Tesco company_logo = company_type = Public (Public company) (lseTSCO) foundation = 1919 in East London (East End of London) by Jack Cohen (Jack Cohen (Tesco)) slogan = "Every little helps" location = Tesco HouseCheshunt, Broxbourne (Broxbourne (borough)), United Kingdom key_people = David Reid (David Edward Reid) (Chairman),Sir Terry Leahy (Terry Leahy) (Chief Executive) industry = Diversified retail products = Groceries, consumer goods, financial services, telecoms revenue = increase� (Pound sterling)62.54 billion (February 2010) operating_income = increase� (Pound sterling)3.41 billion (February 2010) market capitalisation = �21.8 bn (May 2009) num_employees = 440,000 (2008) locations=4,811 (Feb 2010) homepage=Tesco.com

, Newcastle upon Tyne, England Tesco plc (Public limited company) is a British international grocery and general merchandising retail chain headquartered in the Tesco House in Cheshunt, Broxbourne (Broxbourne (borough)), Hertfordshire.

The chain was founded by Jack Cohen (Jack Cohen (Tesco)) in 1919. The brand first appeared after Cohen bought a shipment of tea from T.E. Stockwell and he used those initials and added the first two letters of his own surname. The first Tesco store was opened in 1929 in Burnt Oak, Edgware, Middlesex. During the 1950s and the 1960s Tesco grew organically, and also through acquisitions, until it owned more than 800 stores. Originally specialising in food and drink, it has diversified (Diversification (strategy)) into areas such as clothing, electronics, financial services, telecoms, home, health, car and dental insurance, retailing and renting DVDs, CDs (compact discs), music downloads, Internet services and software. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share, with profits exceeding �3 billion, and the third largest global retailer based on revenue, after Wal-Mart and Carrefour and second largest in profit behind Wal-Mart.