... with the opening of the UK's first self-service store in Croydon, in July 1950 (although Tesco claims its first self-service outlet opened in 1948). Croydon store was soon Sainsbury's busiest outlet and by 1960 supermarkets, low price, high-volume, self-service stores carrying a wide variety of food, were common. Competitive Tesco opened its first superstore in 1967, and ten years later there were 150 UK superstores, most of them outside town centres. By 1998, superstores typically occupy 2,000-4,000 square metres and sell everything from baked beans to fine wines. In 1960 the average size of a new store opened by Sainsbury's was 5,800 sq. ft., by 1980 in increased to 14,800 sq. ft. Entrants The increase in average outlet size resulted in a decline in the number of outlets needed to serve the community. In order to survive, the small stores adapted themselves into convenience stores carrying limited range of foods such as ...

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