Tesco Confirms 'Fresh & Easy' Name for Its U.S. Stores

PHOENIX -- Tesco USA said here yesterday it will call its stores "Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market" -- with no reference to the Tesco name itself -- when it begins opening locations in California, Arizona and Nevada this summer. Stores will be approximately 10,000 square feet, the company said -- intentionally smaller than the typical supermarket to give customers a faster, easier shopping experience, it noted. That size is also slightly smaller than the stores of 12,000 to 14,000 square feet that had been expected. "The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market format is designed to draw customers back to their local neighborhoods by offering high-quality fresh and nutritious food at affordable prices," said Tim Mason, chief executive officer of the U.S. operation. The company said the American format is based on extensive consumer research in local U.S. markets, combined with learnings from Tesco's Express format that it operates in more than 1,000 locations in seven countries, and that features a mix of freshly prepared food and private-label groceries. -- Elliot Zwiebach