Prepared for everything

What was the pandemic-ridden 2020 like for Tesco?

– During the first wave of the pandemic, when consumers started stockpiling, we quickly had to react to the new conditions. This hard work only made our team even stronger. We introduced health protection measures, doubled the capacity of Tesco online shopping and increased the service’s coverage. We launched the Tesco Box Online Shop service and signed a partnership agreement with Shell, so we are now present with products at already 19 filling stations. Tesco rolled out the Fresh 5 fruit-vegetable product range. We supported our workers in need with HUF 13.6 million via the Tesco Angel Foundation.

As regards numbers, to what extent Tesco managed to meet the business targets in 2020?

Zsolt Pálinkás
CEO
Tesco-Global

– 2020 was an extraordinary year because of the pandemic, so our main goal was to ensure uninterrupted product supply and worker safety, which we managed to do. Financial results were published in April and these show that Tesco’s sales were up 7.1 percent at group level. In Hungary we added 350 new towns to our Tesco from Home services and this step created 100 new jobs. Currently the service reaches 1.9 million Hungarian households.

How did 2021 start and what are your plans for the year?

– We continue with our store modernisation programme and the online shop service will keep expanding. Tesco is a responsible company, so our strategy focuses on sustainable operation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. We have also made a pledge to increase the share of healthy foods in our stores, so shoppers will find more plant-based meat alternatives in Tesco stores, while our private label products will contain less salt, fat and sugar. (x)