The UK’s defence secretary visited Kensington to witness Tesco pledging to support armed forces personnel.
Michael Fallon watched over at the West Cromwell Road superstore on Monday (October 27) as Tesco became the first UK supermarket to sign the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Corporate Covenant.
This now means the company will seek out veterans to work for Tesco, support spouses and partners of serving personnel to get jobs at Tesco stores in areas with large armed forces communities, promote service with the Reserve Forces to Tesco colleagues and give extra special consideration to holiday requests from spouses before, during and after their partner’s deployment
They have also pledged to continue to stock products like Eggs for Soldiers, exclusive Marston’s beer designed by ex-soldiers and childrenswar by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, where proceeds go to Forces charities as well as to help customers raise more money than ever for this year’s Poppy Appeal to try to smash previous records by raising £4.5 million in 2014.
Mr Fallon said: “It is great to see one of the UK’s major employers recognise the immense benefits that Reservists and former Service personnel can bring to the private sector and I am delighted that they will be our first supermarket that has signed up to the Corporate Covenant. Tesco now join over 300 companies that have committed to strengthening their support for our Armed Forces communities, bringing about real change for those that have bravely served their country and their families.”
Every time somebody uploads a picture to social media of the Tesco’s special Poppy Appeal delivery truck, which will drive across London, Tesco will donate £10 to the Royal British Legion.
The company has a long history with the Armed Forces as it was set-up by Jack Cohen who started his first market stall with his demob money after coming home from active service during the First World War.
Since 2005 Tesco has raised £30 million for Armed Forces charities.
The supermarket has been in the news recently for overestimating its profits by £263 million, which is now being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.
