Editing Sainsbury's (section)

===Self-service and heyday (1956–1991)===
In 1956, Alan Sainsbury became chairman after the death of his father, [[John Benjamin Sainsbury]].<ref name="The Third Generation"/> During the 1950s and 1960s, Sainsbury's was a keen early adopter of self-service supermarkets in the United Kingdom. On a trip to the United States, Alan Sainsbury realised the benefits of self-service shops and believed the future of Sainsbury's was self-service supermarkets of {{convert|10000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}, with eventually the added bonus of a car park for extra convenience.<ref>{{cite web|title=The American Example|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Progress/Self-service/|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012162539/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Progress/Self-service/|archive-date=12 October 2008}}</ref> The first self-service branch opened in [[London Borough of Croydon|Croydon]] in 1950.<ref>{{cite web|title=Overview|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Range/|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006152450/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Range/|archive-date=6 October 2008}}</ref>

Sainsbury's was a pioneer in the development of own-brand goods; the aim was to offer products that matched the quality of nationally branded goods but at a lower price.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advertising|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Advertising/|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006154050/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Advertising/|archive-date=6 October 2008}}</ref> It expanded more cautiously than [[Tesco]], shunning acquisitions, and it never offered [[trading stamps]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Targeting customers|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Advertising/target+cust.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121145558/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Products/Advertising/target+cust.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

Until the company went public on 12 July 1973, as J Sainsbury plc, the company was wholly owned by the Sainsbury family. It was at the time the largest ever flotation on the [[London Stock Exchange]];<ref>{{cite news|title=Sainsbury's targeted for Europe's biggest private equity buyout|work=The Guardian|date=3 February 2007|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/feb/03/privateequity.supermarkets|access-date=11 November 2008|location=London|first=Julia|last=Finch|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517155133/http://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/feb/03/privateequity.supermarkets|url-status=live}}</ref> the company rewarded the smaller bids for shares in order to create as many shareholders as possible. A million shares were set aside for staff, which led to many staff members buying shares that shot up in value. Within one minute the list of applications was closed: £495&nbsp;million had been offered for £14.5&nbsp;million available shares. The Sainsbury family at the time retained 85% of the firm's shares.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/simon-sainsbury-418613.html|title=Simon Sainsbury|newspaper=The Independent|date=3 October 2006|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-date=12 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412062307/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/simon-sainsbury-418613.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Sainsbury's Bradford on Avon.JPG|thumb|right|Sainsbury's in [[Bradford on Avon]], Wiltshire]]

Most of the senior positions were held by family members. John Davan Sainsbury (later [[Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover]]),<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fourth Generation|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/Fourthgeneration.htm|access-date=15 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121162540/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/Fourthgeneration.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref> a member of the fourth generation of the founding family, took over the chairmanship from his uncle [[Sir Robert Sainsbury]] in 1969, who had been chairman for two years from 1967 following Alan Sainsbury's retirement.<ref>SAINSBURY, Sir Robert (James)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2007</ref>

Sainsbury's started to replace its {{convert|10000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} High Street shops with self-service supermarkets above {{convert|20000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}, which were either in out of town locations or in regenerated town centres. Sainsbury's policy was to invest in uniform, well designed shops with a strong emphasis on quality; its slogan was "good food costs less at Sainsbury's".<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Kay|title=The Business of Economics Page 29|publisher=Oxford|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GwJSnuHLE6gC&q=%22good+food+costs+less+at+Sainsbury's%22.&pg=PA29|access-date=11 November 2008|isbn=9780191521898|date=10 October 1996|archive-date=19 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719015244/https://books.google.com/books?id=GwJSnuHLE6gC&q=%22good+food+costs+less+at+Sainsbury%27s%22.&pg=PA29|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 1970s, the average size of Sainsbury's shops rose from {{convert|10000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} to around {{convert|18000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}; the first edge of town shop, with {{convert|24000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} of selling space, was opened at Coldhams Lane in [[Cambridge]] in 1974. The last counter service branch closed in [[Peckham]] in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evolution of the supermarket|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Progress/Self-service/evolutionof+supermarket.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121083208/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Progress/Self-service/evolutionof+supermarket.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref> To participate in the [[hypermarket]] sector, Sainsbury's formed a joint venture, known as [[SavaCentre]], with [[British Home Stores]]. The first SavaCentre shop was opened in [[Washington, Tyne and Wear]], in 1977;<ref>{{cite web|title=London Roots|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006153358/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/|archive-date=6 October 2008}}</ref> nearly half the space, amounting to some {{convert|35000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}, was devoted to textiles, electrical goods and hardware. As the hypermarket format became more mainstream, with rivals such as [[Asda]] and Tesco launching ever larger shops, it was decided that a separate brand was no longer needed, and the shops were converted to the regular Sainsbury's superstore format in September 1999.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sainsbury's plans new division|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=24 September 1999|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n14218861|access-date=15 November 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Sainsbury's diversified further in 1979, forming a joint venture with the Belgian retailer, GB-Inno-BM, to set up a chain of do-it-yourself shops under the [[Homebase]] name.<ref>{{cite news|title=Retailers in the line of fire|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=25 July 2008|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20080725/ai_n27957864/pg_2|access-date=11 November 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Sainsbury's also trebled the size of its Homebase do it yourself business during 1996, by merging its business with [[Texas Homecare]], which it acquired in January 1995 from Ladbroke for £290&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|date=14 January 1995|title=Sainsbury's tipped to buy Texas|work=The Independent|publisher=Independent Newspapers|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n9636430|access-date=9 November 2008}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Sainsbury's sold the Homebase chain in December 2000, in a twofold deal worth [[GBP|£]]969&nbsp;million. Sales of the stores to [[Schroder Ventures]] generated £750&nbsp;million and sale of 28 development sites, which had been earmarked for future Homebase shops, were sold for £219&nbsp;million to rival [[B&Q]]'s parent company, [[Kingfisher plc]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sainsbury's sells Homebase|date=20 December 2000|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1082731.stm|access-date=10 November 2008|work=BBC News|archive-date=26 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726031424/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1082731.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 1980s, the company invested in new technology: the proportion of sales passing through EPOS scanning checkouts rose from 1% to 90%.<ref name="page7" />

In November 1983, Sainsbury's purchased 21% of [[Shaw's Supermarkets]], the second largest retailer of groceries in the northeastern United States (primarily in New England). In June 1987, Sainsbury's acquired the rest of the company.<ref name="page7">{{cite news|title=Corporate Strategy in the UK Food Retailing 1980–2002 Page 7|url=http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%20-%20Background%20paper%20by%20Geoffrey%20Owen.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040721174741/http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%20-%20Background%20paper%20by%20Geoffrey%20Owen.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2004|access-date=10 November 2008 }}</ref>

In 1985, the chairman reported that over the preceding 10 years profits had grown from £15&nbsp;million to over £168&nbsp;million, a compound annual rise of 30.4% – after allowing for inflation a real annual growth rate of 17.6%.<ref name="page7" /> In 1991, the Sainsbury's group boasted a twelve-year record of dividend increases, of 20% or more and earnings per share had risen by as much for nearly as long.<ref name="page14">{{cite news|title=Corporate Strategy in the UK Food Retailing 1980–2002 Page 14|url=http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%20-%20Background%20paper%20by%20Geoffrey%20Owen.pdf|url-status=dead|access-date=10 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040721174741/http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%20-%20Background%20paper%20by%20Geoffrey%20Owen.pdf|archive-date=21 July 2004}}</ref> Also in 1991, the company raised £489&nbsp;million, in new equity to fund the expansion of superstores.<ref name="page14" />

With the advent of out of town shopping complexes during the 1980s, Sainsbury's was one of the many big retail names to open new shops in such complexes – notably with its shop at the [[Meadowhall Shopping Centre]], [[Sheffield]] (originally as a SavaCentre) in 1990,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4394041.stm|title=Sainsbury's closes flagship store|publisher=BBC|date=30 March 2005|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-date=14 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014041914/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4394041.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Merry Hill Shopping Centre]] at [[Brierley Hill]] in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], which opened in September 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/blackcountry/14772222.Sainsbury_s_Merry_Hill_store_to_close_at_the_end_of_the_year/?ref=mr&lp=7|title=Sainsbury's Merry Hill store to close at the end of the year|publisher=Halesowen News|date=29 September 2016|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-date=12 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412063554/http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/blackcountry/14772222.Sainsbury_s_Merry_Hill_store_to_close_at_the_end_of_the_year/?ref=mr&lp=7|url-status=live}}</ref>

Sainsbury's expanded into Scotland in 1992 with a shop in [[Darnley]] (the SavaCentre at [[Cameron Toll]] in Edinburgh had opened in 1984). In June 1995, Sainsbury's announced its intention to move into the Northern Ireland market, until that point dominated by local companies.<ref>{{cite web|title=The sourcing in Northern Ireland of agricultural produce by national supermarkets and retailers|publisher=Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue|date=23 January 1998|url=http://www.ni-forum.gov.uk/reports/cr19.pdf|access-date=28 August 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014033132/http://www.ni-forum.gov.uk/reports/cr19.pdf|archive-date=14 October 2006 }}</ref> Between December 1996 and December 1998, the company opened seven shops. Two others at [[Sprucefield]], Lisburn, and [[Holywood Exchange]], Belfast would not open until 2003, due to protracted legal challenges.<ref>{{cite web|title=J Sainsbury plc Preliminary Results 2003/4|publisher=J Sainsbury plc|date=19 May 2004|url=http://www.j-sainsbury.com/files/results/prelims04/pres_booklet.pdf#search=%22%22holywood%20exchange%22%20opened%22|format=PDF|access-date=23 August 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927081400/http://www.j-sainsbury.com/files/results/prelims04/pres_booklet.pdf|archive-date=27 September 2007 }}</ref> While Sainsbury's outlets in Northern Ireland were all new developments, Tesco (apart from one Tesco Metro) instead purchased existing chains from [[Associated British Foods]] (see [[Tesco Ireland]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-97-392_en.htm|title=Commission clears the acquisition by Tesco of ABF's businesses in the Irish retail sector|publisher=European Commission|date=6 May 1997|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-date=12 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091345/http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-97-392_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>