Jack Cohen created Tesco plc, a well-known British multinational retailer of food and other goods, in 1919. The corporate office of the business is in Welwyn Garden City, England. As of 2021, Tesco operates in numerous countries around the world, having a large presence in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. With a market share of roughly 28.4%, it dominates the UK's supermarket sector. Tesco has grown its business activities internationally and diversified into several industries throughout the years, including the retail of books, clothes, electronics, furniture, toys, petrol, software, financial services, telecoms and internet services.

Tesco's adventure began when Jack Cohen opened a stand in Well Street Market, Hackney, in London's East End, and began selling food that had been left over from the war. The Tesco name originally emerged in 1924, and the first Tesco store opened in Burnt Oak, Edgware, Middlesex at 54 Watling Street in September of the same year. By the 1960s, the corporation had more than 800 shops as a result of organic growth and acquisitions. Tesco is a member of the FTSE 100 Index and has been listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Tesco changed its positioning in the 1990s from being a downmarket, high-volume, low-cost retailer to one that aimed to appeal to a variety of social classes with its value-oriented "Tesco Value" line and upscale "Tesco Finest" line. The business has also made considerable advancements in the digital sphere, introducing the Tesco Clubcard customer loyalty programme in 1995 and providing an online purchasing facility. The business maintains its position as a major player in the retail sector by continuing to innovate and adjust to shifting market conditions.