Sir John Cohen, the East End Jewish Barrow boy who founded Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, Tesco’s, died today at the age of 80. He was a household figure, with his boxer’s nose and his East End Jewish accent.
Jack Cohen, a he was known until he was knighted, began business as a street trader after World War I and carved his way to success by ruthless price-cutting, which angered his competitors but endeared him to the housewife. He popularized trading stamps in Britain and his business recently opened its 600th store. Ten years ago he handed the chairmanship of Tesco’s to one of his sons-in-law, Lesly Porter.
In World War I, he served in the Royal Flying Corps and was in Haifa when it was captured by the British. A frequent visitor to Israel, he was a generous benefactor to many Jewish as well as non-Jewish charities. His stores are major distributors in Britain of Israeli foodstuffs.
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