142 years of history

142 years of history

Sainsbury's was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann Sainsbury in London and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest retailers. We’ll be updating this page regularly with highlights from our history.

2010

2000

2009

We were the first major retailer to completely stop selling eggs from caged hens

2008

We were the first retailer to launch our own brand 1% fat milk

2007

We were the first retailer to convert all our bananas to 100% Fairtrade

2007

Our first Make the Difference day encouraging carrier bag reuse, was a massive success

2005

We launched 'Try something new today' marking the end of a disappointing period in our history, and a return to what our customers want

2004

We launched the TU fashion range in 160 stores

The Sainsbury Archive

The Sainsbury Archive documents the history of one of the nation's oldest food retailers, from its foundation in London in 1869 to the present day. Visitors can browse books, maps and other resources. Displays showcase the history of Sainsburys, with sections on the Sainsbury family, uniforms, advertising and the development of packaging.