Tesco

Tesco is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer that produces an alcohol-free gin and tonic within its own-brand range, with roots dating to 1919 when Sir Jack Cohen began selling groceries in Hackney, London. Headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England, the company takes its name from a combination first assembled in 1924: the initials of tea supplier Thomas Edward Stockwell and the first two letters of Cohen's surname. The first dedicated Tesco shop opened in September 1931 at Burnt Oak, Edgware, and the company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1947.

Cohen built the business on the motto "pile it high and sell it cheap", a value-led approach that runs through the own-label offer. Tesco launched a low-cost own-label range in 1993 and introduced a customer loyalty scheme in 1995; it has since added a premium tier alongside the entry-level lines. The company is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Within its own-brand portfolio, the alcohol-free gin and tonic is produced using a spirit base distilled in small batches from nine classic gin botanicals, including juniper berries, citrus peels, and angelica, and paired with a reduced-calorie tonic water.

At a Glance