PR Week Echo Columns

Tesco talked up its fledgling American operation ahead of this week's trading statement by taking analysts and reporters around its new Fresh & Easy stores in the USA. After months of secrecy, including asserting its trial concept store in LA was part of a film set, the first 15 of up to 1,000 stores have opened and were received warmly by shoppers and retail analysts. Many stores will be in so-called "food deserts which food retailers have not touched for 20 years" (US chief exec Tim Mason quoted in Daily Mail, 4 Dec). Selling predominantly own-brand items, the stores have also introduced the concept of "self-service" to the USA "where many stores still carry your groceries to your car" (Daily Telegraph, 3 Dec).

Despite assurances from Tesco that "there is nothing … that we believe will affect the operation or further rollout of the business" (The Times, 1 Dec), union-backed protest groups have forced a re-examination of environmental controls at its giant Riverside distribution centre in Los Angeles. In a country where both M&S and Sainsbury's failed to build a significant presence, Tesco is banking that the new concept of cheap fresh produce and a range of ready-meals will resonate with US consumers.