reporting Council investigated Tesco's auditing and accounting practices, citing suspicions of accounting irregularities. Tesco said it was "co-operating fully" with the SFO, who took matter out of the hands of the Financial Conduct Authority, the City's business regulator. Tesco suspended eight executives during the investigation, including the UK corporate boss Chris Bush, and withheld payments worth £2,000,000 to its former chief executive Philip Clarke and chief financial officer Laurie McIlwee. Tesco's auditor PwC declined to comment. The investigation concluded that profits were overstated by more than £250m over the course of several years.
Service levels Tesco has been criticised for charging higher prices for the same products at its Express stores.
Tesco has been accused of excessive profiteering during the 2021–present United Kingdom cost-of-living crisis.
Clubcard Tesco has been criticised for selling customers' preferences and spending habits.
Tesco has been criticised for changing access to all its special offers to Clubcard customers only.
In April 2023, the High Court ruled that Tesco was taking unfair advantage of competitor Lidl's discounter reputation with its Clubcard Prices logo design. In March 2024, Tesco lost an appeal it had infringed Lidl's trademark with its Clubcard Prices logo.
In February 2024, Tesco agreed to include unit pricing for its Clubcard offers following criticism it was misleading customers. Which? had reported Tesco to the Competition and Markets Authority about the issue the previous year.
Product quality issues
February 2013 horse meat scandal
In 2013, DNA tests revealed that horse meat was present in some meat products sold in Findus and ABP Food Group ready meals.
On 7 February 2013, it was revealed by the Food Standards Agency that the Findus beef lasagne range in the UK, France and Sweden and the shepherd's pie and moussaka ranges in France contained horse meat without proper declaration or official scrutiny. 2013-02-10 lemonde.fr2013-02-10 thelocal.se The contamination may have gone on since summer 2012 according to a leaked document. 2013-02-09 independent.co.uk Ready packed meal firm Findus, Compass Group was the world's biggest catering firm at the time, and Whitbread, which was Britain's biggest hotel group, were indicted for illegally selling concealed horse meat in food products.
As a result, Tesco's market capitalization dropped on Wednesday 16 January 2013.
Tesco, the Co-operative Group and Aldi also decided to cancel contracts with ABP Food Group because of the adulteration.
In a public letter later that day, 11 firms, including Tesco and Asda, said they shared shoppers' "anger and outrage". Whitbread vowed to remedy the unacceptable situation on 26 February. The Food Standards Agency's (FSA) chief executive, Catherine Brown also said "it is unlikely we will ever know" how many unwittingly ate horse meat.
Food hygiene allegations On 22 May 2007, the BBC's Whistleblower programme showed undercover footage detailing breaches of food hygiene rules in a branch of Tesco. The Whistleblower reporter applied for a job following a tip-off from a former employee. Breaches included the sale of products after their sell-by date; allegations that the company illegally and sold 'back-labelled' products after their use by date; falsification of temperature records; and the sale of partially cooked mince mixed with uncooked mince.
In addition to this the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, has on a number of occasions ordered the recall of Tesco branded products, including a case of glass contamination. Environmental Health Officers served a closure order on Tesco's store in Prussia Street, Dublin, the day after they inspected it, for a number of breaches of Food Hygiene Regulations.
In 2007, branches of Tesco and Sainsbury's were subject to claims of apparently out-of-date food being 'back-labelled' to appear still to be within date.
Alleged health and safety issues
Secret sale of Brian Fords discount stores