Ireland puts Tesco on top

Supermarket giant, Tesco's Irish operations, have helped it knock archrival Sainsbury off its pedestal as Britain's biggest retailer.

Tesco had already overtaken it in the British supermarket league, but Sainsbury was still ahead overall because it also owned the Homebase do-it-yourself business and Shaws supermarkets in the US.

But Tesco's faster supermarket growth, plus expansion in Ireland through its purchase of the Quinnsworth/Crazyprices chain and in eastern Europe, has now landed it the top spot, according to a comprehensive review of British retailing.

Tesco's total sales have now reached £14.6 billion sterling, while Sainsbury's are below £13 billion. The report, from the research group, Corporate Intelligence on Retailing, presents a microscopic picture of Britain's butchers, bakers, confectioners and every other kind of shopkeepers with sales last year of more than £3 million. That embraces 775 retailers.

The top 10 chains account for half the total sales of all 775 companies in the report, and two-fifths of all British shop spending. The leaders are dominated by the supermarkets, which have grabbed five of the top six places and between them recorded sales last year of £47 billion.

There were more retail acquisitions last year (90) than any other year in this decade, with buyers spending £3.2 billion, the highest figure since 1989.