Abstract
The growth of Tesco has been surprising: the company announced a forecast of $1.4 billion in annual profits in 2001, and the sales volume in the first semester of this year reached $16.8 billion. Its current market share in the UK is strong: it is now 25%, contrary to 14% in 1997, and has overcome its competitors. In the domestic market, a good marketing policy can explain these good results. The strength of Tesco is not only real within the UK, but also globally. As domestic opportunities have become rare, Tesco began its global expansion like the other giants of the retail industry: the firm conquered Central Europe and Asia rapidly, and gained an important market share thanks to an efficient strategy. 37% of the company's physical floor space is located abroad, and its goal is to reach 50% by 2003. The key to success for Tesco lies in its "global strategy", which combines local responsiveness and global management in many fields.
