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J Sainsbury PLC

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FY2012 Annual Report · J Sainsbury PLC
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Annual Report 
and Financial  
Statements
2012

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Welcome to our Annual Report 
and Financial Statements 2012 
It’s an exciting time for 
Sainsbury’s. Our clear, long-term 
strategy continues to deliver for 
our customers, ensuring we are 
well positioned for future growth.  

In recent years we have transformed  
our business, while remaining true to  
our 143 year heritage.

By offering universal appeal we are helping 
our customers Live Well for Less. We are 
delivering on our business strategy’s five 
areas of focus and continue to outperform 
the market and gain share.

We know our colleagues, culture and  
values make us different and are central  
to our success.

Find out more at  
j-sainsbury.co.uk

Cover picture: Taken from 
the TV advertising campaign 
that helped launch Live Well 
for Less in September 2011. 
The advertisement achieved 
record ratings for likeability 
from customers. 

About Sainsbury’s 
Sainsbury’s was founded in  
1869 and today operates over  
1,000 stores, including 440 
convenience stores, and employs 
around 150,000 colleagues. 

We put our customers at the heart of everything we do and have  
invested in our stores, our colleagues and our channels to offer the  
best possible shopping experience. Our strong culture and values  
are part of our identity and integral to our success. 

Vision

Goal

To be the most trusted  
retailer where people  
love to work and shop.

To make all our customers’ lives 
easier every day by offering great 
quality and service at fair prices.  

143 years strong

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. 

1869

First store 
opened on 
London’s  
Drury Lane

1914

Began 
recruiting 
women to  
work in stores 
during the  
First World War

1950s

1970s

First self-
service stores 
opened

Introduced the 
first bakeries, 
fresh fish 
counters, coffee 
shops and petrol 
stations 

1989

Introduced  
the first ever 
carrier bags 
made from 
recycled 
material

1994

First major 
supermarket in 
the UK to sell 
Fairtrade food

2004

Launched the  
TU fashion 
range 

2007

First major 
supermarket  
to switch to 
selling 100% 
Fairtrade 
bananas

2009

First major 
retailer to stop 
selling eggs 
from caged 
hens

2012

First ever 
Paralympics-
only sponsor 
and major 
partner of the 
Diamond 
Jubilee 
celebrations 

Our business strategy for growth

Our five areas of focus are underpinned by our values and  
operational excellence

O p e r a t ional excellence

Growing space 
& creating 
property value

Great food

Developing 
new business

Compelling 
general 
merchandise 
& clothing

Complementary 
channels & services

See pages  
10–25  
for more detail

Our values make  u s   d i f f e r e n t

Universal appeal helping customers Live Well for Less

Strong  
own brand

Competitive  
pricing

Loyalty and 
insight

Our values make 
us different 

•	 	Taste the Difference:	8.7%	

•	 	Over	half	of	Brand Match	

sales	growth

•	 	by Sainsbury’s:	3.1%	sales	

growth	

•	 basics:	6.8%	sales	growth

coupons	show	Sainsbury’s	is	
cheaper	than	Tesco	or	Asda

•	 	125	branded	suppliers	

participating	in	coupon-at-till,		
across	650	campaigns

•	 	UK’s	largest	loyalty	scheme	
•	 	Over	18.5	million	members
•	 		Almost	£200	million	of	
points	redeemed	over	
the	year	

•	 	Sainsbury’s	20 by 20 

Sustainability Plan	launched	

•	 	Highest	performer	relative	

to	our	sector	in	the	
FTSE4Good	Index

Financial highlights

Contents

Sales

+6.8%

Sales	(including	VAT,	
including	fuel)

Underlying operating profit

£789m

Underlying	operating
profit	up	6.9%

Underlying profit before tax

£712m

Underlying	profit	
before	tax	up	7.1%

Return on capital employed

11.1%

Return	on	capital	employed		

Underlying basic earnings 

28.1p

Underlying	basic	earnings	
per	share	up	6.0%

Financial summary

Sales	(including	VAT)	
Sales	(excluding	VAT)	
Underlying	operating	profit1	
Underlying	profit	before	tax1	
Profit	before	tax	
Profit	after	tax	
Underlying	basic	earnings	per	share1	
Basic	earnings	per	share	
Full	year	dividend	per	share	

2011/12	
£m	
24,511	
22,294	
789	
712	
799	
598	
28.1p	
32.0p	
16.1p	

2010/11	
£m	
22,943	
21,102	
738	
665	
827	
640	
26.5p	
34.4p	
15.1p	

Change
£m
6.8%
5.6%
6.9%
7.1%
(3.4)%
(6.6)%
6.0%
(7.0)%
6.6%

1	Refer	to	page	27	for	a	reconciliation	from	underlying	operating	profit	to	profit	before	tax.

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Business review

Financial	highlights	
Chairman’s	letter	
Chief	Executive’s	letter		
Market	overview	
Key	performance	indicators	
Our	strategy		
Great	food		
Compelling	general	merchandise	&	clothing		
Complementary	channels	&	services		
Developing	new	business	
Growing	space	&	creating	property	value	
Operational	excellence	
Our	values	make	us	different	
Financial	review	

Governance

Board	of	Directors	
Operating	Board		
Directors’	report		
Corporate	governance	statement	
Corporate	Responsibility	Committee	
Audit	Committee	
Principal	risks	&	uncertainties	
Remuneration	report	
Statement	of	Directors’	responsibilities	

Financial statements

Independent	auditors’	report	to	

the	members	of	J	Sainsbury	plc		

Group	income	statement	
Statements	of	comprehensive	income		
Balance	sheet		
Cash	flow	statements		
Group	statement	of	changes	in	equity		
Company	statement	of	changes	in	equity		
Notes	to	the	financial	statements		
Five	year	financial	record		
Additional	shareholder	information	
Financial	calendar		
Glossary	

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Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

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Chairman’s letter

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David Tyler
Chairman

Dear shareholder,
Your Board is pleased to report 
on what has been a good year for 
Sainsbury’s. We have continued 
to outperform the market for a 
number of years by remaining 
true to our values of providing 
great quality, service and value  
to our customers. 

2  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Underlying	profit	before	tax	was	up	7.1	per	cent	to	£712	million.	
Underlying	earnings	per	share	were	up	6.0	per	cent	to	28.1	
pence.	This	year,	your	Board	recommends	a	final	dividend	of		
11.6	pence	per	share,	making	a	full-year	dividend	of	16.1	pence,	
which	is	an	increase	of	6.6	per	cent	over	the	previous	year,	
covered	1.75	times	by	underlying	earnings.	Sainsbury’s	remains	
focused	on	delivering	returns	to	shareholders.	The	Board	plans	
to	increase	the	dividend	each	year	and	now	intends	to	build	
cover	to	two	times	over	the	medium	term.	

A winning team
I	would	like	to	thank	all	of	our	colleagues	for	their	efforts	
in	providing	excellent	service	to	our	customers.	Our	people	
are,	of	course,	the	face	of	Sainsbury’s,	and	are	central	to	our	
ongoing	success.	We	continue	to	invest	in	their	training	and	
development,	and	in	ensuring	Sainsbury’s	is	a	great	place	to	
work.	I	am	delighted	that	they	share	in	a	bonus	of	over	£60	
million	this	year,	meaning	that	over	the	last	five	years	we	will	
have	awarded	over	£300	million	to	colleagues	in	this	way.

This	year	we	have	added	strength	and	depth	to	our	
management	team.	In	January	2012,	Sarah	Warby	joined	the	
Operating	Board	as	Marketing	Director,	having	previously		
been	UK	Marketing	Director	at	Heineken.	We	also	changed	
two	roles	on	the	Operating	Board	in	March	2012.	Helen	Buck,	
previously	Convenience	Director,	became	Retail	Director	
responsible	for	performance	across	our	supermarket	estate;	
and	Roger	Burnley,	previously	Retail	and	Logistics	Director,	
became	Managing	Director,	General	Merchandise,	Clothing		
and	Logistics,	leading	our	growing	non-food	business	while	
retaining	responsibility	for	logistics.	

	
Chairman’s letter continued

Proposed full year 
dividend 16.1p, up 
6.6%, cover 1.75x

16.1p
dividend

“  Sainsbury’s remains 

focused on delivering 
returns to shareholders. 
The Board plans to 
increase the dividend 
each year.”

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In	May	2012	we	announced	that	Bob	Stack	has	decided	to	
stand	down	as	a	Non-Executive	Director	of	our	plc	Board	at	the	
AGM	in	July	2012.	I	would	like	to	thank	Bob	for	his	outstanding	
contribution	since	his	appointment	in	January	2005,	both	
as	a	valued	member	of	the	Board	and	as	Chairman	of	our	
Remuneration	Committee.	During	his	tenure,	the	Remuneration	
Committee	has	progressively	introduced	a	range	of	plans	which	
have	effectively	incentivised	management	through	the	recovery	
and	growth	phases	of	the	last	seven	and	a	half	years,	which	has	
been	very	much	in	shareholders’	best	interests.	Sainsbury’s	
has	developed	a	sound	reputation	for	strong	governance	of	
remuneration	while	he	has	chaired	the	Committee.

Mary	Harris	will	succeed	Bob	as	Chairman	of	the	Committee	and	
we	are	currently	conducting	a	search	for	a	new	Non-Executive	
Director	to	join	the	Board.	

The value of our values 
Our	unique	values	and	strong	culture	are	at	the	heart	of	the	
Company’s	success.	This	remains	as	true	today	as	it	was	143	
years	ago.	In	October	2011,	we	published	a	new	20	by	20	
Sustainability	Plan	with	bold	targets.	We	believe	they	are	key	
to	the	long-term	sustainability	of	our	business	and	can	bring	
increased	sales,	deeper	customer	loyalty	and	greater	efficiency,	
as	well	as	improved	colleague	development	and	satisfaction,		
all	ultimately	contributing	to	shareholder	value.

Outlook
The	wider	economic	situation	looks	likely	to	remain	uncertain,	
but	by	helping	our	customers	make	their	money	go	further	
and	Live Well for Less,	we	have	demonstrated	we	can	succeed	
against	this	backdrop.	Furthermore,	the	business	has	some	
exciting	growth	opportunities	including	our	multi-channel	
strategy	to	help	our	customers	to	shop	the	way	they	want,	and	
our	store	space	strategy	which	brings	our	great	food,	clothing	
and	general	merchandise	to	new	customers.

We	have	laid	strong	foundations	for	growth.	Your	Board	believes	
these	will	allow	us	to	achieve	our	vision	to	be	the	most	trusted	
retailer	where	people	love	to	work	and	shop.

David Tyler
Chairman

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  3

	
	
	
Chief Executive’s letter

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Justin King
Chief	Executive

Our	market	share	is	its	highest	for	nearly	a	decade,	driven	by	
underlying	market	beating	like-for-like	sales	growth	of	2.1	per	
cent	excluding	fuel.	In	the	business	review	you	will	see	how	
we	are	building	towards	a	future	of	continued	success.	We	are	
confident	that	our	investment	plans	will	drive	further	growth,	
while	contributing	to	additional	improvements	in	returns.		

Helping customers Live Well for Less
We	believe	in	quality	for	everyone,	in	everything	we	do.	We	now	
have	22	million	customer	transactions	a	week,	an	increase	of	
one	million	on	last	year.	We	have	succeeded	by	understanding	
what	our	customers	want	and	delivering	universal	appeal	to	
help	them	Live Well for Less.	They	want	a	great	deal,	whether	
they	are	on	a	tight	budget,	have	a	bit	more	to	spend	or	simply	
want	to	treat	themselves.	In	Brand Match	we	now	have	the	best	
and	simplest	tool	in	the	market	to	help	customers	appreciate	
our	great	value.	Similarly,	our	Nectar	loyalty	programme	
continues	to	be	a	key	source	of	competitive	advantage.	The	data	
enables	us	to	understand	our	customers	better	and	to	offer	
them	efficient,	meaningful	and	targeted	promotions,	which	in	
turn	helps	us	increase	customer	loyalty.

Great food
Offering	great	food	at	fair	prices	remains	at	the	heart	of	what	
we	do.	While	price	remains	important,	customers	do	not	want	
to	compromise	on	quality	and	demand	great	service.	We	have	
invested	heavily	in	this	over	recent	years	and	will	continue	to	
do	so.	One	of	our	20 by 20 Sustainability Plan	commitments	
is	to	double	the	amount	of	British	food	we	sell	by	2020,	and	
this	year	we	sold	more	British	produce	than	ever	before.	Our	
own	label	investment	goes	from	strength	to	strength	and	we	
are	seeing	tangible	results,	with	nearly	nine	per	cent	growth	in	
Taste the Difference,	over	half	of	our	by	Sainsbury’s	products	
improved	and	re-launched,	and	basics	now	the	second	biggest	
supermarket	value	brand.

Opportunities for continuing growth

Dear shareholder,
Having achieved 29 quarters 
of like-for-like sales growth, 
Sainsbury’s is not only a strong 
business with a successful core 
of food and non-food retailing, 
but also a business with real 
opportunities for further growth. 
We remain focused on doing 
a great job for customers and 
helping them Live Well for Less.

4  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

	
Chief Executive’s letter continued

Compelling general merchandise and clothing
Our	general	merchandise	and	clothing	businesses	continue	to	
grow	faster	than	our	food	business	and	gain	share	in	fiercely	
competitive	markets.	Direct	sourcing,	in	particular,	has	helped	
us	forge	better	relationships	with	our	suppliers	and	provide	
better	deals	for	our	customers.			

Complementary channels and services
Customers	expect	to	shop	whenever,	wherever	and	however	
best	suits	them.	We	see	the	opportunities	this	provides	and	
are	integrating	new	technology,	channels	and	services	into	our	
business	to	serve	customers	in	new	ways.	We	have	the	fastest-
growing	online	business	of	any	major	food	retailer.	We	have	a	
convenience	business	of	scale	that	is	expanding	by	one	to	two	
stores	a	week,	growing	total	and	like-for-like	sales	well	ahead	of	
the	market,	and	helping	customers	to	shop	locally	and	manage	
their	weekly	bills.	We	already	have	a	Click & Collect	facility	in	
over	900	stores,	one	of	the	UK’s	largest	networks,	designed	
to	make	shopping	easier	and	more	flexible.	We	will	continue	to	
invest	in	these	channels,	and	to	find	new	ways	to	improve	the	
customer	experience.

Developing new business
We	are	also	investing	beyond	our	core	and	developing	new	
business.	By	moving	into	areas	that	are	a	natural	extension		
of	our	brand	–	such	as	banking,	pharmacy	and	energy	–	we	aim	
to	grow	value	based	on	the	trust	people	have	in	Sainsbury’s,	
our	colleagues	and	our	values.	Sainsbury’s	Bank	has	enjoyed	
another	successful	year	with	a	40	per	cent	increase	in	pre-
tax	operating	profit.	Our	strategy	of	rewarding	Sainsbury’s	
shoppers	with	double	Nectar	points	for	choosing	to	bank	with	
us	has	been	a	major	factor	in	this	growth.	

Growing space and creating property value
Growing	our	UK	sales	space	remains	central	to	our	strategy.	
This	year	we	opened	a	further	1.4	million	sq	ft	of	space,	
adding	19	new	supermarkets	and	73	new	convenience	stores	
to	our	estate.	We	also	extended	28	stores	by	an	average	of	
18,000	sq	ft,	as	we	continue	to	bring	our	non-food	ranges	to	
more	UK	customers.	There	are	areas	of	the	country	where	we	
do	not	yet	have	a	strong	presence,	and	we	continue	to	expand	
our	coverage	to	reach	them.	At	the	same	time	we	are	also	
creating	valuable	property	assets	for	our	shareholders	and	our	
property	estate	is	now	valued	at	£11.2	billion,	with	development	
activity	delivering	£83	million	property	profits	this	year.	We	will	
continue	to	use	these	assets	to	help	fund	our	growth.

Operational excellence
When	we	invest	in	new	stores,	technology	or	processes,	
we	do	so	with	strict	control	of	the	capital	spent	to	ensure	
appropriate	returns.	By	carefully	managing	costs	we	have	
improved	operating	margins	yet	further,	with	over	£100	
million	of	operational	savings	this	year,	contributing	to	almost	
£600	million	of	cost	savings	over	five	years.	This	is	a	result	
of	improved	productivity,	ongoing	procurement	savings	and	
simplification	of	in-store	processes.	

“  Our customers trust Sainsbury’s  
to do the right thing and expect 
us to maintain high social, 
ethical and environmental 
standards across all aspects  
of our business.”

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Our values make us different
We	have	a	clear	vision:	to	be	the	most	trusted	retailer,	where	
people	love	to	work	and	shop.	Our	goal	is	to	make	all	our	
customers’	lives	easier	every	day	by	offering	great	quality	
and	service	at	fair	prices.	Our	values	are	critical	to	achieving	
this.	Our	customers	trust	Sainsbury’s	to	do	the	right	thing	and	
expect	us	to	maintain	high	social,	ethical	and	environmental	
standards	across	all	aspects	of	our	business.	Our	values	are	
part	of	what	make	us	different	from	other	supermarkets,	so		
we	see	this	as	a	strength,	as	well	as	a	responsibility.	In	October	
2011,	we	published	our	20 by 20 Sustainability Plan	to	ensure		
we	continue	to	lead	in	this	aspect	of	business,	and	derive		
long-term,	sustainable	advantage	from	it.	

One	example	of	this	is	carbon:	our	absolute	electricity	
consumption	for	supermarkets	has	reduced	by	9.1	per	cent		
over	the	past	four	years,	despite	an	increase	in	space	of		
25	per	cent.	It	is	this	approach	which	has	led	to	Sainsbury’s	
being	rated	the	highest	performer	relative	to	our	sector		
across	all	three	pillars	of	environmental,	social	and	governance	
practices	in	the	internationally	respected	FTSE4Good	Index.

Looking forward
As	we	look	to	the	year	ahead,	we	do	so	with	the	benefits	of		
our	clear	strategy,	customer	insight	and	strong	culture.	We	are	
demonstrating	that	delivering	quality	and	value	is	a	compelling	
offer	for	customers.	The	economic	climate	is	likely	to	remain	
challenging	and	we	are	committed	to	helping	customers	Live 
Well for Less.	However,	in	the	year	ahead,	there	are	many	
reasons	to	be	cheerful	as	a	nation.	We	know	our	customers		
trust	us	to	make	their	celebrations	truly	special	and	memorable	
–	from	national	occasions	like	the	Diamond	Jubilee,	Olympics	
and	Paralympics,	to	more	personal	and	family	events.		

We	are	focused	on	ensuring	that	we	continue	to	succeed	for	
our	customers,	our	colleagues	and,	of	course	for	you	our	
shareholders,	in	what	is	set	to	be	a	year	like	no	other.

Justin King
Chief	Executive

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  5

	
	
	
Market overview

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Our marketplace
The UK economic climate 
continued to be challenging  
for customers in 2011/12

Over	the	last	three	years	inflation	has	increased	faster	than	
wages1,	putting	pressure	on	customers	and	affecting	consumer	
confidence2.	

The	economic	downturn	has	changed	how	and	what	consumers	
buy,	and	these	changes	appear	to	be	lasting.	There	has	been	
a	significant	shift	towards	cooking	more	meals	from	scratch,	
shopping	more	frequently	to	manage	waste	and	spend,	and	
looking	out	for	discounts	and	deals3.	

Although	these	trends	have	been	developing	since	the	
beginning	of	the	downturn,	2011/12	saw	a	further	decline	in	
food	sales	volumes.	This	change	in	customer	behaviour,	driven	
particularly	by	an	increase	in	petrol	prices	to	over	£1.30	per	
litre,	made	delivering	profitable	sales	growth	more	challenging	
than	ever	and,	while	inflation	kept	total	sales	growing,	the	profit	
pool	delivered	by	the	industry	declined4.

Succeeding	and	growing	market	share5	in	this	environment	
requires	better	customer	understanding	than	ever.	Through		
our	Nectar	loyalty	scheme	we	have	a	wealth	of	data	about		
our	customers’	behaviour.	We	combine	this	with	listening		
and	engaging	customers,	across	a	broad	range	of	channels,		
to	create	real	insight.	

1CEBR economic indicators
1 CEBR economic indicators

Average gross earnings
Household disposable income
CPI

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2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2Nationwide consumer confidence survey
2 Nationwide consumer confidence survey

Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index
Present Situation Index
Expectations Index

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
July 09

Jan 10

July 10

Jan 11

July 11

Mar 12

6  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

 
	
0

1

0

2

0

3

0

4

0

5

0

6

0

7

0

8

0

Market overview continued

We	believe	our	customer	insight	and	understanding	is	best-in-
class.	This	is	what	informed	our	Live Well for Less	campaign,	
which	we	launched	in	the	year.	While	many	in	the	market	
thought	that	the	economic	environment	meant	low	prices	would	
be	the	primary	motivator	in	supermarket	choice,	our	research	
told	us	that	customers	were	looking	for	real	value:	quality	
without	compromise	at	good	prices.	

We	saw	that	customers	were	shopping	more	frequently	and	
locally	to	reduce	food	waste,	and	pressed	ahead	with	our	
convenience	growth	plans.	We	recognised	that,	more	than	ever,	
customers	are	looking	for	reasons	to	celebrate,	and	we	helped	
them	do	so	at	the	Royal	Wedding,	Halloween	and	Christmas,	
driving	market	outperformance.	Despite	the	economic	pressure	
customers	face,	we	saw	that	they	were	not	compromising	on	
their	values;	donations	to	Sport	Relief	increased,	and	sales	of	
fairly	traded	and	higher	animal	welfare	products	continued	
to	grow.

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Our Live Well for 
Less campaign 
demonstrates our 
understanding of 
today’s savvy shopper

3Coping behaviour data chart
3 Coping behaviour data chart

4Grocery market sales and volume trends
 Grocery market sales and volume trends
4

Buying more items on promotion/
special offer

Buying fewer luxury items

Shopping from a list

Planning meals to minimise waste

Cooking more meals from scratch

Shopping around for better deals

Buying fewer branded products 
and more own label

Buying more basic or value ranges

Buying less food generally

Buying in bulk to save money

73%

65%

61%

60%

60%

57%

50%

49%

44%

43%

Food and drink sales volume
Food and drink sales

20

15

10

5

0

h
t
w
o
r
g
%

-5

-10

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

Using cheaper supermarkets more

34%

Source: Centre for Economics and Business Research

Trading down to cheaper cuts of meat

Switching from chilled to frozen foods

24%

20%

Source: Nectar data, 19 Feb 2012 to 17 March 2012

01

03

05

07

09

11

13

15

5

5 During the year, Sainsbury’s grew its  
share of the market from 16.5 per cent to  
During the year, Sainsbury’s grew our share of the market from 
16.5 per cent to 16.6 per cent. The size of the UK grocery market
16.6 per cent. The size of the UK grocery 
was £138.2 billion.
market was £138.2 billion.

Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Asda
Morrisons
The Co-operative
Waitrose
Aldi
Lidl
Other

Source: Kantar Worldpanel, 52 weeks to 18 March 2012

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  7

	
	
	
 
	
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Key performance indicators

Financial KPIs

Like-for-like sales1 2011/12 (%)

Total sales growth1 2011/12 (%)

Underlying EBITDAR2 (%)

1 year LfL

2.1

2 year LfL

3 year LfL

4 year LfL

5 year LfL

4.4

8.9

13.8

18.3

1 year

2 year

3 year

4 year

5 year

4.5

9.6

17.0

22.5

29.5

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

7.49

7.62

7.79

7.81

7.80

Trading intensity per sq ft3, 4  
(£ per week)

Underlying operating margin5 
(%) 

Underlying profit before tax6 
(£m)

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

19.69

20.01

20.42

20.04

19.47

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

3.00

3.26

3.36

3.50

3.54

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

434

519

610

665

712

Non-financial KPIs: 
Delivering against our 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan

Our values Commitments  Progress

Best for food  
and health

Healthiest	baskets

•	Multiple	traffic	light	nutritional	labelling	is	helping	customers	make	informed	choices	in-store
•	Product	re-formulation	continues	to	reduce	salt,	fats	and	sugar	in	our	own	brand	products
•		Signed	all	the	Government’s	Public	Health	Responsibility	Deal	food	pledges,	including	salt	and	calorie	reduction

Lighter	alcohol	

•		Introduced	new	point	of	sale	communication	about	responsible	drinking	
•	14%	increase	in	sales	of	lighter	alcohol	wines

Sourcing with 
integrity

Sustainably	sourced		
raw	materials

•	Identified	the	top	30	raw	materials	in	own	brand	products	and	reviewing	sourcing	plans	
•	Over	60	own	brand	products	made	with	physically	certified	palm	oil

Deforestation

•		Over	825,000	trees	planted	with	the	Woodland	Trust	since	2004,	planting	one	million	more	as	part	of	the	Jubilee	

Woods	project

•	Continuing	to	convert	timber	products	to	Forest	Stewardship	Council	(‘FSC’)	standards	
•	Converted	all	baking	paper	and	own	brand	tissue	packaging	to	100%	FSC	paper

Sustainable	fish

No.	1	for	fairly	traded

•	Over	100	fish	products	now	carry	the	Marine	Stewardship	Council	(‘MSC’)	certification
•	Largest	retailer	of	MSC	certified	sustainable	seafood	for	the	third	year	running	with	sales	of	£81	million

•	Strong	progress	towards	our	goal	of	£1	billion	sales	of	fairly	traded	products	by	2020
•		World’s	largest	Fairtrade	retailer;	sales	of	over	£288	million,	up	5%	on	last	year,	accounting	for	22%	of	all		

UK	Fairtrade	sales

Best	for	British

•	Working	with	over	3,000	British	farmers	to	ensure	we	meet	our	target	to	double	the	amount	of	British	food	we	sell
•		Largest	retailer	of	British	apples	and	pears	for	the	third	season;	doubled	the	size	of	our	British	asparagus		

market	since	2007

No.	1	for	animal	welfare

•		Leading	retailer	of	cage-free	fresh	eggs	and	only	major	retailer	to	use	cage-free	eggs	as	ingredients	in	all		

own	brand	products

•	Leading	retailer	of	Freedom	Food	products	(animals	raised	to	strict	RSPCA	welfare	standards)	with	sales	of	£380	million

Supplier	standards

•	Established	eight	Farm	Development	Groups	across	key	agricultural	categories,	investing	over	£30	million	since	2006
•	Round-table	engagement	sessions	with	more	than	50	suppliers	in	Kenya	and	South	Africa

	Sales	including	VAT,	excluding	fuel.

1	
2	 	Underlying	EBITDAR:	underlying	profit	before	tax	before	underlying	net	finance	costs,	underlying	share	of	post-tax	results	from	joint	ventures,	depreciation,	amortisation	and	rent,	divided		

by	sales	excluding	VAT,	including	fuel.

3	 	Trading	intensity	per	sq	ft:	sales	per	week	(including	VAT,	excluding	fuel)	divided	by	sales	area.
4	 	2008/09	and	2009/10	adjusted	for	comparative	purposes	to	remove	the	dilutive	effect	of	the	temporary	VAT	reduction	to	15	per	cent	between	1	December	2008	and	31	December	2009.
5	 	Underlying	operating	margin:	underlying	profit	before	tax	before	underlying	net	finance	costs	and	underlying	share	of	post-tax	results	from	joint	ventures,	divided	by	sales	excluding	VAT,		

including	fuel.

6	 	Underlying	profit	before	tax:	profit	before	tax	before	any	profit	or	loss	on	the	disposal	of	properties,	investment	property	fair	value	movements,	impairment	of	goodwill,	financing	fair	value	

movements,	IAS	19	pension	financing	element	and	one-off	items	that	are	material	and	infrequent	in	nature.	

8  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

	
Key performance indicators continued

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Operating cash flow (£m)

Pre-tax return on capital 
employed7 (%)

Underlying basic earnings  
per share8 (pence)

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

998

1,206

1,206

1,138

1,291

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

8.8

10.1

11.0

11.1

11.1

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

17.4

21.2

23.9

26.5

28.1

Net capital expenditure (£m)

Gearing9 (%)

Dividend per share10 (pence)

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

799

862

915

880

962

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

30.5

2007/08

38.2

2008/09

31.2

33.4

35.2

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

12.0

13.2

14.2

15.1

16.1

Our values Commitments  Progress

Respect for our 
environment

Positive	waste	usage

•	Achieved	zero	food	waste	to	landfill	throughout	our	logistics	and	store	operations
•	Largest	retail	user	of	anaerobic	digestion	technology,	generating	enough	power	to	supply	2,500	houses

Packaging

•	Continuous	review	of	own	brand	packaging	to	reduce	waste,	use	recycled	materials	and/or	ensure	recyclability
•	Removed	3,000	tonnes	of	packaging	through	specific	own	brand	product	design	case	studies		

Net capital expenditure £m)
Water	stewardship

Operational	carbon	
emissions	

2007/08

2008/09

Supplier	carbon	emissions

799

•	9.1%	absolute	reduction	in	electricity	use	over	the	past	four	years	in	our	supermarkets	despite	a	25%	increase	in	space
•	Became	the	largest	multi-site	user	of	photovoltaic	cells	in	the	UK,	with	7MW	of	solar	panels	on	115	supermarkets

•	Further	10%	reduction	in	our	relative	water	consumption	(currently	tracking	at	40%	relative	reduction	against	2005/6)
•	Part	of	the	UK’s	Water	Stewardship	Group	and	a	partner	in	the	IMARISHA	project,	Naivasha,	Kenya	

•	Invested	£2	million	in	Tamar	Energy;	will	produce	100MW	of	organic	waste-fuelled	green	power	capacity	over	five	years
•	48,000	tonnes	of	carbon	saved	since	2007	through	our	Farm	Development	Groups

862

2009/10

A positive 
difference 
to our 
community

2010/11

2011/12

Active	youth

Community	investment

915

880

•	First	ever	Paralympics-only	sponsor	with	over	2.4	million	children	signed	up	to	our	1 Million Kids	challenge
•		David	Beckham	became	our	Active Kids	ambassador
•	Over	£115	million	worth	of	equipment	donated	to	schools,	nurseries	and	sports	clubs	since	2005
•	£10	million	invested	in	the	Sainsbury’s	School	Games	competition	over	the	next	four	years
962
•	£25.4	million	contribution	to	over	1,000	local	and	national	charities	and	community	groups	
•	£21.2	million	raised	by	colleagues,	customers	and	suppliers,	with	over	7,000	days	volunteered	by	colleagues

A great place  
to work

Commitment	and	
engagement

New	jobs	and	skills

•	4%	points	increase	in	colleague	engagement	year-on-year	as	measured	in	Talkback,	our	annual	colleague	survey
•	3%	points	increase	in	colleagues	who	say	they	would	recommend	Sainsbury’s	as	a	great	place	to	work

•		Trained	18,000	colleagues	in	our	bakery	college	and	food	colleges,	with	12,200	City	&	Guilds	certificates	awarded	since	2009
•	Youth Can	programme	established	to	promote	retail	careers	to	young	people

Long	service

•	Over	13,000	colleagues	with	20	years	or	more	employment;	with	94	having	reached	40	years	or	more

Sharing	in	success

•	19,500	colleagues	participated	in	this	year’s	Save	As	You	Earn	offer,	making	28,215	in	total
•	Over	11,000	colleagues	shared	a	£26.5	million	payout	in	savings	and	profit	via	two	of	our	Sharesave	schemes		

Disadvantaged	groups

•	12,000	people	employed	via	You Can	work	trial	scheme	partnership	with	Remploy,	Mencap	and	Job	Centre	Plus	since	2008

	 7		Return	on	capital	employed:	underlying	profit	before	interest	and	tax,	divided	by	the	average	of	opening	and	closing	capital	employed	(net	assets	before	net	debt).	
	8		Underlying	basic	earnings	per	share:	underlying	profit,	net	of	attributable	taxation,	divided	by	the	weighted	average	number	of	ordinary	shares	in	issue	during	the	period,	excluding	those	held		

by	the	ESOP	trusts,	which	are	treated	as	cancelled.

	9		Gearing:	net	debt	divided	by	net	assets.	
10	Dividend	per	share:	total	dividend	divided	by	the	weighted	average	number	of	shares	in	issue.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  9

	
	
	
	
Business review

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Our strategy
We have a clear, long-term 
strategy to deliver our vision 
of being the most trusted 
retailer where people love  
to work and shop. 

Our five areas of focus are  
underpinned by our strong values and 
culture, as well as our commitment 
to operational excellence. We put the 
customer at the heart of everything  
we do, aiming to make their lives easier 
every day by offering great quality  
and service at fair prices.

Find out more over the following pages.

10  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

	
Great food

O p e r a t ional excellence

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Compelling  
general  
merchandise 
& clothing

Growing  
space &  
creating  
property  
value

Our values make  u s   d i f f e r e n t

Developing
new business

Complementary  
channels  
& services

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

11

	
	
	
Business review  
Great food

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Great food

Apple	harvesting	at	the	Blackmoor	Estate	orchard	
in	Hampshire	takes	place	each	year	from	August	
to	October,	supplying	us	with	eight	varieties.	We	
are	the	largest	retailer	of	British	apples	and	pears,	
selling	a	third	of	all	those	bought	in	the	UK.

	
Fresh food remains 
central to our business 
and its success. It is a 
key battleground for 
UK supermarkets, 
with today’s savvy 
shoppers having high 
expectations about 
the quality, value and 
integrity of their food,  
particularly fresh 
produce.  

Over £288 million 
sales of fairly traded 
products this year

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Fairtrade 
£288m
sales

Investment	in	our	supply	chain	ensures	we	are	frequently	
the	quickest	to	market	on	key	fresh	lines,	with	some	British	
vegetables	going	from	field	to	store	in	an	industry-leading		
48	hours.	With	Jersey	Royal	potatoes,	for	example,	we	wash	
and	pack	them	on	the	island	to	ensure	they	arrive	in	store	as	
quickly	as	possible.	

Our	focus	on	fresh	food	is	closely	related	to	our	20	by	20	
commitment	to	double	the	amount	of	British	food	we	sell	
by	2020.	This	will	help	develop	British	farming	and	protect	
livelihoods,	while	reducing	food	miles	and	delivering	fresh,	
healthy,	nutritious	food	to	the	table.	Developing	ever	closer	links	
with	farmers	is	key	to	our	continuing	leadership	in	this	area.	For	
example,	we	are	the	largest	retailer	of	British	apples	and	pears,	
selling	a	third	of	all	those	bought	in	the	UK.	We	are	working	to	
preserve	traditional	British	varieties,	as	well	as	introducing	new	
ones	to	the	UK.	This	year	our	customers	will	see	more	British	
food	in	our	stores	than	ever	before,	from	early	season	lamb	
through	to	chillies	grown	in	northern	England	and	blueberries	
from	Scotland.

We	have	also	continued	to	expand	and	improve	our	fresh	food	
service	counters.	We	have	trained	18,000	colleagues	in	our	
bakery	college	and	six	food	colleges.	Their	service,	skills	and	
expertise	have	resulted	in	sales	from	our	counters	growing	
faster	than	at	any	other	retailer.	We	were	delighted	in	June	
2011	when	City	&	Guilds	formally	accredited	the	high	standards	
of	training	available	at	these	colleges,	which	includes	bakery,	
fishmonger,	butchery	and	delicatessen	skills	–	the	largest	
accreditation	of	its	kind	in	the	UK.

Customers	are	turning	to	our	own	brand	items	for	quality	and	
value,	and	shopping	across	the	whole	range.	Our	Taste	the	
Difference	and	basics	brands	are	both	performing	particularly	
well,	and	appear	side-by-side	in	many	baskets,	showing	that	
even	within	a	single	shopping	trip	customers	are	saving	on	
some	items	to	treat	themselves	on	others.	Our	basics	range	is	
now	the	second	biggest	selling	supermarket	value	brand,	with	
sales	growing	6.8	per	cent	in	the	year,	driven	by	purchases	of	
store	cupboard	essentials	and	ingredients	for	home	cooking.	
Taste	the	Difference	grew	by	8.7	per	cent,	gaining	market	share	
in	the	premium	tier,	and	was	particularly	popular	at	Christmas	
2011.	The	re-launch	of	our	core	own	label	brand	by	Sainsbury’s,	
is	well	under	way.	Over	half	way	through	the	programme	with	
3,700	lines	launched,	re-introduced	or	refreshed,	we	are	already	
seeing	3.1	per	cent	growth.

Ethically	traded	goods	are	also	important	to	our	business	and	
we	are	the	largest	Fairtrade	retailer	in	the	world.	Our	customers	
expect	us	to	do	the	right	thing	by	our	suppliers	and	source	our	
products	with	integrity.	We	sold	over	£12	million	of	Fairtrade	
goods	during	Fairtrade	Fortnight	in	February	2012,	an	11	per	cent	
increase	on	last	year.	We	are	well	on	the	way	to	reaching	our	
20	by	20	commitment	for	sales	of	our	fairly	traded	products	
to	hit	£1	billion	by	2020,	with	over	£288	million	sales	this	year.	
We	are	the	UK’s	leading	retailer	of	Freedom	Food	products,	
which	ensure	animals	are	raised	to	rigorous	and	higher	RSPCA	
welfare	standards.	We	offer	both	the	widest	range	of	Freedom	
Food	products	with	over	300	lines,	and	sell	more	than	any	other	
retailer,	with	over	50	per	cent	market	share.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

13

	
	
	
	
Business review  
Compelling general merchandise & clothing

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Compelling  
general  
merchandise
& clothing

In	October	2011	TV	personality	Gok	Wan	
launched	his	debut	collection	for	us	–	Gok	
for	TU.	Our	TU	brand	is	the	UK’s	seventh	
largest	clothing	brand	by	volume.

	
Our general 
merchandise and 
clothing businesses 
continue to grow  
faster than our food 
business and continue 
to gain market share. 

“  We improved and 

re-branded our top 
tier cookshop items 
as Cook’s Collection, 
increasing sales by  
89 per cent.”

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Cook’s
Collection 
+89%
sales

As	we	develop	our	store	estate,	we	have	expanded	our	ability	
to	offer	non-food.	We	now	have	161	stores	selling	our	larger		
non-food	offer,	22	more	than	last	year.		

We	have	a	clear	strategy	based	on	offering	high	street	style	
at	supermarket	prices	in	a	way	which	makes	the	most	of	our	
strength	in	great	food.	We	focus	first	on	giving	customers	
the	best	possible	food	and	then	add	our	compelling	range	of	
general	merchandise	and	clothing.	We	are	also	clear	about	
which	areas	of	non-food	we	focus	on.	Our	‘hero’	categories,	
which	complement	and	add	value	to	our	core	business,	are	
womenswear,	childrenswear,	cookshop,	home,	papershop	
and	seasonal.	

In	clothing,	TU	is	the	UK’s	seventh	largest	clothing	brand	by	
volume,	and	sixth	for	childrenswear.	Last	year,	we	announced	a	
partnership	with	TV	personality	Gok	Wan,	to	create	a	number	of	
womenswear	collections	with	us.	We	launched	his	debut	range,	
Gok	for	TU,	in	October	2011	with	the	second	collection	launched	
just	six	weeks	later	in	anticipation	of	the	Christmas	season,	
and	the	third	in	March	2012.	It	is	available	in	over	200	stores	
with	prices	from	£20.	In	childrenswear	we	saw	record-breaking	
schoolwear	sales,	up	38	per	cent	on	the	year,	and	in	our	peak	
week	we	sold	over	100,000	pairs	of	trousers	and	over	140,000	
polo	shirts.	

In	our	home	ranges,	we	improved	and	re-branded	our	top	tier	
cookshop	items	as	Cook’s Collection,	increasing	sales	by	89	per	
cent	on	its	predecessor	Different	by	Design.	Our	July	2011	home	
event	was	our	biggest	ever,	with	customers	snapping	up	our	
great	value	TU	cookshop	and	tableware	ranges.	Our	range	of	
cast	iron	casserole	dishes	and	pans	continues	to	be	a	best	seller,	
with	over	127,000	units	sold	since	its	introduction	in	autumn	
2010.	We	also	launched	three	cookery	books,	Summer	Recipe	
Collection,	Classics	Recipe	Collection	and	Cook	Britain,	with	
sales	of	own	brand	cookery	books	reaching	almost	300,000	
copies	since	initial	launch.	

We	are	increasing	the	amount	of	general	merchandise	products	
we	source	direct	from	suppliers,	rather	than	through	a	third	
party,	and	now	have	sourcing	offices	in	China,	Hong	Kong	and	
Bangladesh.	These	closer	relationships	help	us	to	secure	better	
prices	leading	to	better	value	for	our	customers.	Direct	sourcing	
also	makes	it	easier	to	ensure	our	suppliers	adhere	to	our	
rigorous	ethical	and	quality	standards.	Buying	more	directly		
and	on	shorter	lead	times	improves	our	flexibility	and	enables	
us	to	react	quickly	to	sales	and	trends,	a	factor	particularly	
important	in	clothing.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

15

	
	
	
	
Business review 
Complementary channels & services

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Complementary 
channels  
& services

Emma	Murray,	a	colleague	from	Sainsbury’s	Crayford,	
helps	contribute	to	our	record	year	for	online	grocery.	
We	now	deliver	over	165,000	online	grocery	orders	
each	week.

	
Customers now have 
far more choice of  
how, when and where 
they buy. Our business 
is both influencing 
and benefiting from 
new and interrelated 
customer choices.

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Our Click & Collect 
service allows 
customers to place 
general merchandise 
orders online by 2pm 
for collection the 
following day from 
over 900 stores

Click 
& Collect 
900
stores

At	Sainsbury’s,	this	could	mean	a	large	supermarket	shopping	
trip	balanced	by	more	frequent	and	local	top-ups,	with	the	
option	of	ordering	online,	from	a	range	of	devices,	either	for	
collection	or	delivery.		

Convenience	continues	to	be	a	key	driver	of	consumer	
behaviour.	Over	the	year	we	met	our	target	of	opening	new	
convenience	stores	at	a	rate	of	one	to	two	a	week,	opening		
73	to	bring	our	total	to	440.	They	are	performing	strongly,		
with	£1.3	billion	of	sales	reflecting	the	strength	of	our	
convenient	fresh	food	offer	and	the	growing	trend	for		
local	top-up	shopping,	as	customers	look	to	reduce	waste,	
conserve	fuel	and	manage	their	budgets.	

Our	online	grocery	orders	now	exceed	165,000	a	week,	with		
an	annual	turnover	of	around	£800	million	placing	us	second	
in	the	market,	and	making	us	the	fastest-growing	major	online	
grocery	business	in	the	UK.	Our	customer	surveys	show	that	
quality	of	service,	quality	of	food	and	ease	of	shop	all	play		
a	part	in	this	success.	

Our	general	merchandise	website	now	offers	more	than	6,000	
branded	and	own	brand	products,	spanning	home	and	garden,	
appliances,	technology,	toys,	games,	sports	and	leisure.		

Growing	numbers	of	shoppers	are	taking	advantage	of	our	
market-leading	Click	&	Collect	service.	Currently	available	in	
over	900	stores,	we	offer	one	of	the	UK’s	largest	collection	
networks.	This	allows	customers	to	place	general	merchandise	
orders	online	by	2pm	for	next	day	collection	from	the	store	of	
their	choice.	Customers	use	Click	&	Collect	for	about	half	of	all	
online	general	merchandise	orders	–	a	figure	which	rose	to	75	
per	cent	for	the	week	before	Christmas	2011	–	and	they	tell	us	it	
makes	shopping	easier	and	more	convenient.

Convenience (% growth)
Convenience

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

Sainsbury’s
Market

Online (% growth)
Online

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

Sainsbury’s
Market

Source: Internal and IGD data

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

17

	
	
	
 
 
 
	
Business review  
Developing new business

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Developing
new business

A	major	factor	in	the	growth	of	Sainsbury’s	Bank,	
with	pre-tax	operating	profit	up	40	per	cent,	has	
been	our	strategy	of	rewarding	shoppers	with	
double	Nectar	points	for	choosing	to	bank	with	us.

	
We are exploring  
a range of new 
opportunities beyond 
our core business, 
looking to grow  
value based on the  
trust customers have  
in Sainsbury’s. 

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Pharmacy services
Following the roll-out 
of over 250 pharmacies 
in store, we have also 
introduced five GP and 
five dental surgeries, 
as well as our first 
hospital outpatient 
pharmacy

Sainsbury’s	Bank	has	enjoyed	another	successful	year,	with	
pre-tax	operating	profit	up	40	per	cent.	Our	strategy	of	
rewarding	Sainsbury’s	shoppers	with	double	Nectar	points	for	
choosing	to	bank	with	us	has	been	a	major	factor	in	this	growth,	
with	the	offer	now	available	on	six	key	products.	In	particular		
we	have	used	Nectar	with	great	success	for	our	new	home		
and	car	insurance	products,	offering	preferential	pricing	and	
double	Nectar	points.	Nectar	also	plays	a	vital	role	in	the		
Bank’s	marketing	activity.	

Following	a	successful	re-launch,	our	sales	of	car	insurance	
increased	by	almost	150	per	cent	year-on-year.	We	also	
introduced	an	online	ordering	service	for	travel	money,	and		
now	have	122	in-store	travel	money	bureaux.	Travel	money	
turnover	grew	by	almost	85	per	cent	year-on-year.

Once	again,	the	Bank	was	recognised	by	a	number	of	high-
profile	consumer	and	industry	awards	including:	Best	Low	Rate	
Credit	Card	Provider	(Moneynet	2012),	Best	Personal	Loan	
Provider	(Moneyfacts	2011	and	Consumer	Moneyfacts	2012),	
Best	Direct	Home	Insurance	Provider	(Your	Money	Direct	2011)	
and	Best	Overall	Online	Provider	(Your	Money	Direct	2011).

We	are	now	expanding	our	pharmacy	offer.	Our	research		
shows	that	many	people	are	more	likely	to	discuss	common		
or	minor	ailments	with	a	pharmacist	than	with	their	GP.	Many	
are	already	using	our	pharmacy	services,	with	flu	vaccinations	
at	Sainsbury’s	up	over	40	per	cent	on	last	year	and	cholesterol	
testing	up	over	150	per	cent.	This	year	we	have	trained	our	
pharmacists	as	healthy	eating	advisors,	to	provide	free		
tailored	information	to	customers.	We	also	believe	our	
convenient	locations	and	parking	facilities	make	our	stores	
potentially	excellent	locations	for	GP	surgeries,	to	complement	
our	pharmacies.	

In	January	2012,	Newton	Abbot	became	our	fifth	store	to	have	a	
GP	surgery,	while	five	of	our	stores	also	host	dental	surgeries.	In	
addition,	we	were	delighted	to	open	our	first	hospital	outpatient	
pharmacy,	at	James	Cook	University	Hospital	in	South	Tees.

Sainsbury’s	Energy	has	over	120	experts	in	store	each	day	
offering	customers	energy	deals,	products	like	solar	panels	
and	insulation,	and	advice	such	as	home	energy	assessments.	
Sainsbury’s	Energy	online	launched	this	year	and	has	been	well	
received	by	customers,	with	over	a	third	of	sales	now	generated	
through	this	channel.

As	the	UK’s	leading	retail	user	of	anaerobic	digestion	(‘AD’),	
which	converts	organic	waste	into	energy,	we	became	a	
strategic	partner	and	investor	in	Tamar	Energy	Ltd	in	February	
2012.	Tamar	plans	to	develop	a	network	of	over	40	AD	plants	
to	generate	100MW	of	green	electricity	over	the	next	five	
years,	enough	to	power	200,000	homes.	By	investing	in	this	
technology	we	not	only	ensure	sustainable	solutions	for	our		
own	waste	streams	and	energy	requirements,	but	also	offer		
our	suppliers	the	same,	as	part	of	our	20	by	20	commitments.	

In	October	2011,	we	acquired	online	entertainment	company	
Global	Media	Vault	Limited	to	support	our	drive	into	the	growing	
online	and	digital	entertainment	market,	retailing	games,	music,	
films	and	books	via	our	Sainsbury’s	Entertainment	website.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc 

19

	
	
	
	
Business review  
Growing space & creating property value

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Growing space  
& creating  
property value

Our	Dawlish	store	is	made	entirely	of	timber	from	
sustainable	sources	and,	thanks	to	its	environmental	
features,	the	store	uses	50	per	cent	less	energy	from	
the	national	grid	than	a	standard	supermarket.

	
We achieved our target 
of opening 1.4 million 
sq ft of gross new space 
during the year, across 
19 new supermarkets, 
28 extensions and  
73 convenience stores. 

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“  Our new space 

programme has 
increased the  
value of our  
property  
to an estimated  
£11.2 billion.”

Property
value 
£11.2bn

Our	strategy	for	growing	space	has	three	principal	strands:	
convenience	stores,	extensions	and	new	supermarkets.	Our	
convenience	stores	help	grow	our	market	share	and	deliver	
a	particularly	good	return.	Many	of	our	supermarkets	lend	
themselves	to	extensions,	notably	those	with	large	car	parks	
acquired	at	a	time	when	land	was	cheaper.	By	extending	these	
stores,	particularly	in	the	south-east,	we	can	bring	our	clothing	
and	general	merchandise	ranges	to	more	customers.	Around	25	
per	cent	of	the	UK	population	is	not	within	a	15	minute	drive	of	a	
Sainsbury’s.	Therefore	our	focus	for	new	store	openings	is	the	
North,	the	West,	Wales,	Scotland	and	Northern	Ireland	–	areas		
in	which	Sainsbury’s	has	historically	been	under-represented	
and	capital	costs	per	sq	ft	are	typically	lower.	This	gives	us		
the	opportunity	to	expand	our	store	estate	and	drive	growth.		
By	approaching	our	development	in	this	way,	focusing	on		
these	opportunities,	and	with	clear	control	of	capital	sign-off,		
we	ensure	that	all	our	investments,	individually	and	overall,	
deliver	good	returns.

Our	investments	over	the	past	three	years	are	delivering	ahead	
of	expectations,	above	our	investment	hurdle	rate.	Following	
our	fundraising	in	2009,	we	stepped	up	both	our	development	
activity	and	investment	pipeline.	Next	year,	we	plan	to	return		
to	space	growth	of	around	five	per	cent	per	annum.	We’ll	
continue	to	open	a	mix	of	convenience	stores,	supermarkets		
and	extensions	and	to	ensure	that	our	core	estate	is	kept	
up-to-date	and	competitive	through	our	refurbishment	
programme.	We	have	a	healthy	future	pipeline	of	space	ready	
for	development,	including	planning	consents	for	almost		
70	supermarket	extensions	and	we	will	continue	to	manage		
our	portfolio	with	discipline.

We	also	work	with	joint	venture	partners	to	add	property	value	
and	trading	space.	We	completed	five	extensions	within	our	
British	Land	joint	venture,	as	well	as	securing	planning	consent	
for	one	further	extension.	On	other	projects,	contractors	are	
due	to	start	work	on	our	Fulham	Wharf	regeneration	project	

in	summer	2012,	and	our	joint	venture	with	Land	Securities	
continues	to	make	good	progress,	submitting	planning	
applications	for	180,000	sq	ft	of	supermarket	space	and	a	
further	500,000	sq	ft	of	commercial	floor	space.	Works	to	
extend	our	Wandsworth	store	for	mixed	use	development	have	
started,	and	we	have	exchanged	occupational	agreements	for	
leases	on	new	stores	in	Salisbury	and	Selly	Oak,	Birmingham.	

This	year,	we	opened	our	most	northerly	store,	in	Nairn,	
Scotland	on	the	same	day	as	we	opened	our	latest	
environmental	store,	in	Dawlish,	Devon,	600	miles	away.	In	
December	2011	we	opened	our	1,000th	store,	in	Irvine,	Scotland.	

Our	new	space	programme	has	increased	the	value	of	our	
property	to	an	estimated	£11.2	billion.	When	stores	are	fully	
developed,	we	review	them	for	potential	sale	and	lease	back,	to	
release	capital	to	reinvest	in	profitable	growth.	This	has	been	a	
source	of	cash	in	each	of	the	last	few	years,	and	this	year	we	
generated	a	profit	of	£83	million	on	the	disposal	of	properties.

Property portfolio

572

Supermarkets

440

Convenience	stores

Varied store portfolio 
This	year	we	opened

19

Supermarkets

28

Extensions

73

Convenience
stores

Total	new	space

1.4m

sq	ft

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  21

	
	
	
	
Business review  
Operational excellence

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Operational
excellence

Our	Waltham	Point	distribution	centre	is	the	
largest	of	21	depots,	making	around	2,000	
deliveries	a	week	to	83	stores.	World	class	
systems,	updated	with	sales	data	every	
15	minutes,	ensure	we	know	exactly	what	
to	deliver	and	where.

	
Remaining commercially 
competitive is crucial. 
When we invest,  
we do so with strict 
controls on the capital 
spent to ensure 
appropriate returns. 

Brand Match is 
communicating 
the reality of price 
competitiveness  
at Sainsbury’s

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2158 01 330 1106 112641

Brand 
Match

We check our prices and deals on 
brands against Asda and Tesco daily

“ Great news!

Your branded 
shop was 
£0.60 cheaper

here today”

Why pay a penny more 
 for your branded shop? 
Live well for less at Sainsbury’s

For details see
sainsburys.co.uk/brandmatch

5 year savings, £m
5 year chart (savings)

180

135

90

45

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

Savings breakdown
Savings £600m

Store 
• Simpler processes
• Self checkout
Procurement 
• IT contracts
• Commercial services
Other 
• Central costs
• Range reviews
Logistics 
• Network efficiencies
• Routing improvements
Energy
• LED light bulbs
• Chiller cabinets 

We	have	achieved	over	£100	million	of	operational	cost	savings	
over	the	year,	taking	the	total	to	almost	£600	million	of	cost	
savings	over	five	years.	This	is	a	result	of	improved	productivity,	
ongoing	procurement	savings	and	simplification	of	in-store	
processes.	For	example,	in	logistics	we	continue	to	make	
improvements	in	vehicle	efficiency,	load	and	fuel	efficiency,	and	
route	optimisation.	In	addition,	we	have	recently	introduced	new	
warehouse	technology	which	enables	colleagues	to	work	more	
efficiently,	help	improve	product	availability	and	reduce	waste.

Brand Match	is	a	great	example	of	how	we	are	using	technology	
to	deliver	for	customers	and	for	shareholders.	It	price	checks	
over	14,000	branded	goods	against	Tesco	and	Asda	in	a	fraction	
of	a	second.	Importantly,	this	includes	offers	and	promotions.	
The	immediate	issue	of	a	voucher,	either	confirming	the	
savings	made	or	offering	the	difference	for	the	customer	to	
spend	on	their	next	visit,	is	a	fundamental	part	of	the	power	
of	Brand Match.	We	issue	millions	of	coupons	each	week,	
more	than	half	of	which	tell	customers	that	their	shopping	at	
Sainsbury’s	was	cheaper	than	it	would	have	been	at	Tesco	or	
Asda.	Our	research	shows	that	the	number	of	customers	who	
agree	that	Sainsbury’s	sells	brands	at	the	same	price	as	other	
supermarkets	has	risen	from	68	per	cent	to	80	per	cent	since	
the	trial	of	Brand	Match	in	August	2011.	

Nectar	is	the	UK’s	largest	and	most	popular	loyalty	programme	
and	Sainsbury’s	has	11.5	million	active	Nectar	card	users.	
With	its	data,	we	can	reward	customers	directly	at	the	till	with	
points,	and	relevant	rewards	and	promotions.	Coupon-at-till	in	
particular	achieves	great	returns	on	our	marketing	investment	
and,	because	of	its	effectiveness,	is	widely	supported	by	our	
suppliers.	We	also	use	Nectar	data	to	identify	potential	store	
locations	and	help	determine	which	goods	customers	in	that	
area	are	likely	to	buy.	A	record	number	of	people	used	their	
Nectar	cards	to	do	their	Christmas	2011	shopping	with	us,	with	
£100	million	worth	of	points	redeemed.	We	have	signed	a	new	
long-term	contract	with	Nectar	to	ensure	we	retain	this	source	
of	customer	insight	–	a	key	competitive	advantage.	

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  23

	
	
	
 
	
Business review  
Our values make us different 

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Our values 
make us
different

Thousands	of	children	from	around	the	
UK	are	taking	part	in	sports	and	other	
activities	thanks	to	the	equipment	and	
experiences	provided	through	our	Active 
Kids	programme.

	
We have a strong 
culture, and focus on 
ensuring our values 
make us different. This 
underpins our business, 
and is interwoven into 
our strategy.  

Our 20 by 20 
Sustainability Plan  
strengthens and 
further integrates 
corporate 
responsibility into 
our business

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Sainsbury’s
20 by 20
Sustainability
Plan

OUR VALUES
MAKE US
DIFFERENT
j-sainsbury.co.uk/cr

We	involved	a	wide	range	of	external	organisations	in	the	
creation	of	our	new	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan,	published		
in	October	2011.	The	response	to	this	has	been	very	positive,	
both	within	Sainsbury’s	and	outside.	

Our	customers	recently	rated	Sainsbury’s	joint	first	among	our	
peers	for	taking	our	social	and	environmental	responsibilities	
seriously,	above	Waitrose,	Morrisons,	Tesco	and	Asda.	

Talkback,	our	regular	survey	of	colleague	opinion	over	a	wide	
range	of	measures,	tells	us	that	our	colleagues	increasingly	
trust	Sainsbury’s	to	do	the	right	thing	for	them	and	for	the	
world	we	live	in.	

Amongst	industry	experts,	our	approach	has	been	recognised	
through	our	inclusion	in	the	globally	respected	Dow	Jones	
Sustainability	Index.	We	have	retained	our	listing	in	the	
FTSE4Good	Index,	which	rated	us	the	highest	performer	relative	
to	our	sector	across	all	three	pillars	of	environmental,	social	
and	governance	practices.	We	have	also	retained	our	Platinum	
Plus	status	in	the	Business	in	the	Community	Corporate	
Responsibility	Index,	the	highest	external	accolade	in	the		
UK	and	maintained	our	Investors	in	People	Gold	status.

You	will	find	examples	of	how	our	values	are	being	integrated	
into	our	business	throughout	this	report.

Highlights	include:
	• Best	for	food	and	health:	Customers	continue	to	recognise	
our	colour-coded	multiple	traffic	light	nutritional	labelling	
system	as	the	easiest	way	to	make	informed	choices	in	store.	
We	display	point	of	sale	communication	about	responsible	
drinking	to	help	customers	understand	the	number	of	units		
in	the	alcoholic	drinks	they	buy,	and	we	have	increased	
awareness	with	sales	of	lighter	alcohol	wines	up	14	per	cent.	

	• Sourcing	with	integrity:	We	were	the	first	–	and	remain	

the	number	one	–	major	retailer	to	only	use	cage-free	fresh	
eggs,	including	those	used	as	ingredients,	in	our	own	brand	
products.	We	are	the	world’s	largest	retailer	of	Fairtrade	
products,	and	were	the	largest	retailer	of	British	apples	and	
pears	for	the	third	consecutive	season.

	• Respect	for	our	environment:	We	achieved	zero	food	waste	to	
landfill	and	became	the	UK’s	largest	retail	user	of	anaerobic	
digestion	technology.	Our	absolute	electricity	consumption	
for	supermarkets	over	the	past	four	years	has	reduced	by		
9.1	per	cent,	despite	an	increase	in	space	of	25	per	cent.		
We	were	the	first	supermarket	to	announce	a	change	to	
labelling	guidance	to	encourage	freezing	up	to	the	product’s	
use	by	date,	helping	customers	to	waste	less	food.	

	• A	positive	difference	to	our	community:	We	donated	£25.4	
million	to	good	causes	over	the	past	year,	with	£5.5	million	
raised	for	Sport	Relief	2012.	In	a	new	initiative	with	FareShare,	
over	1.2	million	meals	were	donated	by	the	Company	and	our	
customers,	to	support	disadvantaged	families	in	the	UK	in	the	
run	up	to	Christmas	2011.

	• A	great	place	to	work:	We	have	trained	18,000	colleagues		
in	our	bakery	college	and	six	food	colleges.	Over	13,000	
colleagues	now	have	20	years	or	more	service,	and	we	also	
instigated	a	new	Youth	Can	initiative	to	help	young	people	
start	and	build	their	careers	in	retail.	

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Financial review

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John Rogers
Chief	Financial		
Officer

Dear shareholder,
In a challenging year for  
retailers, Sainsbury’s continued  
to grow sales (including VAT)  
by 6.8 per cent to £24,511 million 
(2010/11: £22,943 million), 
outperforming the market  
and growing market share. 

26  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

This	performance	is	rooted	in	helping	our	customers	Live Well for 
Less.	In	particular	the	introduction	of	Brand Match	is	reassuring	
our	customers	that	they	are	paying	either	the	same	or	less	with	
us	for	their	branded	goods.	This,	combined	with	coupon-at-till,	
has	improved	price	perception	while	retaining	the	benefits	of	
Sainsbury’s	heritage	in	quality	and	service.

We	continued	to	manage	inflationary	pressures	on	costs	
through	tight	control,	achieving	over	£100	million	of	savings	
during	the	year.	Our	underlying	operating	profit	increased	
by	6.9	per	cent	to	£789	million	(2010/11:	£738	million),	
representing	an	operating	margin	improvement	of	4	basis	
points,	and	10	basis	points	at	constant	fuel	prices.	Underlying	
profit	before	tax	improved	by	7.1	per	cent	to	£712	million	
(2010/11:	£665	million).

Sainsbury’s	continues	to	benefit	from	cash	generated	from	
operations,	up	13.4	per	cent	year-on-year,	facilitated	in	part	
by	an	overall	improvement	in	working	capital.	This	cash	
continues	to	be	invested	in	long-term	return-enhancing	growth	
opportunities.	During	the	year,	core	capital	expenditure	
amounted	to	£1,240	million	(2010/11:	£1,138	million)	and	we		
are	pleased	that	the	investments	made	over	the	past	few	years	
continue	to	deliver	an	expected	return	above	our	required	
hurdle	rate.	

In	June	2009,	we	decided	to	accelerate	our	investment	in	
new	space	taking	advantage	of	the	relatively	low	cost	of	land	
and	higher	availability	at	that	time.	We	have	since	established	
a	strong	property	pipeline	for	future	stores,	targeting	sales	
growth	in	areas	where	we	can	generate	high	returns,	including	
those	areas	where	we	are	under-represented	in	the	market	and	
across	our	convenience	business.	Our	increased	investment	in	
space	over	recent	years	has	helped	both	our	sales	and	property	
value	grow,	although	new	space	has	an	initially	dilutive	impact	
on	profits	due	to	opening	costs	and	the	sales	build	up	curve.	
Having	delivered	the	promised	acceleration	in	space	growth		
we	will	now	return	to	space	growth	of	around	five	per	cent	a	
year.	This	will	reduce	our	capital	expenditure	and	improve	our	
cash	flow	and	our	overall	returns,	as	sales	from	these	new	
stores	mature.	

	
Financial review continued

The	return	on	average	capital	employed	(‘ROCE’)	of	11.1	per	cent	
remains	in	line	with	last	year’s	performance,	held	back	by	the	
cumulative	effect	of	our	accelerated	investment	in	space	growth	
since	June	2009.	

During	the	year,	funds	were	generated	through	the	selective	
sale	and	leaseback	of	supermarkets	that	have	no	further	
development	potential,	taking	advantage	of	very	competitive	
market	pricing.	We	generated	£303	million	of	cash	through	
property	transactions	(2010/11:	£275	million),	delivering	a	
property	profit	of	£83	million	(2010/11:	£108	million).	The	
estimated	market	value	of	our	overall	property	portfolio	
increased	by	£0.7	billion,	to	£11.2	billion	(19	March	2011:		
£10.5	billion).	

The	balance	sheet	remains	robust	and	the	business	has	funding	
in	place	of	over	£3	billion,	including	a	revolving	credit	facility	of	
£0.7	billion	that	remained	un-drawn	at	the	year	end.	Net	debt	
ended	the	year	at	£2	billion	in	line	with	expectations.

The	Board	has	proposed	a	final	dividend	of	11.6	pence		
(2010/11:	10.8	pence),	making	a	full	year	dividend	of	16.1	pence,	
up	6.6	per	cent	year-on-year	(2010/11:	15.1	pence)	and	covered	
1.75	times	by	underlying	earnings,	at	the	upper	end	of	our	policy	
of	covering	1.50	to	1.75	times.	We	plan	to	increase	the	dividend	
each	year	and	now	intend	to	build	cover	to	two	times	over	the	
medium	term.	

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Sainsbury’s	is	in	good	shape	to	benefit	from	the	opportunities	
ahead.	Having	accelerated	investment	in	growth	over	the	past	
few	years,	our	priority	is	to	drive	returns	from	these	investments	
by	further	improving	operational	cash	flow,	tight	cost	control	
and	working	capital	management	and	a	return	to	five	per	cent	
space	growth	a	year.	

Underlying	basic	earnings	per	share	increased	to	28.1	pence	
(2010/11:	26.5	pence),	up	6.0	per	cent.	Basic	earnings	per	share	
decreased	by	7.0	per	cent	to	32.0	pence	(2010/11:	34.4	pence),		
as	a	consequence	of	reduced	property	profits	year-on-year.	

John Rogers
Chief	Financial	Officer

Summary income statement
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Sales (including VAT)1

Sales (excluding VAT)

Underlying operating profit
Underlying	net	finance	costs2
Underlying	share	of	post-tax	profit	from	JVs3

Underlying profit before tax
Profit	on	disposal	of	properties
Investment	property	fair	value	movements
Financing	fair	value	movements
IAS	19	pension	financing	credit
One-off	items

Profit before tax
Income	tax	expense

Profit for the financial period

Underlying basic earnings per share
Basic earnings per share
Dividend per share

2012
£m

2011	
£m

Change	
%

24,511

22,943

22,294

21,102

789
(109)
32

712
83
–
(16)
17
3

799
(201)

598

738
(97)
24

665
108
39
7
3
5

827
(187)

640

28.1p
32.0p
16.1p

26.5p
34.4p
15.1p

6.8

5.6

6.9
(12.4)
33.3

7.1
(23.1)
(100.0)
(328.6)
466.7
(40.0)

(3.4)
(7.5)

(6.6)

6.0
(7.0)
6.6

1	 The	standard	rate	of	VAT	increased	from	17.5	per	cent	to	20.0	per	cent	on	4	January	2011.
2	 Net	finance	costs	before	financing	fair	value	movements	and	the	IAS	19	pension	financing	element.
3	 The	underlying	share	of	post-tax	profits	from	joint	ventures	is	stated	before	investment	property	fair	value	movements,	financing	fair	value	movements,	and	profit	on	disposal	of	properties.

Sales (including VAT) and space
Sales	(including	fuel)	increased	by	6.8	per	cent	to	£24,511	
million	(2010/11:	£22,943	million).

This	includes	a	2.3	per	cent	contribution	from	new	space	
(excluding	extensions	and	replacements)	and	like-for-like	(‘LFL’)	
sales	growth	of	4.5	per	cent.	

Sales growth (including VAT, including fuel) 
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Like-for-like	sales	(including	fuel)
New	space	(excluding	extensions	and	replacements)

Total sales growth

2012
%

4.5
2.3

6.8

2011
%

4.7
2.4

7.1

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  27

	
	
 
	
	
 
	
	
	
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Sales	(excluding	fuel)	grew	by	4.5	per	cent,	with	LFL	growth	of	
2.1	per	cent,	lower	than	the	sales	including	fuel	number	due	to	
the	impact	of	high	fuel	price	inflation,	and	below	Sainsbury’s	
medium-term	planning	objective	of	between	three	and	four	per	
cent.	This	was	ahead	of	the	market,	with	Sainsbury’s	market	
share	for	the	year	to	17	March	2012	growing	to	16.6	per	cent		
(as	measured	by	Kantar).

LFL	sales	growth	(excluding	fuel)	was	1.9	per	cent	in	the		
first	half,	and	2.3	per	cent	in	the	second	half.	The	second		
half	performance	reflected	a	strong	third	quarter,	with	a		
market	beating	performance	over	Christmas,	followed	by		
an	improvement	on	last	year’s	quarter	four	performance.		

The	contribution	from	net	new	space	(excluding	extensions	
and	replacements)	of	2.4	per	cent	was	in	line	with	Sainsbury’s	
expectations.

The	overall	non-food	market	was	very	challenging	during	the	
year,	although	we	continue	to	grow	well	ahead	of	the	market.	
Convenience	and	online	are	also	growing	ahead	of	the	market		
as	our	multi-channel	offer	means	customers	can	do	more	of	
their	shopping	with	Sainsbury’s.	Convenience	is	now	a	£1.3	
billion	business	and	online,	growing	at	20	per	cent	per	year,		
is	now	a	£0.8	billion	business.	

Sales growth (including VAT, excluding fuel)
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Like-for-like	sales1
New	space	(excluding	extensions	and	replacements)

Total	sales	growth

1	 This	includes	1.1	per	cent	growth	from	stores	extended	in	2011/12,	net	of	disruptions.

Average	trading	intensity	(‘TI’)	excluding	fuel	declined	to	£19.47	
per	sq	ft	per	week	(2010/11:	£20.04	per	sq	ft),	caused	by;	the	
increased	proportion	of	stores	not	trading	at	maturity;	the	
higher	proportion	of	space	dedicated	to	general	merchandise	
and	clothing	which	trades	less	intensively	than	food;	an	
increasing	presence	in	those	parts	of	the	country	where	trading	
intensity	is	likely	to	be	lower	(albeit	capital	costs	are	also	lower);	
and	the	disruption	caused	at	the	32	supermarkets	replaced	or	
extended	in	the	year	(2010/11:	29	replacements	or	extensions).	
Convenience	TIs	continue	to	grow	benefiting	from	formats	
adapted	to	meet	local	catchments	and	located	to	help	our	
customers	top-up	their	weekly	shopping.	

New	space,	excluding	extensions	and	replacements,	contributed	
a	net	2.4	per	cent	to	the	sales	growth	of	4.5	per	cent.	Sainsbury’s	
added	a	gross	1,401,000	sq	ft	of	selling	space	in	the	year	
(including	replacements	and	extensions),	an	increase	of	7.3	per	
cent	since	the	start	of	the	year	(2010/11:	8.4	per	cent).	Including	
the	impact	of	closures,	this	translated	into	net	space	growth		
of	1,239,000	sq	ft,	an	increase	of	6.5	per	cent	since	the	start		
of	the	year	(2010/11:	7.7	per	cent).	

Growth	in	new	supermarkets	continued	through	opening	19	new	
stores,	adding	750,000	sq	ft	including	four	replacements	(net	
623,000	sq	ft).	There	were	no	other	closures,	apart	from	the	
replaced	stores.	Sainsbury’s	continued	to	open	space	in	under-
represented	areas,	with	strong	growth	in	Scotland,	Wales,	and	

2012
%

2.1
2.4

4.5

2011
%

2.3
2.6

4.9

North	West	England.	These	stores	typically	bring	higher	returns	
due	to	lower	build	costs,	although	ultimate	TI	is	lower	than	in	
other	parts	of	the	country.

We	also	continued	to	grow	through	28	extensions,	adding	
492,000	sq	ft	to	our	estate,	and	growing	strongly	in	the		
South	East,	especially	in	non-food,	where	we	continue	to		
grow	market	share.	

We	increased	our	investment	in	the	convenience	estate,	adding	
73	stores	during	the	year	(2010/11:	47	stores)	and	refurbishing	
28	stores,	adding	160,000	sq	ft	to	our	estate.	

In	March	2012,	around	one	year	after	opening,	we	chose	to	
close	our	trial	of	Fresh	Kitchen,	a	new	Sainsbury’s	format	in	the	
competitive	lunchtime	food-to-go	market.	While	performance	
of	the	store	was	satisfactory,	we	concluded	that	the	market	
opportunity	was	smaller	than	anticipated,	and	decided,	for		
the	time-being,	not	to	roll	out	this	offer.	In	addition,	three	other	
convenience	stores	were	closed,	and	six	petrol	filling	station	
sites	are	no	longer	included	within	the	convenience	stores		
space	analysis.

Store numbers and retailing space 
at	17	March	2012

At	20	March	2011
New	stores
Disposals/closures
Extensions/downsizes/refurbishments

At 17 March 2012

Memorandum:
Extensions
Refurbishments/downsizes

Total projects

28  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Supermarkets 

Convenience

Number

557
19
(4)
–

Area	
000	sq	ft

18,199
750
(127)
498

Number

377
73
(10)
–

Area	
000	sq	ft

909
160
(35)
(7)

Total	

Number

934
92
(14)
–

Area 
000 sq ft

19,108
910
(162)
491

572

19,320

440

1,027

1,012

20,347

28
7

35

492
6

498

–
28

28

–
(7)

(7)

28
35

63

492
(1)

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We	expect	the	market	to	remain	tough,	and	forecast	LFLs	in	
2012/13	similar	to	those	in	2011/12.	

In	2012/13,	Sainsbury’s	expects	gross	space	growth	of	around	
5	per	cent,	while	we	expect	net	new	store	space,	excluding	
extensions	and	replacements,	to	contribute	around	2	per	cent		
to	total	sales	growth	(excluding	fuel).

Underlying operating profit 
Underlying	operating	profit	increased	by	6.9	per	cent	to	
£789	million	(2010/11:	£738	million),	reflecting	a	good	sales	
performance	and	continued	cost	savings	of	over	£100	million		
in	the	year.

Underlying	operating	margin	improved	by	4	basis	points	to	
3.54	per	cent	(2010/11:	3.50	per	cent),	which	was	a	10	basis	
point	improvement	at	constant	fuel	prices.	Underlying	EBITDAR	
margin	was	7.80	per	cent,	a	12	basis	point	improvement	at	
constant	fuel	prices.	

Underlying operating profit
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

2012

2011

Change

Change	at	
constant	
fuel	prices

Underlying	operating	profit	(£m)1
Underlying	operating	margin	(%)2

789 
3.54

738	 6.9%
4bps	
3.50

10bps	

Underlying	EBITDAR	(£m)3
Underlying	EBITDAR	margin	(%)4

1,740 
7.80

1,649	 5.5%
(1)bp

7.81

12bps	

1	 Underlying	earnings	before	interest,	tax	and	Sainsbury’s	share	of	post-tax	profits	from	joint	

ventures.

2	 Underlying	operating	profit	divided	by	sales	excluding	VAT.
3	 Underlying	operating	profit	before	rent,	depreciation	and	amortisation.
4	 Underlying	EBITDAR	divided	by	sales	excluding	VAT.

Sainsbury’s	expects	cost	inflation	in	2012/13	at	the	upper	end	
of	our	two	to	three	per	cent	range.	We	expect	cost	savings	
of	around	£100	million	in	2012/13,	to	offset	the	effect	of	cost	
inflation.

Sainsbury’s Bank joint venture (‘JV’)
Sainsbury’s	share	of	Sainsbury’s	Bank	post-tax	profit	amounted	
to	£16	million	(2010/11:	£11	million).	The	bank	has	continued	to	
perform	strongly	with	profit	growth	coming	from	steady	income	
growth,	particularly	in	personal	loans	and	pet,	car	and	home	
insurance,	as	well	as	tight	control	over	costs	and	bad	debts.	

The	Sainsbury’s	Bank	JV	is	expected	to	contribute	a	further	
step-up	in	trading	profit	in	2012/13.

Property joint ventures
Sainsbury’s	underlying	share	of	post-tax	profit	from	the	JV	with	
British	Land	was	£14	million	(2010/11:	£11	million).	Its	underlying	
share	of	post-tax	profit	from	its	JV	with	Land	Securities	was		
£2	million	(2010/11:	£2	million).	

At	the	year	end,	there	was	no	surplus	on	revaluation	recognised	
within	the	share	of	post-tax	profit	from	the	JVs	in	the	income	
statement	(2010/11:	£39	million).	Due	to	disposals	during	the	
year,	the	average	yield	on	the	properties	within	these	JVs	
increased	to	5.0	per	cent	(2010/11:	4.9	per	cent).	

Sainsbury’s	expects	the	Property	JVs	to	make	a	similar	level		
of	profit	in	2012/13.

Underlying net finance costs
Underlying	net	finance	costs	increased	by	£12	million	to	£109	
million	(2010/11:	£97	million),	mainly	as	a	result	of	the	increase	
in	RPI	rate,	which	increased	the	rate	on	Sainsbury’s	inflation	
linked	debt.	

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Underlying net finance costs
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Underlying finance income1

Interest	costs
Capitalised	interest

Underlying finance costs1

2012
£m

18

(162)
35

(127)

2011
£m

19

(143)
27

(116)

Underlying net finance costs1

(109)

(97)

1	 Finance	income/costs	pre	financing	fair	value	movements	and	IAS	19	pension	financing	

element.

We	expect	underlying	net	finance	costs	in	2012/13	to	increase	by	
£5	to	£10	million,	principally	due	to	the	higher	forecast	average	
net	debt	balance,	partly	offset	by	a	decrease	in	RPI	rate	on	the	
component	of	the	Group’s	inflation-linked	debt.	The	interest	rate	
on	the	inflation-linked	debt	resets	annually	in	April,	by	reference	
to	the	RPI	rate	(capped	at	five	per	cent)	prevailing	in	January.	

Taxation
The	tax	charge	was	£201	million	(2010/11:	£187	million),	with	an	
underlying	tax	rate	of	26.1	per	cent	(2010/11:	26.0	per	cent)	and	
an	effective	tax	rate	of	25.2	per	cent	(2010/11:	22.6	per	cent).	
The	underlying	rate	is	slightly	higher	than	last	year,	due	to	the	
reduction	in	corporation	tax	rates	in	the	current	year	not	quite	
offsetting	the	benefit	to	last	year’s	charge	of	the	resolution	
of	the	historical	tax	exposures	with	HMRC.	These	factors,	in	
addition	to	the	non-taxable	profit	on	disposal	of	properties	
partially	offset	by	the	change	in	deferred	tax	rate,	result	in	the	
effective	tax	rate	being	lower	than	the	statutory	rate.

Underlying tax rate calculation
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Profit	before	tax,	and	tax	thereon
Adjustments	(and	tax	thereon)	for:
Profit	on	disposal	of	properties
Financing	fair	value	movements
IAS	19	pension	financing	element
One-off	items

Revaluation	of	deferred	tax	
balances

Underlying profit before tax, and 
tax thereon

Rate
%

25.2

Profit
£m

799

(83)
16
(17)
(3)

–

Tax
£m

201

(3)
3
(4)
–

(11)

712

186

26.1

Sainsbury’s	expects	the	underlying	tax	rate	to	be	around	23	per	
cent	in	2012/13,	principally	due	to	the	impact	of	the	reduction	in	
the	statutory	corporation	tax	rate.

Earnings per share
Underlying	basic	earnings	per	share	increased	by	6.0	per	cent	
to	28.1	pence	(2010/11:	26.5	pence),	reflecting	the	improvement	
in	underlying	profit,	partially	offset	by	the	effect	of	the	
additional	shares	issued	during	the	year.

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The	weighted	average	number	of	shares	in	issue	was	1,870.3	
million	(2010/11:	1,858.7	million),	an	increase	of	11.6	million	
shares	or	less	than	one	per	cent.	Basic	earnings	per	share	
decreased	to	32.0	pence	(2010/11:	34.4	pence)	due	to	lower		
non-underlying	profits.

Net debt and cash flows
Sainsbury’s	net	debt	as	at	17	March	2012	was	£1,980	million	
(2010/11:	£1,814	million),	a	year-on-year	increase	of	£166	
million.	The	increase	came	primarily	from	investment	in	estate	
development,	partially	offset	by	cash	generated	from	sale		
and	leasebacks.

Underlying earnings per share calculation
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Basic earnings per share
Adjustments	(net	of	tax)	for:

Profit	on	disposal	of	properties
Investment	property	fair	value	movements
Financing	fair	value	movements
IAS	19	pension	financing	element
One-off	items
Revaluation	of	deferred	tax	balances

Underlying basic earnings

2012
pence per 
share

2011
pence	per	
share

32.0

34.4

(4.3)
–
0.7
(0.7)
(0.2)
0.6

28.1

(5.6)
(2.1)
(0.2)
(0.1)
(0.3)
0.4

26.5

Dividends
The	Board	has	recommended	a	final	dividend	of	11.6	pence	per	
share	(2010/11:	10.8	pence),	which	will	be	paid	on	13	July	2012	
to	shareholders	on	the	Register	of	Members	at	the	close	of	
business	on	18	May	2012,	subject	to	approval.	This	will	increase	
the	full	year	dividend	by	6.6	per	cent	to	16.1	pence	per	share	
(2010/11:	15.1	pence).

The	dividend	is	covered	1.75	times	by	underlying	earnings	
(2010/11:	1.75	times),	in	line	with	Sainsbury’s	policy	of	providing	
cover	of	between	1.50	and	1.75	times.	The	proposed	final	
dividend	was	recommended	by	the	Board	on	8	May	2012	and,		
as	such,	has	not	been	included	as	a	liability	as	at	17	March	2012.	

Sainsbury’s	remains	focused	on	delivering	returns	to	
shareholders.	The	Board	plans	to	increase	the	dividend	each	
year	and	now	intends	to	build	cover	to	two	times	over	the	
medium	term.

Return on capital employed
The	return	on	average	capital	employed	(‘ROCE’)	over	the	
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012	was	11.1	per	cent	(2010/11:	11.1	per	
cent),	a	year-on-year	movement	of	(2)	basis	points.	

ROCE	growth	was	held	back	by	the	cumulative	effect	of	
Sainsbury’s	accelerated	investment	in	space	growth	since	June	
2009.	This	has	an	initially	dilutive	impact	on	profits	as	the	
stores	mature,	while	increasing	the	value	of	capital	employed.

Pre-tax return on capital employed
at	17	March	2012

Underlying	operating	profit	(£m)
Underlying	share	of	post-tax	profit	from	joint	

ventures	(£m)

Underlying	profit	before	interest	and	tax	(£m)

2012

789

32 

821

2011

738

24	

762

Average	capital	employed	(£m)1

7,424

6,877

There	was	continued	strong	operating	cash	flow	generation	of	
£1,067	million	(2010/11:	£854	million)	representing	150	per	cent	
of	underlying	profit	before	tax	(2010/11:	128	per	cent).	Working	
capital	improved	by	£53	million,	mainly	due	to	increased	trade	
and	other	payables,	which	are	£182	million	higher	than	at		
19	March	2011,	partially	offset	by	an	increase	in	inventories		
of	£126	million	from	the	prior	year.

Summary cash flow statement
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Operating cash flow before changes in 
working capital

Decrease/(increase)	in	working	capital	

Cash generated from operations
Interest	paid
Corporation	tax	paid

Net cash from operating activities
Net	cash	used	in	investing	activities
Proceeds	from	issue	of	shares
Receipt	of	new	debt
Repayment	of	borrowings
Dividends	paid

Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash 
equivalents
(Increase)/decrease	in	debt
Fair	value	and	other	non-cash	movements

Movement in net debt

2012
£m

1,238 

53 

1,291 
(142)
(82)

1,067
(883)
14 
391 
(65)
(285)

239 
(386)
(19)

(166)

2011
£m

1,216	

(78)

1,138	
(126)
(158)

854	
(902)
17	
45	
(79)
(269)

(334)
71	
(2)

(265)

Sainsbury’s	expects	net	debt	to	be	around	£2.2	billion	at	the	end	
of	2012/13,	driven	by	higher	tax	cash	flows	given	this	year’s	benefit	
brought	about	by	a	prior	year	overpayment,	and	slightly	lower	
assumed	property	proceeds,	offset	in	part	by	a	reduction	in	core	
capital	expenditure.

Financing
Sainsbury’s	seeks	to	manage	its	financing	by	diversifying	funding	
sources,	minimising	refinancing	risk	and	maintaining	sufficient	
stand-by	liquidity.	Sainsbury’s	has	drawn	debt	facilities	of	£2.7	
billion	and	an	un-drawn	committed	credit	facility	of	£0.7	billion		
at	its	disposal.

The	principal	elements	of	Sainsbury’s	core	funding	comprise	two	
long-term	loans	of	£1,036	million,	due	2018,	and	£843	million,	due	
2031,	both	secured	over	property	assets.	In	addition,	Sainsbury’s	
has	unsecured	loans	of	£499	million	due	between	2012	and	2017,	a	
convertible	bond	in	public	issue	totalling	£190	million	due	July	2014,	
and	finance	leases	of	£143	million.	

Return on average capital employed (%)

52	week	movement	to	17	March	2012

11.1

(2) bps

11.1

1	 Average	of	opening	and	closing	net	assets	before	net	debt.

The	Group	maintains	a	£690	million	syndicated	revolving	credit	
facility	due	October	2015	for	liquidity	standby	purposes.	There		
were	£nil	drawings	under	the	facility	as	at	17	March	2012	(2011:		
£nil	drawings).	

30  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

	
Financial review continued

Capital expenditure 
Core	capital	expenditure	increased	by	£102	million	to	£1,240	
million	(2010/11:	£1,138	million)	due	to	Sainsbury’s	extensions	
and	convenience	opening	programme,	with	28	extensions	
(2010/11:	24	extensions)	and	73	new	convenience	stores	
(2010/11:	47	new	convenience	stores).	Core	capital	expenditure	
as	a	percentage	of	sales	(including	fuel,	excluding	VAT)	was		
5.6	per	cent	(2010/11:	5.4	per	cent).

Sainsbury’s	took	advantage	of	continued	good	property	yields	
to	increase	its	sale	and	leaseback	activity	of	mature	stores	
with	no	further	property	development	potential,	generating	
proceeds	of	£303	million	(2010/11:	£275	million),	which	
contributed	£83	million	to	a	total	profit	on	disposal	of	properties	
(2010/11:	£108	million).	Net	capital	expenditure	was	£962	million	
(2010/11:	£880	million).

Capital expenditure
52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

New	store	development
Extensions	and	refurbishments
Other	–	including	supply	chain	and	IT

Core capital expenditure
Acquisition	of	freehold	and	trading	properties
Proceeds	from	property	transactions

Net capital expenditure

2012
£m

599
478
163

1,240
25
(303)

962

2011
£m

547
470
121

1,138
17
(275)

880

In	2012/13,	Sainsbury’s	expects	core	capital	expenditure	of	
around	£1	billion.	As	well	as	continuing	to	grow	our	estate	
through	new	stores	in	areas	in	which	we	are	under-represented,	
we	plan	to	step	up	the	refurbishment	of	existing	stores	as	
well	as	invest	in	our	IT	infrastructure	to	support	future	online	
growth.	We	expect	core	capital	expenditure	as	a	percentage	of	
sales	to	fall	to	below	5	per	cent	in	2012/13.

Summary balance sheet
Shareholders’	funds	as	at	17	March	2012	were	£5,629	million		
(19	March	2011:	£5,424	million),	an	increase	of	£205	million.		
This	is	mainly	attributable	to	the	continued	profitable	growth	
of	the	underlying	business,	continued	investment	in	space	
to	support	future	growth,	offset	by	an	increase	in	the	net	
retirement	benefit	obligations	and	net	debt.

Property,	plant	and	equipment	assets	have	increased	by		
£545	million,	as	a	result	of	increased	space	growth.

Net	debt	is	£166	million	higher	than	at	19	March	2011	due	to	an	
investment	in	property,	plant	and	equipment,	with	additional	
debt	partly	offset	by	slightly	higher	cash	balances	at	year-end		
as	a	result	of	improved	working	capital	management.	

Gearing	increased	year-on-year	to	35.2	per	cent	(2010/11:	33.4	
per	cent),	as	a	result	of	the	higher	net	debt.	Our	interest	cover	
moved	to	7.5	times	(2010/11:	7.9	times),	while	fixed	charge	cover	
was	in	line	with	last	year	at	3.1	times	(2010/11:	3.1	times),	as	was	
adjusted	net	debt	to	EBITDAR	at	4.1	times	(2010/11:	4.1	times).

B
B
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s
i
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i
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Summary balance sheet 
at	17	March	2012

Land	and	buildings	(freehold	

and	long	leasehold)	

Land	and	buildings	
(short	leasehold)	
Fixtures	and	fittings	

Property,	plant	and	equipment
Other	non-current	assets	
Inventories	
Trade	and	other	receivables	

Cash	and	cash	equivalents	
Debt	

Net debt 
Trade	and	other	payables	

and	provisions	

Retirement	benefit	obligations,	

net	of	deferred	tax	

Net	assets	

 2012 
£m

	2011	
£m

	Movement	
£m

6,802 

	6,440	

648 
1,879 

9,329
911 
938 
286 

739 
 (2,719)

 (1,980)

	622	
	1,722	

8,784
842	
812	
303	

501	
(2,315)

(1,814)

(3,400)

(3,262)

(455)

(241)

5,629 

5,424	

362	

26	
157	

545
69	
126	
(17)

238	
(404)

(166)

(138)

(214)

205	

Key financial ratios

Adjusted net debt to EBITDAR1 4.1 times
7.5 times
Interest cover2
3.1 times
Fixed charge cover3
Gearing4
35.2%

4.1	times
7.9	times
3.1	times
33.4%

1	 Net	debt	plus	capitalised	lease	obligations	(5.5%	NPV)	divided	by	EBITDAR.
2	 Underlying	profit	before	interest	and	tax	divided	by	underlying	net	finance	costs.
3	 EBITDAR	divided	by	net	rent	and	underlying	net	finance	costs.
4	 Net	debt	divided	by	net	assets.

As	at	17	March	2012,	Sainsbury’s	estimated	market	value	of	
properties	rose	by	£0.7	billion	to	£11.2	billion	(19	March	2011:	
£10.5	billion),	driven	by	property	value	added	of	£1.0	billion,	
partly	offset	by	sale	and	leasebacks	of	£0.3	billion.	The	property	
value	is	based	on	a	yield	of	4.9	per	cent	and	includes	a	50	per	
cent	share	of	properties	held	within	its	property	joint	ventures.	

Pensions 
At	17	March	2012,	the	post-tax	pension	deficit	was	£455	million	
(19	March	2011:	£241	million).	The	increase	in	the	deficit	is	the	
result	of	a	0.5	per	cent	reduction	in	the	real	discount	rate	used	
to	value	the	liabilities,	partially	offset	by	a	13	per	cent	increase		
in	the	value	of	plan	assets.	

The	IAS	19	pension	service	cost	included	within	UPBT	was		
£59	million,	£4	million	higher	than	last	year.	

Sainsbury’s	expects	this	service	cost	to	be	around	£60	million	
in	2012/13.

Retirement benefit obligations
at	17	March	2012

Present	value	of	funded	obligations
Fair	value	of	plan	assets

Pension	deficit
Present	value	of	unfunded	obligations

Retirement	benefit	obligations
Deferred	income	tax	asset

Net	retirement	benefit	obligations

2012
£m

2011
£m	

(5,654)
5,192

(4,945)
4,614

(462)
(9)

(471)
16

(455)

(331)
(9)

(340)
99

(241)

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  31

	
	
	
	
J Sainsbury plc: Board of Directors

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3

5

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32  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

	
	
J Sainsbury plc: Board of Directors continued

1.  David Tyler Chairman 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	1	October	2009,	David	became	Chairman		
on	1	November	2009.	He	is	Non-Executive	Chairman	of	Logica	plc	and		
a	Non-Executive	Director	of	Experian	plc	and	Burberry	Group	plc,	where	
he	also	chairs	the	Remuneration	Committee.	He	was	previously	Finance	
Director	of	GUS	plc	(1997-2006)	and	has	held	senior	financial	and	
general	management	roles	with	Christie’s	International	plc	(1989-96),	
County	NatWest	Limited	(1986-89)	and	Unilever	PLC	(1974-86).	He	was	
also	Chairman	of	3i	Quoted	Private	Equity	plc	from	2007	to	2009	and	
a	Non-Executive	Director	of	Reckitt	Benckiser	Group	plc	over	the	same	
period.	Age	59.

2.  Justin King Chief Executive 
Appointed	Chief	Executive	Officer	on	29	March	2004,	Justin	is	also	
Chairman	of	the	Operating	Board.	He	has	been	a	Non-Executive	
Director	of	Staples,	Inc.	since	September	2007	and	was	appointed	to	
the	board	of	the	London	Organising	Committee	of	the	Olympic	Games	
and	Paralympic	Games	in	January	2009.	He	is	a	member	of	the	CBI	
President’s	Committee,	is	a	member	of	the	Prime	Minister’s	Business	
Advisory	Group,	and	is	a	Visiting	Fellow	of	Oxford	University’s	Centre	
for	Corporate	Reputation.	Justin	was	formerly	Director	of	Food	at	
Marks	and	Spencer	Group	plc	and	prior	to	this	held	a	number	of	senior	
positions	at	ASDA/WalMart	and	Häagen	Dazs	UK.	He	spent	much	of	his	
early	career	with	Mars	Confectionery	and	Pepsi	International.	Age	50.

3.  Mike Coupe Group Commercial Director
Appointed	Group	Commercial	Director	on	19	July	2010,	and	is	
responsible	for	Trading,	Marketing,	IT	and	Online.	He	has	been	a	
member	of	the	Operating	Board	since	October	2004	and	an	Executive	
Director	since	1	August	2007.	He	joined	Sainsbury’s	from	Big	Food	
Group	where	he	was	a	Board	Director	of	Big	Food	Group	plc	and	
Managing	Director	of	Iceland	Food	Stores.	He	previously	worked	
for	both	ASDA	and	Tesco,	where	he	served	in	a	variety	of	senior	
management	roles.	He	is	also	a	member	of	the	board	of	ECR	Europe,	
a	Non-Executive	Director	at	Greene	King	plc	and	a	member	of	the	
supervisory	board	of	GSI	UK.	Age	51.

4.  John Rogers Chief Financial Officer
Appointed	Chief	Financial	Officer	on	19	July	2010,	John	is	also	a	
member	of	the	Board	of	Sainsbury’s	Bank	plc.	John	joined	Sainsbury’s	
in	November	2005	as	Director	of	Corporate	Finance	and	then	became	
Director	of	Group	Finance	from	March	2007	to	July	2008.	In	July	
2008	he	was	appointed	to	the	Operating	Board	as	Property	Director.	
Prior	to	Sainsbury’s,	John	was	Group	Finance	Director	for	Hanover	
Acceptances,	a	diversified	corporation	with	wholly	owned	subsidiaries	in	
the	food	manufacturing,	real	estate	and	agri-business	sectors.	Age	43.

5.  Gary Hughes Non-Executive Director 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	1	January	2005,	Gary	is	a	Director	of	the	
Scottish	Exhibition	Centre	Limited	and	an	advisor	to	Ibis	Capital	plc.	
Previously	he	was	Chief	Financial	Officer	of	the	Gala	Coral	Group		
(2008-11),	Chief	Executive	of	CMP	Information	Limited	–	a	division	of	
United	Business	Media	plc	(2006-08),	Group	Finance	Director	of	Emap	
plc	(2000-05),	Group	Finance	Director	of	SMG	plc	(1996-2000),	and	
Deputy	Finance	Director	of	Forte	plc	(1994-96).	Prior	to	this	Gary	held		
a	number	of	senior	management	positions	with	Guinness	plc	in	the		
UK	and	in	North	America.	Age	50.

6.  Bob Stack Non-Executive Director   
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	1	January	2005,	Bob	was	a	Director	of	
Cadbury	plc	until	December	2008,	having	joined	Cadbury	Beverages	
in	the	US	in	1990,	and	was	first	appointed	to	the	Board	of	Cadbury	
Schweppes	plc	in	May	1996	as	Group	Human	Resources	Director.	In	
March	2000	he	was	appointed	Chief	Human	Resources	Officer	and	took	
on	responsibility	for	communication	and	external	affairs	in	addition	
to	HR.	Bob	is	Trustee	and	Non-Executive	Director	of	Earthwatch	
International	and	also	a	Non-Executive	Director	and	Chairman	of	the	
Remuneration	Committee	of	IMI	plc.	Age	61.

7.  John McAdam Non-Executive Director 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	1	September	2005,	John	is	the	Senior	
Independent	Director.	He	is	Chairman	of	Rentokil	Initial	plc	and	United	
Utilities	Group	PLC	and	also	a	Non-Executive	Director	of	Rolls-Royce	
Group	plc	and	Sara	Lee	Corporation.	John	joined	Unilever	PLC	as	a	
management	trainee	in	1974	and	went	on	to	hold	a	number	of	senior	
positions	in	Birds	Eye	Walls,	Quest	and	Unichema,	before	the	sale	of	the	
Specialty	Chemical	Businesses	to	ICI	in	1997.	He	was	Chief	Executive	of	
ICI	plc,	until	its	sale	to	Akzo	Nobel,	and	was	formerly	a	Non-Executive	
Director	of	Severn	Trent	plc	(2000-05).	Age	64.

8.  Anna Ford Non-Executive Director 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	2	May	2006,	Anna	retired	from	the	BBC	
in	2006,	after	32	years	in	News	and	Current	Affairs.	She	is	a	Non-
Executive	Director	of	N	Brown	Group	plc	and	has	been	a	Trustee	of	
the	Royal	Botanical	Gardens	in	Kew,	London;	a	Fellow	of	the	Royal	
Geographical	Society;	a	Trustee	of	Forum	for	the	Future;	Chancellor		
of	Manchester	University;	and	an	Honorary	Bencher	of	Middle	Temple.	
Age	68.

9.  Mary Harris Non-Executive Director 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	1	August	2007,	Mary	is	a	member	of	the	
supervisory	boards	of	TNT	Express	NV	and	Unibail-Rodamco	S.E.		
She	previously	spent	much	of	her	career	with	McKinsey	&	Company,	
most	recently	as	a	partner,	and	her	previous	work	experience	included	
working	for	PepsiCo	in	Greece	and	the	UK	as	a	sales	and	marketing	
executive.	Age	46.

10. Matt Brittin Non-Executive Director 
Appointed	to	the	Board	on	27	January	2011,	Matt	is	Google’s	Vice	
President	–	Northern	&	Central	Europe.	Previously	he	was	Managing	
Director	of	Google	in	the	UK	&	Ireland.	Before	joining	Google	at	the	
start	of	2007,	Matt	spent	much	of	his	career	in	media	and	marketing,	
with	particular	interests	in	strategy,	commercial	development	and	sales	
performance.	This	included	Commercial	and	Digital	leadership	roles	in	
UK	media.	He	is	also	a	Director	of	two	charities,	The	Climate	Group	and	
The	Media	Trust.	Age	43.

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Key to Committee members
	 Remuneration	Committee
	 Audit	Committee
	 Nomination	Committee
	 Corporate	Responsibility	Committee
	Denotes	Chairman	of	Committee

Life President
Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG 

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  33

	
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
	
	
	
3

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34  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Operating Board continued

1. 

 Justin King Chief Executive See	page	33

2.   John Rogers Chief Financial Officer See	page	33

3.  Mike Coupe Group Commercial Director See	page	33

4.  Helen Buck Retail Director
Helen	was	appointed	to	the	Operating	Board	on	19	July	2010	as	
Convenience	Director	and	was	appointed	Retail	Director	in	March	2012.	
Helen	joined	Sainsbury’s	in	2005	and,	after	spending	four	years	running	
Brand	Communications,	moved	to	Trading	as	Business	Unit	Director,	
Grocery	in	2009.	Before	joining	Sainsbury’s,	Helen	held	a	number	of	
senior	positions	at	Marks	&	Spencer,	Woolworths	and	Safeway	and	was	
a	senior	manager	at	McKinsey	&	Company.	Since	December	2011	Helen	
has	been	a	Non-Executive	Director	of	LSL	Property	Services	plc.

5.  Roger Burnley Managing Director,  
General Merchandise, Clothing and Logistics 
Roger	joined	the	Operating	Board	in	March	2006	as	Supply	Chain	
Director	before	assuming	the	role	of	Retail	and	Logistics	Director	
(2008-12)	and	was	appointed	the	Managing	Director	of	General	
Merchandise,	Clothing	and	Logistics	in	March	2012.	He	was	previously	
Supply	Chain	Director	at	Matalan.	Roger	spent	his	early	career	in	
retail	management	and	buying	at	B&Q	before	joining	ASDA/WalMart,	
where	he	held	a	number	of	positions	before	becoming	their	Supply	
Chain	Director	in	2001.	He	is	currently	Vice	President	of	the	Chartered	
Institute	of	Logistics	and	Transport	(UK).

6.  Gwyn Burr Customer Service and Colleague Director
Gwyn	joined	the	Operating	Board	of	Sainsbury’s	in	2004	as	
the	Customer	Director	responsible	for	Marketing,	Own	Brand,	
Communications	and	Customer	Service.	In	2010	she	took	on	the	role	of	
Customer	Service	and	Colleague	Director	with	responsibility	for	Human	
Resources,	Customer	Service,	Sponsorship,	Corporate	Responsibility	
and	Corporate	Communications.	In	2007	Gwyn	became	a	Non-Executive	
Director	of	Sainsbury’s	Bank	plc	and	in	2011	she	joined	the	board	of	
the	Financial	Ombudsman	Service	as	a	Non-Executive	Director	and	
was	appointed	a	Non-Executive	Director	of	Wembley	Stadium	in	April	
2012.	Gwyn	has	nearly	30	years’	business	experience,	including	five	
with	Nestlé	Rowntree	and	over	13	with	ASDA/WalMart	where	she	held	
various	board	level	positions.	Between	2003	and	2006	Gwyn	was	a	Non-
Executive	Director	for	the	Principality	Building	Society.	She	is	currently	
Chair	of	the	Business	in	the	Community,	Community	Investment	
Leadership	team.

7.  Tim Fallowfield Company Secretary and  
Corporate Services Director
Tim	joined	Sainsbury’s	in	2001	as	Company	Secretary	and	is	a	member	
of	the	Operating	Board.	In	addition	to	his	role	as	Company	Secretary,	
Tim	is	responsible	for	Corporate	Services	comprising	Legal	Services,	
Insurance,	Safety,	Central	Security	and	Shareholder	Services.	Tim	
joined	Sainsbury’s	from	Exel	plc,	the	global	logistics	company,	where	he	
was	Company	Secretary	and	Head	of	Legal	Services	(1994-2001).	Prior	
to	this	he	worked	at	the	international	law	firm	Clifford	Chance	for	six	
years	and	is	a	qualified	solicitor.

8.  Rob Fraser IT Director
Rob	joined	the	Operating	Board	as	IT	Director	in	July	2009,	bringing	
many	years	of	both	IT	and	retail	experience	to	the	role.	Rob	was	
previously	Vice	President,	Retail,	Consumer	&	Transport	at	CSC,		
and	spent	ten	years	at	Boots	where	he	undertook	a	variety	of		
IT	roles	including	Group	IT	Director.	He	was	also	a	member	of	the		
Boots	Executive	Committee	and	has	worked	for	Rank	Xerox	and		
Marks	&	Spencer.

9.  Luke Jensen Group Development Director
Luke	joined	Sainsbury’s	and	the	Operating	Board	in	June	2008	as	
Director	of	Strategy.	He	was	appointed	to	the	position	of	Managing	
Director	Non-Food	in	2009	with	responsibility	for	Clothing,	General	
Merchandise	and	Entertainment.	He	was	appointed	Group	Development	
Director	in	September	2011.	In	this	role	he	is	responsible	for	driving	
Sainsbury’s	growth	through	the	New	Business	Development,	Digital	and	
Strategy	divisions.	Previous	roles	include	Director/Partner	and	Head	
of	the	Consumer	and	Retail	Practice	of	OC&C	Strategy	Consultants	
(2004-08)	and	Founder	and	Group	FD/Executive	Director	of	M8	Group	
(internet	and	mail	order	specialist	retailer)	(2002-04).

10. Neil Sachdev Property Director
Neil	was	appointed	Property	Director	in	July	2010	and	is	also	
responsible	for	Sainsbury’s	environmental	strategy.	He	joined	the	
Company	as	Commercial	Director	in	2007,	where	he	helped	drive	
the	growth	of	the	Company	as	well	as	reduce	running	costs.	Neil	has	
a	wealth	of	retail	experience	following	28	years	at	Tesco.	He	was	
appointed	to	the	Joint	Advisory	Board	of	the	Grantham	Institute	for	
Climate	Change	in	2010	and	since	2008	has	been	a	member	of	the	
Business	in	the	Community	Mayday	Leadership	team	focusing	on	the	
climate	change	sector.	Neil	is	also	a	Non-Executive	Director,	Chairman	
of	Remuneration	Committee	and	member	of	the	Audit	Committee		
of	Capital	Shopping	Centres	Group	PLC.	Currently,	Neil	is	Chairman		
of	the	IGD	Board,	a	Director	of	the	board	of	IGD	Services	Limited	and		
a	member	of	the	Business	Innovation	and	Skills	Board	on		
Green	Construction.	

11.  Sarah Warby Marketing Director
Sarah	joined	Sainsbury’s	and	the	Operating	Board	on	30	January	2012	
as	Marketing	Director.	She	has	full	responsibility	for	all	Sainsbury’s	
marketing	activity	including	Brand	Communications,	Non-Food	
Marketing,	Customer	Insights	and	Loyalty.	Sarah	previously	held	a	
number	of	senior	positions	at	Heineken	and	was	their	UK	Marketing	
Director,	where	she	was	responsible	for	a	number	of	the	UK’s	most		
high-profile	FMCG	brands.	Prior	to	this	she	was	Innovation	Director		
at	Heineken	where	she	led	the	combined	technical	and	marketing	team.	
Earlier	in	her	career	Sarah	worked	for	several	marketing	agencies,		
and	was	a	graduate	at	Unilever	PLC.

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Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  35

	
	
Directors’ report

The	Directors	present	their	report	and	audited	financial	statements	for	
the	52	weeks	to	17	March	2012.

Share capital and control
The	following	information	is	given	pursuant	to	Section	992	of	the	2006	
Companies	Act.

Principal activities 
The	Company’s	principal	activities	are	grocery	and	related	retailing.	

Business review
The	Business	review	sets	out	a	comprehensive	review	of	the	
development	and	performance	of	the	business	for	the	52	weeks	ended	
17	March	2012	and	future	developments.	The	Business	review	is	set	out	
on	pages	1	to	31	of	this	report.	All	the	information	detailed	in	these	pages	
is	incorporated	by	reference	into	this	report	and	is	deemed	to	form	part	
of	this	report.

Corporate governance statement
The	corporate	governance	statement	as	required	by	the	Disclosure	and	
Transparency	Rules	7.2.1	is	set	out	on	pages	38	to	51	and	is	incorporated	
by	reference	into	this	report.

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Dividends
The	Directors	recommend	the	payment	of	a	final	dividend	of	11.6	pence	
per	share	(2011:	10.8	pence),	making	a	total	dividend	for	the	year	of	16.1	
pence	per	share	(2011:	15.1	pence),	an	increase	of	6.6	per	cent	over	the	
previous	year.	Subject	to	shareholders	approving	this	recommendation	
at	the	Annual	General	Meeting	(‘AGM’),	the	dividend	will	be	paid	on		
13	July	2012	to	shareholders	on	the	register	at	the	close	of	business		
on	18	May	2012.

Changes to the Board 
On	13	July	2011	Darren	Shapland	stood	down	from	his	position	as	a	
Director.	He	remains	with	Sainsbury’s	as	Non-Executive	Chairman	of	
Sainsbury’s	Bank.	Val	Gooding,	Non-Executive	Director,	also	stepped	
down	from	the	Board	on	13	July	2011,	to	take	up	the	position	of		
Chairman	of	Premier	Farnell	plc.	

In	May	we	announced	that	Bob	Stack	had	decided	to	stand	down	from	
his	position	as	a	Non-Executive	Director	with	effect	from	the	AGM	on		
11	July	2012.

Re-election of Directors
The	UK	Corporate	Governance	Code	provides	for	all	directors	of	FTSE	
companies	to	stand	for	election	or	re-election	by	shareholders	every	
year.	Accordingly	all	members	of	the	Board	will	retire	and	seek	re-
election	at	this	year’s	AGM.	Full	biographical	details	of	all	of	the	current	
Directors	are	set	out	on	page	33.	

Annual General Meeting
The	AGM	will	be	held	on	Wednesday,	11	July	2012	at	The	Queen	Elizabeth	
II	Conference	Centre,	Broad	Sanctuary,	Westminster,	London	SW1P	3EE	
at	11.00am.	The	Chairman’s	letter	and	the	Notice	of	Meeting	accompany	
this	report,	together	with	notes	explaining	the	business	to	be	transacted	
at	the	meeting.

At	the	meeting,	resolutions	will	be	proposed	to	declare	a	final	dividend,	
to	receive	the	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	and	approve	the	
Remuneration	Report,	to	re-elect	all	of	the	Directors,	other	than	Bob	
Stack,	and	to	re-appoint	PricewaterhouseCoopers	LLP	as	auditors.	In	
addition,	shareholders	will	be	asked	to	renew	both	the	general	authority	
of	the	Directors	to	issue	shares	and	to	authorise	the	Directors	to	
issue	shares	without	applying	the	statutory	pre-emption	rights.	In	this	
regard	the	Company	will	continue	to	adhere	to	the	provisions	in	the		
Pre-emption	Group’s	Statement	of	Principles.

Shareholders	will	be	asked	to	authorise	the	Company	to	make	market	
purchases	of	its	own	shares.	Shareholders	will	also	be	asked	to	
authorise	the	Directors	to	hold	general	meetings	at	14	clear	days’	notice	
(where	this	flexibility	is	merited	by	the	business	of	the	meeting	and	is	
thought	to	be	in	the	interests	of	shareholders	as	a	whole).	A	resolution	
to	renew	the	authority	to	make	‘political	donations’	as	defined	by		
Part	14	of	2006	Companies	Act,	will	also	be	proposed.

Except	as	described	below	in	relation	to	the	Company’s	employee	share	
schemes,	there	are	no	restrictions	on	the	voting	rights	attaching	to	the	
Company’s	ordinary	shares	or	the	transfer	of	securities	in	the	Company;	
no	person	holds	securities	in	the	Company	carrying	special	rights	
with	regard	to	control	of	the	Company;	and	the	Company	is	not	aware	
of	any	agreements	between	holders	of	securities	that	may	result	in	
restrictions	in	the	transfer	of	securities	or	voting	rights.	Further	details	
of	the	rights,	restrictions	and	obligations	attaching	to	the	share	capital	
of	the	Company,	including	voting	rights,	are	contained	in	the	Company’s	
Articles	of	Association.	The	Articles	of	Association	may	only	be	changed	
with	the	agreement	of	shareholders.	

Shares	acquired	through	the	Company’s	employee	share	plans	rank	
pari	passu	with	shares	in	issue	and	have	no	special	rights.	Where,	under	
the	Company’s	All	Employee	Share	Ownership	Plan,	participants	are	
beneficial	owners	of	the	shares	but	the	Trustee	is	the	registered	owner,	
the	voting	rights	are	normally	exercised	by	the	registered	owner	at	the	
direction	of	the	participants.	The	J	Sainsbury	Employee	Benefit	Trusts	
waive	their	right	to	vote	and	to	dividends	on	the	shares	they	hold		
which	are	unallocated.	Some	of	the	Company’s	employee	share	plans	
include	restrictions	on	transfer	of	shares	while	the	shares	are	held	
within	the	plan.

At	the	AGM	held	in	July	2011,	the	Company	was	authorised	by	
shareholders	to	purchase	its	own	shares,	within	certain	limits	and	
as	permitted	by	the	Articles	of	Association.	The	Company	made	
no	purchases	of	its	own	shares	during	the	year	and	no	shares	were	
acquired	by	forfeiture	or	surrender	or	made	subject	to	a	lien	or	charge.

All	of	the	Company’s	employee	share	plans	contain	provisions	relating	
to	a	change	of	control.	On	a	change	of	control,	options	and	awards	
granted	to	employees	under	the	Company’s	share	plans	may	vest	
and	become	exercisable,	subject	to	the	satisfaction	of	any	applicable	
performance	conditions	at	that	time.	

The	Company	is	not	party	to	any	significant	agreements	that	would		
take	effect,	alter	or	terminate	upon	a	change	of	control	following	a	
takeover	bid.

Ordinary shares
Details	of	the	changes	to	the	ordinary	issued	share	capital	during	the	
year	are	shown	on	page	95.	At	the	date	of	this	report,	1,884,064,677	
ordinary	shares	of	28	4/7	pence	have	been	issued,	are	fully	paid	up	and	
are	listed	on	the	London	Stock	Exchange.

Major interests in shares
As	at	9	May	2012,	the	Company	had	been	notified	by	the	following	
investors	of	their	interests	in	3	per	cent	or	more	of	the	Company’s	
shares.	These	interests	were	notified	to	the	Company	pursuant	to	
Disclosure	and	Transparency	Rule	5:

Judith	Portrait	(a	trustee	of	various	settlements,	
including	charitable	trusts)
Legal	and	General	Group	plc
Lord	Sainsbury	of	Turville
M1	Capital	Limited
Qatar	Holdings	LLC

%	of	voting	rights	

3.92
3.99
4.99
3.02
25.99

Directors’ interests
The	beneficial	interests	of	the	Directors	and	their	families	in	the	shares	
of	the	Company	are	shown	in	the	Remuneration	Report	on	page	65.	
The	Company’s	Register	of	Directors’	Interests	contains	full	details	of	
Directors’	interests,	shareholdings	and	options	over	ordinary	shares	of	
the	Company.

During	the	year,	no	Director	had	any	material	interest	in	any	contract		
of	significance	to	the	Group’s	business.

36  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Directors’ report continued

Directors’ indemnities
The	Directors	are	entitled	to	be	indemnified	by	the	Company	to	the	
extent	permitted	by	law	and	the	Company’s	Articles	of	Association	in	
respect	of	all	losses	arising	out	of	or	in	connection	with	the	execution	
of	their	powers,	duties	and	responsibilities.	The	Company	has	executed	
deeds	of	indemnity	for	the	benefit	of	each	Director	in	respect	of	
liabilities	which	may	attach	to	them	in	their	capacity	as	Directors	of	
the	Company.	The	Company	purchased	and	maintained	Directors’	and	
Officers’	liability	insurance	throughout	2011/12,	which	has	been	renewed	
for	2012/13.	Neither	the	indemnities	nor	the	insurance	provide	cover		
in	the	event	that	the	Director	is	proved	to	have	acted	fraudulently.

Market value of properties 
The	Directors	believe	that	the	aggregate	open	market	value	of	Group	
properties	exceeds	the	net	book	value	as	set	out	in	note	11	on	page	86		
to	the	financial	statements.	

Essential contracts
Sainsbury’s	has	contractual	and	other	arrangements	with	numerous	
third	parties	in	support	of	its	business	activities.	None	of	the	
arrangements	is	individually	considered	to	be	essential	to	the	business	
of	Sainsbury’s.	

Policy on payment of creditors
The	policy	of	the	Company	and	its	principal	operating	companies	is	
to	agree	terms	of	payment	prior	to	commencing	trade	with	a	supplier	
and	to	abide	by	those	terms	on	the	timely	submission	of	satisfactory	
invoices.	The	Company	is	a	holding	company	and	therefore	has	no	trade	
creditors.	Statements	on	the	operating	companies’	payment	of	suppliers	
are	contained	in	their	financial	statements.	

Corporate responsibility 
Sainsbury’s	continues	its	strong	commitment	to	corporate	
responsibility,	which	is	an	everyday	part	of	how	the	Company	does	
business.	Sainsbury’s	company	values	underpin	our	goal	to	make	
all	of	our	customers’	lives	easier	everyday	by	offering	great	quality	
and	service	at	fair	prices.	In	October,	we	announced	our	20	by	20	
Sustainability	Plan	a	new	cornerstone	of	our	business	strategy	designed	
to	accelerate	Sainsbury’s	commitment	to	social	and	environmental	
responsibility	and	excellence.	This	year,	we	have	further	integrated	
the	reporting	of	corporate	responsibility	into	this	Annual	Report	and	
Financial	Statements	to	illustrate	how	our	values	underpin	and	influence	
our	broader	business	strategy.	

The	Company’s	Corporate	Responsibility	Report	will	be	issued	later	in	
the	year	and	will	provide	an	update	on	our	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan.	
This	report	will	be	available	online	(www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/cr).	We	have	
five	key	corporate	responsibility	principles:	‘Best	for	food	and	health’,	
‘Sourcing	with	integrity’,	‘Respect	for	our	environment’,	‘Making	a	
positive	difference	to	our	community’	and	‘A	great	place	to	work’.		
Each	of	our	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan	commitments	is	aligned		
under	one	of	these	principles.	

As	part	of	‘A	great	place	to	work’	the	Company	has	well-developed	
policies	for	fair	and	equal	treatment	of	all	colleagues,	employment	
of	disadvantaged	persons	and	colleague	participation.	It	is	our	policy	
that	people	with	disabilities	are	given	full	and	just	consideration	for	all	
vacancies	and	over	the	year	we	have	conducted	a	number	of	training	
sessions	to	raise	awareness	and	understanding	of	our	customers	and	
colleagues	with	disabilities	and	how	we	can	better	support	them.	Under	
the	banner	of	You	Can,	the	Company	also	actively	works	with	a	number	
of	organisations	which	seek	to	promote	employment	for	disadvantaged	
persons	and	inclusion	within	the	workplace	and	has	made	one	of	our	
20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan	commitments	that	by	2020	we	will	provide	
30,000	people	from	disadvantaged	groups	with	work	opportunities.	
These	include	JobCentre	Plus,	A	Fairer	Chance,	the	Shaw	Trust,	
Remploy	and	Mencap.	Further	details	of	Sainsbury’s	diversity	policy		
can	be	found	at	www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/diversity.

The	Company’s	quarterly	trading	statements,	interim	and	annual	results	
are	presented	to	all	senior	management	and	are	communicated	to	all	
colleagues.	Colleagues	have	always	been	encouraged	to	hold	shares		
in	the	Company.

Donations
Sainsbury’s	is	committed	to	making	a	positive	difference	to	the	
communities	in	which	it	operates.	We	support	many	charitable	
organisations	and	community	projects	through	either	donating	cash,	
making	in-kind	donations	or	through	colleague	volunteering.

During	the	year,	Sainsbury’s	colleagues,	customers	and	suppliers	
raised	£25.4	million	(2011:	£22.9	million)	for	charities	through	events	
supported	by	the	Company,	including	Sport	Relief.	Cash	and	in-kind	
donations	totalled	£4.2	million	(2011:	£2.1	million).	

The	Company	made	no	political	donations	in	2012	(2011:	£nil).

Post balance sheet events
There	are	no	post	balance	sheet	events.	

Financial risk management
The	financial	risk	management	and	policies	of	the	Group	are	disclosed		
in	note	28	on	pages	99	to	104	to	the	financial	statements.

Going concern 
The	Group’s	business	activities,	together	with	the	factors	likely	to	
affect	its	future	development,	performance	and	position	are	set	out	
in	the	Business	review	on	pages	1	to	31.	The	financial	position	of	the	
Group,	its	cash	flows	and	liquidity	are	highlighted	in	the	Financial	review	
on	pages	26	to	31.	The	Group	manages	its	financing	by	diversifying	
funding	sources,	maintaining	core	borrowings	with	long-term	maturities	
and	sufficient	standby	liquidity.	Full	details	of	the	Group’s	financing	
arrangements	can	be	found	in	note	20	on	pages	92	and	93	to	the	
financial	statements.	In	addition,	notes	28	and	29	on	pages	99	to	108	
to	the	financial	statements	include	the	Group’s	objectives,	policies	
and	processes	for	managing	its	capital;	its	financial	risk	management	
objectives;	details	of	its	financial	instruments	and	hedging	activities;	
and	its	exposures	to	credit	risk	and	liquidity	risk.	

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The	debt	refinancing	in	March	2006	removed	the	Group’s	reliance	on	
unsecured	credit	markets	for	medium	and	long-term	finance	and	the	
Group’s	first	significant	re-financing	exposure	is	not	until	2014.	

As	a	consequence,	the	Directors	believe	that	the	Group	is	well	placed	to	
manage	its	business	risks	successfully	despite	the	current	challenging	
economic	outlook.	The	Directors	have	a	reasonable	expectation	that	
the	Company	has	sufficient	resources	to	continue	in	operation	for	
the	foreseeable	future.	Accordingly,	they	continue	to	adopt	the	going	
concern	basis	in	preparing	the	financial	statements	which	are	shown	on	
pages	68	to	118.

Disclosure of information to auditors
Each	of	the	Directors	has	confirmed	that,	so	far	as	he/she	is	aware,	
there	is	no	relevant	audit	information	of	which	the	auditors	are	unaware.	
Each	Director	has	taken	all	steps	that	he/she	ought	to	have	taken	
as	a	Director	in	order	to	make	himself/herself	aware	of	any	relevant	
audit	information	and	to	establish	that	the	auditors	are	aware	of	that	
information.	

Auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers	LLP	have	expressed	their	willingness	to	be	
reappointed	as	auditors	of	the	Company.	Upon	the	recommendation		
of	the	Audit	Committee,	resolutions	to	reappoint	them	as	auditors		
and	to	authorise	the	Directors	to	determine	their	remuneration	will		
be	proposed	at	the	AGM.	

By	order	of	the	Board
Tim Fallowfield
Company	Secretary
8	May	2012

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  37

	
	
Corporate governance statement

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David Tyler
Chairman

Dear shareholder,
Your Board is committed to 
effective governance and we 
believe that we have established  
a strong track record over  
a number of years.

The	governance	agenda	for	the	UK’s	largest	companies	has	continued	
to	attract	attention	since	I	last	wrote	to	you	in	our	2011	Annual	Report.	
This	is	the	first	year	that	companies	are	required	to	report	on	their	
compliance	against	the	standards	of	the	new	UK	Corporate	Governance	
Code	(the	‘Code’).	We	have	also	seen	specific	aspects	of	governance	
maintaining	a	high	profile,	particularly	board	diversity	and	directors’	
remuneration	and	performance	related	pay.	

One	of	our	strengths	continues	to	be	our	diversity	which	is	the	result		
of	a	high	proportion	of	women	having	been	appointed	on	merit		
throughout	the	organisation.	Although	Val	Gooding	stepped	down	from		
the	Board	during	the	year	to	take	up	the	role	of	Chairman	at	Premier		
Farnell	plc,	I	am	pleased	to	report	that	we	continue	to	benefit	from	the	
very	able	contributions	of	Mary	Harris	and	Anna	Ford	on	our	Board	and	
Committees.	In	addition,	during	the	year,	we	have	increased	the	number		
of	women	who	hold	the	most	senior	executive	positions	in	the	Company.		
We	have	16	women	in	our	46	most	senior	executive	positions,	and	overall	
54	per	cent	of	our	150,000	colleagues	are	female.

Earlier	this	year,	we	responded	to	the	report	“Women	on	Boards”	by	
Lord	Davies	of	Abersoch	CBE	and	confirmed	that	we	anticipate	that	we	
will	maintain	and,	over	time,	increase	these	high	proportions	of	women	
in	board	and	senior	positions	and	be	at	least	in	line	with	the	Davies	
recommendations,	including	the	aspirational	target	that	25	per	cent	of	
board	positions	at	FTSE	100	companies	should	be	filled	by	women	by		
2015.	Appointments,	however,	will	continue	to	be	made	on	merit.	

The	Code	emphasises	the	need	for	well	balanced,	effective	boards,	
strong	oversight	of	risk	management,	alignment	of	remuneration	
policies	with	shareholder	interests,	and	sound	shareholder	relations.	

The	following	pages	explain	how	we	apply	these	principles	in	order	to	
help	create	long-term,	sustainable	growth	in	value	for	shareholders.	
I	can	confirm	that	Sainsbury’s	has	complied	with	all	provisions	of	the	
Code	during	the	last	financial	year.	

In	January	2011,	a	thorough	review	of	your	Board’s	performance	
was	completed	by	Manchester	Square	Partners,	a	board	evaluation	
consultancy.	This	confirmed	that	the	Board	was	seen	as	being	effective,	
with	a	number	of	specific	strengths	as	regards	ethics,	organisation,	
information,	decision	making	and	culture.	This	year,	the	Board	agreed	
that	we	should	carry	out	an	internal	review	and	this	is	described	in	detail	
on	pages	40	to	41.	This	exercise	showed	that	we	had	made	satisfactory	
progress	with	the	priorities	that	we	identified	last	year	as	a	result	of	the	
Manchester	Square	Partners	review.	In	particular,	we	have	placed	even	
greater	emphasis	on	our	strategic	debate	and	I	believe	that	this	has	been	
particularly	important	against	the	background	of	the	challenging	economic	
and	market	conditions	that	we	have	faced,	and	has	helped	to	deliver	the	
pleasing	financial	results	that	have	been	achieved	during	the	year.	

38  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Directors’	remuneration	continues	to	attract	much	focus	–	we	believe		
that	we	have	a	good	track	record	in	this	regard.	Our	Directors’	salary	
increases	have	been	in	line	with	our	wider	colleague	population	for	a	
number	of	years,	and	that	remains	the	case	with	the	below	inflation	
increases	for	2012/13.	We	have	regularly	consulted	with	our	key	investors	
when	we	have	proposed	any	material	changes	to	our	remuneration	
policy	and	this	has	helped	us	to	develop	a	range	of	incentive	plans	which	
create	a	very	strong	link	between	Company	performance	and	Directors’	
pay,	thereby	aligning	management	and	shareholders’	interests.	We	have	
received	strong	support	from	shareholders	over	recent	years	for	the	
policies	and	procedures	that	the	Remuneration	Committee	has	applied.		
Our	Remuneration	Report	is	set	out	on	pages	52	to	65	and	describes	both		
the	principles	and	the	actual	amounts	earned	by	Directors	during	the	year.	

David Tyler
Chairman

Corporate governance statement continued

Compliance
The	following	sections	explain	how	the	Company	applies	the	main	
principles	of	Section	1	of	the	UK	Corporate	Governance	Code	(the	
‘Code’).	The	Board	is	committed	to	strong	governance	and,	during	
the	year,	the	Company	has	complied	with	all	the	provisions	of		
the	Code.	

The role of the Board
The	Board	is	chaired	by	David	Tyler	and,	at	the	year-end,	there	were	
three	Executive	Directors	and	six	Non-Executive	Directors.	John	
McAdam	is	the	Senior	Independent	Director.	The	Directors’	biographical	
details	are	set	out	on	page	33.	

The	Board’s	key	focus	in	helping	to	create	long-term	sustainable	value	
for	shareholders	is	on	strategic	leadership,	performance	management,	
investor	relations,	risk	management	and	governance	and	succession	
planning,	each	of	which	is	described	below.	We	have	a	scheduled	
forward	programme	of	Board	meetings	to	ensure	that	the	Board	can	
allocate	sufficient	time	to	each	of	these	key	areas.	This	enables	us	to	
plan	Board	and	Committee	meetings	appropriately	and	use	the	time	
most	effectively.	There	is	sufficient	flexibility	in	the	programme	to	
enable	specific	items	to	be	added	to	any	particular	agenda	and	this	
ensures	that	the	Board	can	focus	on	the	key	matters	relating	to	the	
business	at	the	appropriate	time.	Our	annual	Board	evaluation	exercise	
enables	us	to	review	whether	board	meetings	are	structured	with	a	clear	
focus	on	the	key	issues	facing	the	Company,	with	a	full	and	open	debate	
before	major	decisions	are	taken.	We	ensure	that	all	Directors	are	
aware	of	the	key	discussions	and	decisions	of	each	of	the	four	principal	
Committees	–	the	Chairman	of	each	Committee	provides	a	detailed	
summary	to	all	Directors	at	the	Board	meeting	following	the	relevant	
Committee	meeting.	Minutes	of	Board	and	Committee	meetings	are	
circulated	to	Directors	shortly	after	those	meetings	take	place.	The	
Board	has	a	schedule	of	formally	reserved	powers	(which	it	reviews	each	
year)	and	receives	a	number	of	in-depth	presentations	during	the	year	
on	other	key	matters	including	pensions,	treasury,	brand	management,	
values	and	governance.

During	the	year	we	increased	the	number	of	informal	meetings	of	the	
Board,	which	was	an	agreed	action	from	a	previous	Board	evaluation.	
These	enable	all	the	Directors	to	spend	more	time	together	and	to	discuss	
specific	areas	of	the	business	with	individual	Operating	Board	members.	

The	Board	continued	to	focus	on	strategic	matters	during	the	year.	
We	hold	a	two-day	Strategy	Conference	in	the	autumn,	with	the	
Operating	Board	Directors	in	attendance	for	the	first	day.	This	enables	
the	Board	to	conduct	an	in-depth	review	of	relevant	economic	factors	
and	their	likely	impact	on	customers	and	the	market,	to	evaluate	key	
opportunities	and	threats,	consider	the	draft	budget	and	corporate	
plan	and	agree	the	strategic	goals	for	the	short-term	and	longer	
term	perspectives.	The	Board	receives	a	detailed	half-year	update	on	
progress	against	the	agreed	priorities	and	then,	to	complete	the	cycle	
in	July,	agrees	the	objectives	and	principal	areas	of	focus	for	the	next	
conference.	Specific	projects	are	considered	at	other	meetings	during	
the	year	as	necessary.	Our	2012	Board	Evaluation	exercise	concluded	
that	the	Board	had	made	real	progress	in	driving	the	strategic	debate	
during	the	year.

Performance	management	against	delivery	of	the	agreed	key	targets	
is	reviewed	at	every	meeting	with	particular	reference	to	the	detailed	
management	accounts.	The	Chief	Executive,	Group	Commercial	Director	
and	Chief	Financial	Officer	comment	on	the	market	and	current	trading	
at	each	meeting.	

During	the	year	the	Board	was	fully	engaged	in	the	development	and	
launch	of	our	new	brand,	Live Well for Less,	as	well	as	the	planning	and	
roll	out	of	Brand	Match.	The	Board	also	reviewed	Sainsbury’s	20	by	20	
Sustainability	Plan	described	in	the	Business	review.

The	Board	reviews	the	Company’s	principal	risks	on	an	annual	basis,	
in	addition	to	receiving	regular	updates	on	risk	management	and	
internal	controls	from	the	Chairman	of	the	Audit	Committee	after	each	
committee	meeting.	The	Board	also	receives	an	annual	update	on	all	
matters	relating	to	safety,	supported	by	regular	quarterly	updates,	
together	with	updates	on	relevant	controls	and	governance.	Any	specific	
issues	on	these	and	other	matters	which	might	affect	the	Company’s	
reputation	are	reported	to	the	Board	as	they	occur.	The	Board	also	
reviewed	Sainsbury’s	business	continuity	and	crisis	management	
processes	and	governance.	

Turning	to	investor	relations,	the	Board	receives	an	annual	independent	
survey	at	the	Strategy	Conference	which	reports	on	the	views	of		
major	shareholders	and	analysts,	together	with	updates	at	each		
Board	meeting	on	the	IR	programme	and	feedback	from	major	
shareholders,	particularly	following	each	major	announcement		
of	the	Company’s	results.

Succession	plans	and	management	development	are	considered	by	
the	Nomination	Committee	each	year	at	the	time	of	the	Strategy	
Conference	with	specific	follow	up	and	updates	thereafter	as	necessary.	
The	Nomination	Committee	also	reviews	succession	to	the	Board.	

Division of responsibilities 
There	is	a	clear	division	of	responsibilities	between	the	Chairman	and	
the	Chief	Executive	which	is	set	out	in	writing	and	has	been	approved	
by	the	Board.	The	Chairman	is	responsible	for	leadership	of	the	Board,	
ensuring	its	effectiveness	and	setting	its	agenda	to	enable	the	Board	to	
fulfil	all	aspects	of	its	role.	As	set	out	above,	we	ensure	that	the	Board	
has	sufficient	time	to	allocate	to	its	key	areas	of	focus	throughout	
the	annual	cycle	of	Board	meetings.	The	Chairman	ensures	effective	
communication	with	shareholders	and	that	the	Board	is	aware	of	the	
views	of	major	shareholders.	He	facilitates	the	contribution	of	the	
Non-Executive	Directors	through	a	culture	of	openness	and	debate,	
and	ensures	constructive	relations	between	the	Executive	and	Non-
Executive	Directors.	

The	Chief	Executive	is	responsible	for	the	day-to-day	management	of	
the	Company,	and	executing	the	strategy,	once	agreed	by	the	Board.		
He	creates	a	framework	of	strategy,	values,	organisation	and	objectives	
to	ensure	the	successful	delivery	of	results,	and	allocates	decision	
making	and	responsibilities	accordingly.	He	takes	a	leading	role,	with		
the	Chairman,	in	the	relationship	with	all	external	agencies	and	in	
promoting	Sainsbury’s.

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Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  39

	
	
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Corporate governance statement continued

Independence 
The	Non-Executive	Directors	bring	wide	and	varied	commercial	
experience	to	Board	and	Committee	deliberations.	On	appointment	
they	confirm	that	they	will	have	sufficient	time	available	to	be	able	to	
discharge	their	responsibilities	effectively.	They	are	appointed	for	an	
initial	three-year	term,	subject	to	election	by	shareholders	at	the	first	
AGM	after	their	appointment,	after	which	their	appointment	may	be	
extended	for	a	second	term,	subject	to	mutual	agreement.	All	members	
of	the	Board	will	retire	by	rotation	and	seek	re-election	by	shareholders	
at	this	year’s	AGM	in	accordance	with	the	Code.

The	Companies	Act	2006	provides	that	directors	must	avoid	a	situation	
where	they	have,	or	can	have,	a	direct	or	indirect	interest	that	conflicts,	
or	possibly	may	conflict,	with	a	company’s	interests.	Directors	of	public	
companies	may	authorise	conflicts	and	potential	conflicts,	where	
appropriate,	if	a	company’s	articles	of	association	permit.	Shareholders	
approved	the	appropriate	amendments	to	the	Company’s	Articles	at	the	
2008	AGM.	The	Board	has	established	procedures	for	the	disclosure	
by	Directors	of	any	such	conflicts,	and	also	for	the	consideration	and	
authorisation	of	these	conflicts	by	the	Board.	In	accordance	with	the	
Act,	the	Board	considered	and	authorised	each	Director’s	reported	
potential	conflicts	of	interest	during	the	year.	Whenever	a	Director	takes	
on	additional	external	responsibilities,	the	Board	considers	any	potential	
conflicts	that	may	arise	and	whether	the	Director	continues	to	have	
sufficient	time	to	fulfil	his	or	her	role	as	a	Director	of	the	Company.	The	
Board	will	continue	to	monitor	and	review	potential	conflicts	of	interest	
on	a	regular	basis.

The	Chairman	satisfied	the	independence	criteria	of	the	Code	on	his	
appointment	to	the	Board	in	October	2009	and	all	the	Non-Executive	
Directors	are	considered	to	be	independent	according	to	the	provisions	
of	the	Code.	The	Board	has	specifically	considered	the	executive	or	
non-executive	roles	that	some	of	the	Non-Executive	Directors	have	with	
companies	who	may	be	in	competition	with,	or	suppliers	to	Sainsbury’s.	
The	Board	is	satisfied	that	the	independence	of	the	Directors	who	
have	executive	or	non-executive	roles	with	other	companies	is	not	
compromised	and	that	they	all	have	sufficient	time	available	to	devote	
to	the	Company.

During	the	year	the	Board	considered	Mike	Coupe’s	proposed	
appointment	as	a	Non-Executive	Director	of	Greene	King	plc	–	in	
approving	the	appointment	the	Board	concluded	that	there	was	limited	
potential	for	conflict	with	a	small	supplier	and	that,	in	any	event,	there	
were	appropriate	safeguards	in	place	to	manage	any	conflicts	that	
might	arise.	Moreover,	joining	the	board	of	another	listed	company	
would	provide	a	valuable	development	opportunity	for	Mike	Coupe		
and	thereby	benefit	Sainsbury’s.

The	Board	also	considered	a	potential	conflict	for	Justin	King,	whose	
son,	Jordan	King,	is	one	of	the	country’s	top	young	racing	drivers.	
His	recent	success	is	attracting	interest	from	potential	sponsors.	
Current	sponsors	include	high	net-worth	individuals	and	companies	
with	established	interests	in	motor	sport.	Some	of	the	sponsors	are	
also	suppliers	to	Sainsbury’s.	Jordan	King	arranges	his	sponsorships	
through	his	company,	42	Racing	Ltd.	The	Board	has	satisfied	itself	
that	Justin	King	has	no	direct	involvement	in	the	trading	relationship	
between	Sainsbury’s	and	any	supplier	who	may	have	an	interest	
in	42	Racing	Ltd.	It	is	satisfied	that	the	governance	of	all	supplier	
relationships	is	robust	and	that	there	is	therefore	no	conflict	of	interest	
regarding	these	arrangements.

Information and development 
The	Chairman	is	responsible	for	ensuring	that	all	Directors	are	properly	
briefed	on	issues	arising	at	Board	meetings	and	that	they	have	full	
and	timely	access	to	relevant	information.	The	quality	and	supply	of	
information	provided	to	the	Board	is	reviewed	as	part	of	the	Board	
evaluation	exercise.	The	conclusion	from	this	year’s	evaluation	was	that	
Board	meetings	and	processes	were	very	effective.

We	have	a	programme	for	meeting	Directors’	training	and	development	
requirements.	Newly	appointed	Directors	who	do	not	have	previous	
public	company	experience	at	Board	level	are	provided	with	detailed	
training	on	their	role	and	responsibilities.	All	new	Directors	participate	in	
a	comprehensive	and	tailored	induction	programme	including	store	and	
depot	visits	and	meetings	with	other	members	of	the	Board,	members	
of	the	Operating	Board,	senior	management	and	external	advisors.	The	
induction	programme	includes	a	full	review	of	corporate	responsibility.	
Subsequent	training	is	available	on	an	ongoing	basis	to	meet	any	
particular	needs.	Matt	Brittin’s	induction	programme	has	addressed	all	
of	these	aspects	since	his	appointment	to	the	Board	in	January	2011.

During	the	year	the	Company	Secretary,	Tim	Fallowfield,	has	provided	
updates	to	the	Board	on	relevant	governance	matters,	Directors’	
duties	and	obligations,	and	new	legislation	and	its	impact	on	the	
Company,	such	as	the	2011	Bribery	Act.	The	Audit	Committee	regularly	
considers	new	accounting	developments	through	presentations	
from	management	and	the	external	auditors.	The	consultants	to	
the	Remuneration	Committee	advise	the	Committee	on	relevant	
governance	and	trends	in	remuneration.	The	Board	programme	includes	
regular	presentations	from	management	and	informal	meetings	which	
increase	the	Non-Executive	Directors’	understanding	of	the	business	
and	the	sector.	During	the	year	the	Board	held	a	Board	meeting	at	
our	Coventry	Store	Support	Centre	and	received	presentations	from	
members	of	the	general	merchandise	and	clothing	management	teams.	
Directors	have	visited	stores	and	other	sites	as	part	of	their	continuing	
engagement	with	the	business.	

All	Directors	have	access	to	the	advice	and	services	of	the	Company	
Secretary.	He	has	responsibility	for	ensuring	that	Board	procedures	are	
followed	and	for	governance	matters.	The	appointment	and	removal	of	
the	Company	Secretary	is	one	of	the	matters	reserved	for	the	Board.	
There	is	an	agreed	procedure	by	which	members	of	the	Board	may	
take	independent	professional	advice	at	the	Company’s	expense	in	the	
furtherance	of	their	duties.

Board evaluation
The	Board	agreed	that	the	2011	evaluation	exercise	should	be	facilitated	
by	Manchester	Square	Partners	(who	had	no	other	relationship	with	
Sainsbury’s).	The	key	objectives	agreed	with	the	Chairman	were	to	ask	
the	Board	to	assess	itself	by	defining	its	own	objectives	and	analyse	
how	it	was	performing	against	these	objectives	across	number	of	
dimensions.	The	review	was	conducted	through	a	discussion	framework	
circulated	in	advance	to	Directors,	followed	by	one-to-one	in	depth	
interviews	with	all	Directors	and	the	Company	Secretary	and	a	review	
of	relevant	papers.	The	performance	of	the	Board	Committees	was	
also	reviewed,	and	Directors	provided	feedback	on	each	others’	
contributions.	

40  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Corporate governance statement continued

Manchester	Square	Partners’	report	concluded	that	the	Board	was	
working	effectively	across	many	dimensions.	The	Board	identified	
actions	to	develop	some	aspects	of	Board	succession	and	management	
transition,	and	to	strengthen	further	the	focus	on	strategic	initiatives.	

Following	last	year’s	external	evaluation,	the	Board	agreed	that	this	
year’s	review	should	be	carried	out	by	the	Company	Secretary,	and	
that	the	key	objectives	were	to	determine	whether	progress	had	been	
made	on	last	year’s	action	points,	to	identify	any	emerging	themes	
and	to	consider	whether	the	Board	and	its	committees	were	working	
effectively.	A	questionnaire	was	circulated	to	all	Directors	seeking	
their	evaluation	of	a	number	of	subject	matters,	including	strategy,	
management	transition,	succession,	Board	culture	and	balance,	
meetings	and	processes,	investor	relations,	risk	management	and	board	
committees.	This	was	followed	up	in	separate	discussions	with	each	of	
the	Directors	to	take	their	detailed	feedback	on	any	emerging	themes.	
The	Company	Secretary	then	presented	the	principal	conclusions	to	the	
Board	at	a	meeting	convened	for	that	purpose,	and	the	Board	discussed	
the	key	points	and	agreed	certain	actions.

The	Board	agreed	that	good	progress	has	been	made	on	the	action	
points	from	the	2011	evaluation,	especially	as	regards	the	focus	on	the	
strategic	debate	which	has	become	particularly	important	against	the	
background	of	a	challenging	and	changing	market.	Steps	have	also	
been	taken	to	develop	the	transition	plans	at	Operating	Board	level,	
culminating	in	the	new	roles	for	Roger	Burnley	and	Helen	Buck,	and	
a	number	of	internal	promotions.	The	Board	concluded	that	it	was	
working	well	as	a	team	and	was	benefiting	from	a	broad	range	of	skills	
and	diversity,	with	a	strong	and	open	culture.

Various	actions	were	agreed	from	this	year’s	exercise,	including	finding	
more	opportunities	for	the	Non-Executive	Directors	to	meet	other	
members	of	the	management	team	and	to	learn	more	about	them	and	
their	roles.

As	part	of	the	Board	evaluation	exercise,	the	Senior	Independent	
Director	reviewed	the	Chairman‘s	performance	with	the	other	Directors	
and	subsequently	met	him	to	provide	feedback.	The	Chairman	provided	
feedback	to	each	Director	on	their	individual	contribution	to	the	Board	
and	considered	their	development	priorities	with	each	of	them.

Attendance
The	table	shows	the	attendance	of	Directors	at	scheduled	Board	and	
Committee	meetings.	The	Board	scheduled	eight	meetings	during	the	
year,	including	the	two-day	Strategy	Conference,	and	additional	ad	hoc	
conference	calls	were	also	convened	to	deal	with	specific	matters	which	
required	attention	between	scheduled	meetings.	

Board

Audit
Committee	

CR	
Committee

Nomination
Committee	

Remuneration	
Committee	

Matt	Brittin
Mike	Coupe	
Anna	Ford	
Val	Gooding	
Mary	Harris	
Gary	Hughes	
Justin	King
John	McAdam
John	Rogers
Darren	Shapland
Bob	Stack	
David	Tyler

7(8)
8(8)
8(8)
2(3)
8(8)
8(8)
8(8)
8(8)
8(8)
3(3)
8(8)
8(8)

4(4)
–
–
–
1(1)
4(4)
–
4(4)
–
–
–
–

–
–
2(2)
–
2(2)
–
1(2)
–
–
–
–
–

4(4)
–
4(4)
1(1)
4(4)
4(4)
–
4(4)
–
–
4(4)
4(4)

–
–
4(4)
1(1)
3(3)
–
–
–
–
–
4(4)
–

The	maximum	number	of	meetings	held	during	the	year	that	each	Director	could	attend	is	shown	
in	brackets.	

As	referred	to	above	there	were	a	number	of	informal	meetings	during	
the	year	when	Directors	met	individual	members	of	the	Operating	Board	
to	receive	updates	on	their	specific	areas	of	responsibility.	In	addition,	
the	Chairman	and	Non-Executive	Directors	met	without	the	Executive	
Directors	being	present,	and	the	Non-Executive	Directors	also	met	
without	the	Executive	Directors	or	the	Chairman	being	present.	

Investor relations 
The	Company	is	committed	to	maintaining	good	communications	
with	investors.	Normal	shareholder	contact	is	the	responsibility	of	
Justin	King,	John	Rogers	and	Adam	Wilson	Katsibas,	Head	of	Investor	
Relations.	The	Chairman	is	generally	available	to	shareholders	
and	meets	with	institutional	and	other	large	investors;	the	Senior	
Independent	Director	is	also	available	as	required.	

The	Company	regularly	meets	with	its	large	investors	and	institutional	
shareholders	who,	along	with	sell-side	research	analysts,	are	invited	to	
presentations	by	the	Company	immediately	after	the	announcement	
of	the	Company’s	interim	and	full-year	results.	They	are	also	invited	
to	participate	in	conference	calls	following	the	announcement	of	the	
Company’s	trading	statements.	The	content	of	these	presentations	and	
conference	calls	are	webcast	and	are	posted	on	the	Company’s	website	
(www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/investors)	so	as	to	be	available	to	all	investors.	
During	the	year,	the	Investor	Relations	department	met	with	members	
of	The	UK	Small	Shareholders’	Association.

The	Board	regularly	receives	feedback	on	the	views	of	major	investors	
and	the	IR	programme.	In	addition,	Makinson	Cowell	provide	investor	
relations	consultancy	services	to	the	Company	and	give	an	external	
analysis	to	the	Board	at	the	strategy	conference	on	the	views	of	
institutional	investors	and	sell-side	analysts.	Non-Executive	Directors	
also	receive	regular	market	reports	and	broker	updates	from	the	
Company’s	Investor	Relations	department.

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Shareholders	have	the	opportunity	to	meet	and	question	the	Board	
at	the	AGM,	which	this	year	will	be	held	on	11	July	2012.	There	will	be	a	
display	of	various	aspects	of	the	Company’s	activities	and	Justin	King	
will	make	a	business	presentation.	A	detailed	explanation	of	each	item	of	
special	business	to	be	considered	at	the	AGM	is	included	with	the	Notice	
of	Meeting	which	will	be	sent	to	shareholders	at	least	20	working	days	
before	the	meeting.	All	resolutions	proposed	at	the	AGM	will	be	taken	
on	a	poll	vote.	This	follows	best	practice	guidelines	and	enables	the	
Company	to	count	all	votes,	not	just	those	of	shareholders	who	attend	
the	meeting.	

Information	on	matters	of	particular	interest	to	investors	is	set	out	on	
pages	120	to	122	and	on	the	Company’s	website	(www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/
investors).

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  41

	
	
Corporate governance statement continued

Board	Committees	

The	Board	delegates	certain	responsibilities	to	its	principal	committees.	
The	Audit	Committee	ensures	the	integrity	of	financial	information,	
the	effectiveness	of	the	financial	controls	and	the	internal	control	
and	risk	management	systems.	The	Remuneration	Committee	sets	
the	remuneration	policy	for	Executive	Directors	and	determines	their	
individual	remuneration	arrangements.	The	Nomination	Committee	
recommends	the	appointment	of	Directors	and	reviews	succession	
planning	at	Board	and	Operating	Board	levels.	The	Corporate	
Responsibility	(“CR”)	Committee	reviews	key	CR	policies,	taking	into	
account	the	Company’s	CR	objectives	and	the	overall	strategic	plan.	
Further	details	are	set	out	below.

Board Committees 
The Board delegates certain 
responsibilities to its principal 
committees: The Audit Committee; 
Remuneration Committee; 
Nomination Committee; and 
Corporate Responsibility 
Committee. Further details are  
set out over the following pages.  

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42  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Corporate governance statement continued

Board Committees 

The	Audit	Committee	ensures	the	integrity	of	financial	information,	
the	effectiveness	of	the	financial	controls	and	the	internal	control	
and	risk	management	systems.	The	Remuneration	Committee	sets	
the	remuneration	policy	for	Executive	Directors	and	determines	their	
individual	remuneration	arrangements.	The	Nomination	Committee	
recommends	the	appointment	of	Directors	and	reviews	succession	
planning	at	Board	and	Operating	Board	levels.	The	Corporate	
Responsibility	(‘CR’)	Committee	reviews	key	CR	policies,	taking	into	
account	the	Company’s	CR	objectives	and	the	overall	strategic	plan.	
Further	details	are	set	out	below.

Corporate 
Responsibility 
Committee
Anna Ford

Audit Committee
Gary Hughes

Nomination 
Committee
David Tyler

J Sainsbury plc 
Board
David Tyler

Remuneration 
Committee
Bob Stack

Group
Safety
Committee
Tim Fallowfield

Trading Board
Mike Coupe

Operating Board
Justin King

Investment 
Board
John Rogers

Retail Board
Helen Buck

Corporate 
Responsibility 
Steering Group
Justin King

Operating Board
Day-to-day	management	of	the	Group	is	delegated	to	the	Operating	
Board,	which	is	chaired	by	Justin	King.	The	Operating	Board	held	ten	
scheduled	meetings	during	the	year	and	each	Director’s	responsibilities	
are	set	out	on	page	35.	It	has	formal	terms	of	reference	setting	out		
its	key	responsibilities.	Minutes	are	copied	to	the	Chairman	and		
Non-Executive	Directors.	

The	Operating	Board	has	delegated	certain	powers	to	the	Trading	
Board,	the	Retail	&	Logistics	Board,	the	Investment	Board,	the	Group	
Safety	Committee	and	the	Corporate	Responsibility	Steering	Group,	
each	of	which	has	approved	terms	of	reference	setting	out	its	areas		
of	responsibility.	

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Nomination Committee 
The	Nomination	Committee	is	chaired	by	David	Tyler	and	comprises	
all	of	the	Non-Executive	Directors.	Justin	King	is	not	a	member	of	the	
Committee	although	he	is	invited	to	attend	meetings.	

As	referred	to	above,	the	Board	evaluations	considered	the	balance,	
skills	and	diversity	of	the	Board	as	part	of	the	review	of	whether	it	is	
working	effectively.	This	assists	with	succession	planning.	Our	diversity	
is	described	in	more	detail	on	page	37	of	the	Directors’	report	and	in	the	
Chairman’s	statement	above.

During	the	year	Darren	Shapland	decided	to	step	down	from	the	Board	
but	agreed	to	remain	Non-Executive	Chairman	of	Sainsbury’s	Bank.		
The	Committee	was	fully	engaged	in	the	change	in	responsibilities	in	
July	2011	which	resulted	from	Darren’s	decision.

In	May	2012	we	announced	that	Bob	Stack	had	decided	to	stand	down	
from	the	Board	with	effect	from	our	AGM	in	July.	Mary	Harris	will	then	
take	over	as	chair	of	the	Remuneration	Committee.	The	Nomination	
Committee	has	instructed	search	consultants	Egon	Zehnder	in	
connection	with	the	recruitment	of	a	new	Non-Executive	Director.	The	
Committee	has	considered	the	balance	of	skills,	experience	and	diversity	
on	the	Board	in	determining	the	types	of	candidate	who	might	best	fit	
the	specification	of	this	role.

The	Committee	also	conducted	reviews	of	succession	plans	for	
the	Operating	Board,	Departmental	Director	development,	talent	
management	and	the	graduate	programme	at	the	time	of	the	Strategy	
Conference.	The	Committee	was	engaged	in	the	changes	made	to	
the	Operating	Board	in	March	2012	which	saw	Roger	Burnley	become	
Managing	Director,	General	Merchandise,	Clothing	and	Logistics	after	
four	years	as	Retail	and	Logistics	Director,	and	Helen	Buck	became	
Retail	Director	after	18	months	as	Convenience	Director.	

The	Committee’s	terms	of	reference	are	available	on	the	website	
(www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/governance)	and	set	out	the	Committee’s	
responsibilities.	The	Committee	meets	on	such	further	occasions	as		
are	necessary	and	in	2011/12	held	four	meetings	in	total.	

Audit Committee
The	Committee	is	chaired	by	Gary	Hughes	with	John	McAdam,		
and	Matt	Brittin	as	its	other	members,	all	of	whom	are	independent	
Non-Executive	Directors.	See	page	46	for	further	details.

Remuneration Committee 
The	Committee	is	chaired	by	Bob	Stack,	with	Anna	Ford	and	Mary	Harris	
as	its	other	members.	Mary	joined	the	Committee	in	July	2011.	The	
Remuneration	Report	is	set	out	on	pages	52	to	65.

Corporate Responsibility Committee 
The	Committee	is	chaired	by	Anna	Ford,	and	Justin	King	and	Mary	
Harris	are	its	members.	David	Tyler	attends	each	meeting.	It	met	twice	
during	the	year.	These	formal	committee	meetings	are	supported	by	
CR	strategic	meetings	hosted	by	Anna	Ford	and	Justin	King.	Each	
meeting	is	based	around	one	of	the	five	CR	principles	and	key	external	
stakeholders	are	invited	to	attend.	During	the	year	five	such	meetings	
were	held,	relating	to	each	of	the	five	principles,	framed	within	our		
20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan	which	was	launched	in	October	2011.

The	Committee	is	supported	by	an	internal	corporate	responsibility	
governance	structure	whereby	members	of	the	Operating	Board	have	
responsibility	for	each	of	our	five	values	and	sit	on	our	Corporate	
Responsibility	Steering	Group,	which	meets	quarterly	and	is	chaired	by	
Justin	King.	The	members	of	the	Steering	Group	are	shown	on	page	45.

This	year’s	Corporate	Responsibility	Report	will	be	published	later	in		
the	year.	

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Anna Ford 
Chair,	Corporate
Responsibility	
Committee	

Corporate Responsibility Committee

Dear shareholder,
With 22 million customer visits 
every week, employing around 
150,000 colleagues and 2,000 
direct suppliers in over 70 
countries, Sainsbury’s operates  
a significant economic, social  
and environmental value chain.

Corporate	responsibility	(‘CR’)	is	an	integral	part	of	Sainsbury’s	business,	
with	our	five	values	critical	to	our	goal	of	making	all	our	customers’	lives	
easier	every	day,	by	offering	great	quality	and	service	at	fair	prices.	
They	are	also	key	to	achieving	our	vision	to	be	the	most	trusted	retailer	
where	people	love	to	work	and	shop.

As	chair	of	the	Corporate	Responsibility	Committee,	I	report	to	the	
Board	twice	a	year	on	our	plans	and	on	the	progress	we	have	made	
against	each	of	these	values.	I’ve	chaired	the	work	of	the	Committee	
for	six	years	and	have	seen	a	significant	development	in	the	Company’s	
approach	in	that	time.	While	our	values	remain	constant,	the	level	of	
organisation	and	activity	has	become	increasingly	sophisticated	with	
a	sharp	focus	on	ensuring	our	values	also	provide	value	for	customers,	
colleagues	and	shareholders.	

In	October	2011	we	launched	our	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan	to	
strengthen	and	further	integrate	corporate	responsibility	into	our	
business.	We	created	the	plan	by	working	closely	with	over	40	
stakeholders	and	specialists,	ranging	from	the	National	Farmers’	Union	
to	the	World	Wildlife	Fund.	It	has	been	well	received	by	colleagues,	
customers	and	experts.	We	continued	our	external	engagement	
during	the	year,	meeting	35	key	stakeholders	through	five	corporate	
responsibility	discussions.	Each	focused	on	one	of	our	five	values	
looking	at	topics	such	as	youth	engagement,	water	stewardship,	
community	activities,	sustainable	living	and	how	we	can	break	down		

44  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

the	barriers	to	healthy	eating.	In	addition	we	have	met	with	a	number		
of	sustainable	or	socially	responsible	investors.

Our	major	highlights	over	the	past	year	are	noted	on	pages	8	to	9	as	
well	as	being	outlined	in	the	business	review	on	page	25.	This	track	
record	has	been	recognised	by	numerous	awards	and	sustainability	
indices,	a	selection	of	which	is	listed	on	these	pages	with	others	noted	
on	our	corporate	website.

We	hold	Gold	class	status	in	the	Dow	Jones	Sustainability	Index,	which	
we	first	joined	in	2003,	and	were	recognised	as	a	sector	leader	in	this	
globally-recognised	Index.	We	have	retained	our	high	rating	in	the	
FTSE4Good	Index,	which	we	have	been	part	of	since	its	inception	in	2001.	
Within	FTSE4Good	we	were	rated	the	highest	performer	relative	to	our	
sector	across	all	three	pillars	of	environmental,	social	and	governance	
practices.	These	are	the	two	most	respected	indices	which	enable	
financial	institutions	to	benchmark	companies’	performance	in	corporate	
responsibility	and	sustainability.	We	also	retained	our	Platinum	Plus	
status	in	the	Business	in	the	Community	Corporate	Responsibility	Index,	
as	well	as	being	recognised	for	our	performance	on	a	range	of	specific	
issues	including	energy,	marine	stewardship	and	animal	welfare.	

Perhaps	most	importantly,	our	customers	voted	Sainsbury’s	joint	first	
among	our	peers	for	taking	social	and	environmental	responsibilities	
seriously.	I	find	it	particularly	heartening	that	in	challenging	economic	
times	we	see	that	Sainsbury’s	customers	continue	to	look	to	us	to	help	
them	live	their	values.	

The	Company	remains	focused	on	ensuring	our	values	make	us	different	
and	benefit	our	customers,	colleagues	and	shareholders.	We	will	be	
providing	a	full	update	in	our	Corporate	Responsibility	Report	later	
this	year.	This	will	be	published	to	coincide	with	the	anniversary	of	
Sainsbury’s	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan.	In	the	meantime	I	encourage	
you	to	find	out	more	about	this	important	aspect	of	our	business	at	
www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/cr.	

Anna Ford 
Chair,	Corporate	Responsibility	Committee	

Corporate governance statement continued

Our 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan
In	many	ways	the	commitments	encapsulated	in	our	20	by	20	
Sustainability	Plan	are	not	new	to	Sainsbury’s.	We	have	sought	
throughout	our	143-year	history	to	lead	in	matters	of	business	
responsibility	and	ethics.	Examples	of	our	contribution	over	the	past	
decade	include	transforming	the	market	for	fairly	traded	products	
and	sustainable	seafood,	improving	animal	welfare,	and	championing	
community	investment.

With	our	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan,	we	formalise	our	action	against	
those	values,	as	well	as	recognising	the	new	and	changing	issues	which	
today’s	world	faces.

In	developing	the	plan	we	undertook	a	detailed	auditing	and	materiality	
process.	This	encompassed	listening	to	our	customers,	suppliers	and	
opinion	formers	to	make	sure	we	have	the	most	relevant	and	effective	
agenda,	leverage	the	knowledge	and	experience	of	experts,	and	remain	
at	the	forefront	of	sustainability	between	now	and	2020.	

With	the	clarity	of	purpose	that	the	20	by	20	Sustainability	Plan	brings,	
we	are	focused	on	its	delivery,	whilst	also	ensuring	we	continue	to	
engage	and	look	beyond	2020.

Awards
Our	CR	achievements	this	year	are	recognised	by	a	number	of	
awards,	including:		

Gold class and sector leader, 2011/12

Highest performer relative to our sector, 2011/12

Platinum Plus, BITC Corporate Responsibility Index, 2012

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Most Sustainable Companies in the World, 2012 

J Sainsbury 
plc Board

David Tyler
Chairman

CR steering group
Established 2001, 
meets quarterly

Justin King
Chair, Chief Executive

Best for food 
and health

Helen Buck 
Retail Director

Sourcing with integrity

Mike Coupe 
Group Commercial 
Director

Respect for our 
environment

Neil Sachdev 
Property Director

Making a positive 
difference to our 
community

Helen Buck 
Retail Director

A great place to work

Gwyn Burr 
Customer Service & 
Colleague Director

CR Committee

Established January 2007
meets twice annually

Anna Ford, Chair
Non-Executive Director

Gold accreditation since 2010

Winner, Energy, Guardian Sustainable Business Awards, 2011

Health
steering 
group

Brand 
governance
steering 
group

Climate 
change
steering 
group

Community
steering 
group

A great 
place to 
work 
steering 
group

Best Volume Supermarket, Compassion in World Farming  
Awards, 2011

Aquaculture Retailer of the Year, Scottish Marine Aquaculture 
Awards, 2011

Winner, Green Supply Chain, Supply Chain Distinction Awards, 2011

Winner, Nestlé Wellness Award, IGD Food Industry Awards, 2011

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Gary Hughes
Chairman,	
Audit	Committee	

Audit Committee

Dear shareholder,
As part of the Board’s  
overall responsibility for risk, 
supervision of Sainsbury’s 
internal controls and risk 
management is clearly delegated 
to the Audit Committee. We 
have a good balance of skills 
and experience amongst the 
Committee members, supported 
by a strong Internal Audit 
function and a management 
team who have instilled a strong 
culture throughout the business.

The	Committee	is	satisfied	that	there	is	transparency	and	clear	lines	
of	accountability	so	that	the	identification	and	management	of	risks	
is	embedded	throughout	the	business,	with	strong	oversight	by	the	
Operating	Board.	Risks	are	actively	managed	and	reviewed,	with	
focus	on	specific	areas	of	change.	In	addition	to	reviewing	the	overall	
processes,	the	Committee	regularly	receives	updates	on	the	specific	
areas	of	risk	from	the	relevant	members	of	the	management	team.

We	believe	that	governance	of	risk	at	Sainsbury’s	is	strong	and	this	view	
has	been	supported	by	recent	annual	Board	and	Committee	evaluations,	
which	reviewed	the	overall	approach	to	risk	management.	The	Internal	
Audit	function	plays	a	vital	role	in	the	governance	structure	and	the	
Committee	was	therefore	pleased	with	the	review	of	the	function	
conducted	and	presented	to	the	Committee	by	Deloitte	during	the	year.	
The	overall	assessment	was	that	it	is	a	high	performing	function	which	is	
well	respected	by	its	key	stakeholders,	compliant	with	the	requirements	
of	the	Institute	of	Internal	Auditors	standards	and	achieving	
performance	levels	which	were	considered	to	be	leading	practice	in	
many	key	areas.	The	team	has	strong	complementary	skills	and	there	
has	been	significant	improvement	since	the	last	external	review	which	
was	conducted	five	years	ago.

Gary Hughes
Chairman,	Audit	Committee

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Corporate governance statement continued 

The	Audit	Committee	is	chaired	by	Gary	Hughes	with	John	McAdam,	
and	Matt	Brittin	as	its	other	members,	all	of	whom	are	independent	
Non-Executive	Directors.	Mary	Harris	attended	one	meeting	of	the	
Committee	before	she	joined	the	Remuneration	Committee	in	July.	
The	Board	has	determined	that	Gary	Hughes	has	recent	and	relevant	
financial	experience.	The	Chairman,	Justin	King,	John	Rogers,	Susannah	
Hall	(Director	of	Internal	Audit),	other	senior	members	of	the	Finance	
Division	and	the	external	auditors	are	invited	to	attend	Committee	
meetings.	Tim	Fallowfield	is	secretary	to	the	Committee.

The	Committee’s	terms	of	reference,	which	are	available	on	our	
website	(www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/governance),	set	out	the	Committee’s	
responsibilities.

Principal activities during the year
During	the	year	the	Committee	met	on	four	occasions,	the	agendas	
being	organised	around	the	Company’s	reporting	cycle.	The	Committee	
regularly	met	with	the	external	auditors	without	management	being	
present.	It	monitored	the	integrity	of	the	financial	statements	and	any	
formal	announcements	relating	to	the	Company’s	financial	performance	
and	reviewed	any	significant	financial	judgements	contained	in	them.	

The	Committee	has	a	calendar	of	standard	items	within	its	remit:

September

November

March

May

Standard	items

Accounting	update
PwC	performance	review
Litigation	report
Internal	controls	framework	and	fraud	update	
Risk	management	update
Sainsbury’s	Bank	report
PwC	audit	plan,	audit	strategy	and	fees
Terms	of	reference	update

Half-year	accounting	update	
PwC	Interim	review	report	
Draft	interim	statement	
Litigation	report
Internal	controls	framework	and	fraud	update
Sainsbury’s	Bank	report
Update	on	PwC	management	letter
Non-audit	fees

Accounting	update
Litigation	report
Internal	controls	framework	and	fraud	update
Risk	management	update
Internal	audit	charter
Principal	risks	and	uncertainties
PwC	internal	controls	report
PWC	report	on	auditor	independence
Non-audit	fees
Sainsbury’s	Bank	report

Year-end	accounting	update,	including	going	concern	
review
Litigation	report	
Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	
Non-audit	fees
PwC	year-end	report	and	required	communications
External	auditors’	appointment
Internal	controls	framework	and	fraud	update
Sainsbury’s	Bank	report

In	addition,	the	Committee	reviewed	a	number	of	specific	presentations	
and	updates	during	the	year.	For	instance,	it	reviewed	a	new	store	
audit	approach	which	will	be	implemented	over	the	coming	year	and	
an	update	on	the	Company’s	IT	change	framework	and	an	external	
independent	review	on	IT	security.	

The	Committee	has	regularly	reviewed	the	Internal	Audit	department’s	
resources,	budget,	work	programme,	results	and	management’s	
implementation	of	its	recommendations.	Susannah	Hall	reports	to	
the	Committee	Chairman	and	has	direct	access	to	all	members	of	the	
Committee	and	the	Chairman.	She	meets	the	Committee	separately	
after	each	meeting	without	management	being	present.	She	has	regular	
meetings	with	all	Committee	members.	The	purpose,	authority	and	
responsibility	of	Internal	Audit	are	defined	in	the	Internal	Audit	Charter.	
The	Committee	reviews	the	Charter	annually.	During	the	year	the	
independent	review	of	the	Internal	Audit	function	described	above	was	
conducted	and	presented	to	the	Committee	by	Deloitte.	

As	described	in	detail	below,	the	Committee	has	also	reviewed:

•	the	effectiveness	of	the	Company’s	financial	controls	and	the	systems	
of	internal	control	by	approving	the	Internal	Audit	plans	twice	yearly	
and	reviewing	the	findings	quarterly,	and	by	reviewing	the	scope	of	
work	and	reports	of	the	external	auditors.	The	detailed	actions	for	
resolution	of	any	identified	weaknesses	are	closely	monitored	by	the	
Committee	through	to	completion;	and

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•	the	management	of	risk	by	reviewing	the	risk	assessment	process	and	
corporate	and	divisional	risk	maps	and	registers	twice	yearly.	The	risk	
registers	outline	the	key	risks	faced	by	the	business	including	their	
impact	and	likelihood,	along	with	the	relevant	mitigating	controls,	
assurance	providers	and	actions,	and	they	form	the	basis	of	the	
Internal	Audit	planning	process.

The	Committee	also	regularly	reviews	the	Company’s	funding	and	
liquidity	position	and	has	considered	its	impact	on	the	Company’s	
financial	and	operational	capabilities.	The	Committee’s	detailed	review	
of	the	year-end	position	assisted	the	Board	in	making	the	going	concern	
statement	set	out	on	page	37.

The	Committee	reviewed	PricewaterhouseCoopers	LLP’s	(‘PwC’)	overall	
work	plan	and	approved	their	remuneration	and	terms	of	engagement	
and	considered	in	detail	the	results	of	the	audit,	PwC’s	performance		
and	independence	and	the	effectiveness	of	the	overall	audit	process.	
PwC	have	been	the	Company’s	auditors	since	1995.	PwC	are	required		
to	rotate	the	audit	partner	responsible	for	the	Group	and	subsidiary	
audits	every	five	years.	Richard	Hughes,	the	current	audit	partner,		
was	appointed	in	July	2010.	The	Committee	recommended	PwC’s		
re-appointment	as	auditors	to	the	Board	and	this	resolution	will	be		
put	to	shareholders	at	the	AGM.

In	order	to	ensure	their	independence,	the	Committee	has	implemented	
the	Company’s	policy	which	restricts	the	engagement	of	PwC	in	relation	
to	non-audit	services.	The	majority	of	the	non-audit	work	undertaken	
by	PwC	during	2011/12	related	to	a	segregation	of	duties	review	in	
relation	to	a	systems	upgrade.	The	non-audit	fees	for	the	year	were	
£0.1	million,	and	the	audit	fee	for	the	year	in	respect	of	the	Group,	
Company	and	its	subsidiaries	(including	the	fee	for	the	interim	review)	
totalled	£0.8	million.	The	policy	was	reviewed	during	the	year	and	is	
consistent	with	the	Auditing	Practices	Board’s	Ethical	Standards	No.	5	–	
Non	Audit	Services.	The	policy	is	designed	to	ensure	that	the	provision	
of	such	services	does	not	have	an	impact	on	the	external	auditors’	
independence	and	objectivity.	It	identifies	certain	types	of	engagement	
that	the	external	auditors	shall	not	undertake,	including	internal	
audit	and	actuarial	services	relating	to	the	preparation	of	accounting	
estimates	for	the	financial	statements.	It	also	requires	that	individual	
engagements	above	a	certain	fee	level	may	only	be	undertaken	with	
appropriate	authority	from	the	Committee	Chairman	or	the	Committee.	

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  47

	
	
Corporate governance statement continued

The	policy	also	recognises	that	there	are	some	types	of	work,	such	
as	accounting	and	tax	advice,	where	a	detailed	understanding	of	the	
Company’s	business	is	advantageous.	The	policy	is	designed	to	ensure	
that	PwC	is	only	appointed	to	provide	a	non-audit	service	where	it	
is	considered	to	be	the	most	suitable	supplier	of	the	service.	The	
Committee	receives	a	report	at	each	meeting	on	the	non-audit	services	
being	provided	and	the	cumulative	total	of	non-audit	fees.	In	the	event	
that	cumulative	non-audit	fees	exceed	the	audit	fee	then	all	subsequent	
non-audit	expenditure	must	be	approved	by	the	Committee	Chairman.	

The	Company’s	’whistleblowing’	procedures	ensure	that	arrangements	
are	in	place	to	enable	colleagues	and	suppliers	to	raise	concerns	about	
possible	improprieties	on	a	confidential	basis.	All	issues	raised	have	
been	investigated	and	appropriate	actions	taken.	Any	significant	issues	
would	be	highlighted	to	the	Audit	Committee.

The	Company	has	a	fraud	policy	and	a	Serious	Fraud	Committee,	which	
convenes	in	the	event	of	serious	incidents	to	oversee	case	management	
and	ensure	appropriate	actions	are	taken.	The	Audit	Committee	
receives	a	fraud	update	at	each	meeting.	

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The	Committee	receives	an	update	at	each	meeting	about	matters	
discussed	at	the	Sainsbury’s	Bank	Audit	Committee	and	on	any	other	
key	matters.	Given	the	economic	climate	it	has	continued	to	focus	on	the	
Bank’s	liquidity	and	cash	flows,	capital	adequacy	and	risk	management	
processes.

Grocery Supply Code of Practice 
In	February	2010,	a	new	Grocery	Supply	Code	of	Practice	(‘GSCOP’)	
was	implemented	following	the	recommendation	of	the	Competition	
Commission.	Each	grocery	retailer	to	which	it	applies	had	to	appoint	
a	Code	Compliance	Officer	whose	duties	include	hearing	disputes	
between	suppliers	and	the	relevant	retailer.	Sainsbury’s	has	appointed	
the	Director	of	Internal	Audit	as	its	Code	Compliance	Officer.	

GSCOP	requires	that	each	grocery	retailer	to	which	it	applies	must	
deliver	an	annual	compliance	report	to	the	Office	of	Fair	Trading	which	
has	been	approved	by	the	chair	of	the	Audit	Committee.	Furthermore,	
a	summary	of	the	compliance	report	must	be	included	in	our	Annual	
Report	and	Financial	Statements.

Summary Annual Compliance Report
Sainsbury’s	has	invested	significant	time	and	resource	in	providing	
comprehensive	training	to	all	relevant	colleagues	as	required	under	
GSCOP.	This	training	is	reinforced	by	online	knowledge	testing	and	
further	supported	by	training	and	reference	materials	on	our	intranet.	
Sainsbury’s	has	also	dedicated	internal	legal	resource	to	provide	all	
relevant	colleagues	with	day-to-day	advice	and	guidance.

A	small	number	of	alleged	breaches	of	GSCOP	has	been	received	in	the	
reporting	period,	all	of	which	either	have	been	or	are	in	the	process	of	
being	resolved	to	the	supplier’s	satisfaction	within	the	Trading	Division	
using	our	standard	internal	escalation	procedure.	The	resolution	of	
one	alleged	breach	was	facilitated	by	the	Code	Compliance	Officer	in	
accordance	with	GSCOP.

Risk management and internal controls
The	Board	has	overall	responsibility	for	risk	management	and	the	
system	of	internal	controls	and	for	reviewing	their	effectiveness.	Certain	
of	these	responsibilities	have	been	delegated	to	the	Audit	Committee	
as	outlined	on	page	47.	The	system	is	designed	to	manage	rather	
than	eliminate	the	risk	of	failure	to	achieve	the	Company’s	business	
objectives	and	can	only	provide	reasonable	and	not	absolute	assurance	
against	material	misstatement	or	loss.	

The	risk	management	process	and	the	system	of	internal	controls	
have	been	in	place	for	the	whole	year,	up	to	the	date	of	approval	of	the	
Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements,	and	accord	with	the	Turnbull	
guidance	and	the	UK	Corporate	Governance	Code.	

48  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

The	Audit	Committee	has	reviewed	the	effectiveness	of	the	system	of	
internal	controls	and	has	ensured	that	any	required	remedial	action	on	
any	identified	weaknesses	has	been,	or	is	being	taken.

Risk management
Accepting	that	risk	is	an	inherent	part	of	doing	business,	the	risk	
management	system	is	designed	to	identify	key	risks	and	to	provide	
assurance	that	these	risks	are	fully	understood	and	managed.	The	
effectiveness	of	the	process	is	reviewed	twice	a	year	by	the	Audit	
Committee.	The	Board	carries	out	an	annual	review	of	the	significant	
risks	facing	the	business.	

The	Operating	Board	maintains	an	overall	corporate	risk	register	which	
is	reviewed	twice	yearly	by	the	Audit	Committee	and	formally	discussed	
with	the	Board.	The	risk	register	contains	the	significant	risks	faced	by	
the	business	and	identifies	the	potential	impact	and	likelihood	at	both	
a	gross	level	(before	consideration	of	mitigating	controls)	and	net	level	
(after	consideration	of	mitigating	controls).	This	gives	the	Board	the	
opportunity	to	review	the	level	of	risk	that	the	business	is	prepared	to	
accept.	The	register	also	contains	the	assurance	provided	over	current	
key	mitigating	controls.	Where	further	actions	have	been	identified	
to	mitigate	risks	to	a	level	deemed	acceptable,	these	are	agreed	with	
specific	timelines	for	delivery	and	are	monitored	closely	until	fully	
implemented.	

The	risk	management	process	is	cascaded	from	the	Operating	Board	
through	to	each	of	the	operating	divisions	of	the	business	as	follows:

•	the	divisional	operating	management	teams	are	responsible	for	

managing	the	risks	to	their	business	objectives	and	for	identification	
and	implementation	of	internal	controls	so	as	to	provide	reasonable,	
but	not	absolute,	assurance	that	the	risks	in	their	areas	of	
responsibility	are	appropriately	identified,	evaluated	and	managed;
•	this	divisional	risk	process	is	achieved	through	twice	yearly	workshops	
(in	January/August)	held	by	the	divisional	management	and	facilitated	
by	Internal	Audit.	Each	divisional	management	team	produces	and	
maintains	a	divisional	key	risk	register.	The	likelihood	and	impact	of	
each	key	risk	is	evaluated	and	actions	deemed	necessary	to	mitigate	
them	are	identified.	In	addition,	the	risks	and	the	robustness	of	the	
mitigating	controls	are	regularly	reviewed	by	divisional	management	
as	part	of	their	normal	business	activities;

•	management	certify	annually	(in	May)	that	they	are	responsible	for	
managing	their	business	objectives	and	that	the	internal	controls	are	
such	that	they	provide	reasonable	but	not	absolute	assurance	that	
the	risks	in	their	areas	of	responsibility	are	appropriately	identified,	
evaluated	and	managed;

•	the	Operating	Board	reviews	(in	February/August)	and	challenges	

the	output	of	the	divisional	risk	process	and	then	updates	the	overall	
corporate	risk	register	as	appropriate;

•	Game-Changer	risk	workshops	are	held	(in	June/July)	to	focus	on	

external	and	unknown	risks;

•	the	corporate	and	divisional	risk	registers	form	the	basis	of	the		
risk-based	plan	of	Internal	Audit	for	the	subsequent	half-year		
period	(in	March/September);	

•	Internal	Audit	provides	independent	assurance	to	management	and	
the	Audit	Committee	as	to	the	existence	and	effectiveness	of	the	risk	
management	process;	and

•	The	Board	reviews,	in	May,	the	risk	process,	corporate	risks	and	
approves	the	Company’s	Principal	Risks	and	Uncertainties.

Corporate governance statement continued

The	risk	management	process	is	illustrated	below:

Company’s strategy, plans and objectives

Divisions

Operating Board

Audit Committee

Plc Board

Internal Audit

January/
February

1

Divisional Risk  
Workshops 
assess	key	risks		
to	their	business		
objectives

2 3

Operating Board
Risk Review
review/challenge	
divisional	risk	output		
&	update	corporate		
risk	register	as		
appropriate

Audit Committee 
review	corporate		
and	divisional	risks		
&	sign-off		
Principal	risks	
&	uncertainties

Internal Audit  
risk-based
half-year	plan

Plc Board
review	of	risk		
process,	corporate		
risks	and	sign-off		
of	Principal	risks		
&	uncertainties

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March

May

June/
July

August

September

Management
annual	certification		
that	risks	in	their		
areas	of	responsibility	
are	identified,		
evaluated	&		
managed

Game-Changer  
Risk Workshops
focus	on	external		
and	unknown		
risks

Operating  
Board Annual  
Risk  
Workshop

2

2

Divisional Risk  
Workshops 
assess	key	risks		
to	their	business		
objectives

Operating Board
Risk Review
review/challenge	
divisional	risk	output		
&	update	corporate		
risk	register	as		
appropriate

Audit  
Committee  
review	corporate		
and	divisional		
risks

Internal Audit  
risk-based
half-year	plan

1

Output:  
Divisional	risk	maps		
&	registers

2

Output:  
Corporate	risk		
map	&	register

3

Output:  
Principal	risk	&	uncertainties	
(reflecting	key	corporate	risks)

Internal controls
The	system	of	internal	control	encompasses	all	controls	including	those	
relating	to	financial	reporting	processes	(including	the	preparation	of	
the	consolidated	Group	accounts),	operational	and	compliance	controls,	
and	those	relating	to	risk	management	processes.	It	also	includes	the	
controls	over	Sainsbury’s	interests	in	Sainsbury’s	Bank	and	property	
joint	ventures.

The	Audit	Committee	assesses	the	effectiveness	of	the	internal	controls	
systems	on	an	ongoing	basis,	enabling	a	cumulative	assessment	to	be	
made.	The	processes	used	during	the	year	to	support	this	assessment	
are	as	follows:

•	discussion	and	approval	by	the	Board	of	the	Company’s	strategy,	

plans	and	objectives,	and	the	risks	to	achieving	them;

•	review	and	approval	by	the	Board	of	budgets	and	forecasts,		
including	those	for	both	revenue	and	capital	expenditure;

•	regular	reviews	by	management	of	the	risks	to	achieving	objectives	

and	mitigating	controls	and	actions;

•	regular	reviews	by	management	and	the	Audit	Committee	of	the	

scope	and	results	of	the	work	of	Internal	Audit	across	the	Company	
and	of	the	implementation	of	their	recommendations;

•	regular	reviews	by	the	Audit	Committee	of	the	scope	and	results		

of	the	work	of	the	external	auditors	and	of	any	significant		
issues	arising;	

•	regular	reviews	by	the	Audit	Committee	of	accounting	policies	and	

levels	of	delegated	authority;	and

•	regular	reviews	by	the	Board	and	the	Audit	Committee	of	material	

fraudulent	activity	and	any	significant	whistleblowing	by	colleagues		
or	suppliers,	and	actions	being	taken	to	remedy	any	control	
weaknesses.

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Principal risks & uncertainties 

Colleague engagement, retention and capability

The	risk	management	process	is	closely	aligned	to	accelerating	our	
growth	plan,	which	focuses	on	growing	the	business	through	the	
addition	of	new	range,	space,	business	development,	channels	to	
market	and	property	management.	Risk	is	an	inherent	part	of	doing	
business.	The	system	of	risk	management	used	to	identify	the	principal	
risks	the	Group	faces	and	to	develop	and	closely	monitor	key	controls,	
is	described	on	page	48.	The	management	of	these	risks	is	based	on	
a	balance	of	risk	and	reward	determined	through	careful	assessment	
of	both	the	potential	likelihood	and	impact.	Consideration	is	given	to	
both	reputational	as	well	as	financial	impact,	recognising	the	significant	
commercial	value	attributable	to	the	Sainsbury’s	brand.	The	principal	
risks	identified	by	the	Board	and	the	corresponding	mitigating	controls	
are	set	out	below	in	no	order	of	priority.

Business continuity and major incidents response 

Risk

A	major	incident	or	catastrophic	event	could	impact	on	the	Group’s	
ability	to	trade.	

Mitigation

Sainsbury’s	has	detailed	plans	in	place,	supported	by	senior	
representatives	who	are	trained	in	dealing	with	major	incidents	and	
have	the	authority	levels	to	make	decisions	in	the	event	of	a	potentially	
disruptive	incident.

The	Business	Continuity	Steering	Group	meets	quarterly	to	ensure	that	
the	business	continuity	(‘BC’)	policy	and	strategy	is	fit	for	purpose.	
In	addition,	it	oversees	the	mitigation	of	all	risks	associated	with	BC	
and	IT	disaster	recovery.	In	the	event	of	any	unplanned	or	unforeseen	
events,	the	Business	Continuity	Management	Team	is	convened	at	
short	notice	to	manage	any	associated	risk	to	the	business.

All	key	strategic	locations	have	secondary	backup	sites	which	would	be	
made	available	within	pre-defined	timescales	and	are	regularly	tested.

Business strategy 

Risk

If	the	Board	adopts	the	wrong	business	strategy	or	does	not	
implement	its	strategies	effectively,	the	business	may	be	negatively	
impacted.	Risks	to	delivering	the	strategy	need	to	be	properly	
understood	and	managed	to	deliver	long-term	growth	for	the	benefit	
of	all	stakeholders.

Mitigation

A	clear	strategy	remains	in	place	with	five	key	areas	of	focus:

•	Great	food;
•	Compelling	general	merchandise	and	clothing;
•	Complementary	channels	and	services;
•	Developing	new	business;	and
•	Growing	space	and	creating	property	value.

Progress	against	these	areas	of	focus	and	any	risks	to	delivery,		
such	as	the	availability	of	suitable	new	store	sites,	are	regularly	
reviewed	by	the	Board	and	the	overall	strategy	is	reviewed	at	the		
two-day	Strategy	Conference.	The	Operating	Board	also	holds		
regular	sessions	to	discuss	strategy.	This	activity	is	supported	by		
a	dedicated	strategy	team.	To	ensure	the	strategy	is	communicated	
and	understood,	the	Group	engages	with	a	wide	range	of	stakeholders	
including	shareholders,	colleagues,	customers	and	suppliers	on	a	
continual	basis.

Risk

The	Group	employs	around	150,000	colleagues	who	are	critical	
to	the	success	of	our	business.	Attracting	and	maintaining	good	
relations	with	talented	colleagues	and	investing	in	their	training	and	
development	is	essential	to	the	efficiency	and	sustainability	of	the	
Group’s	operations.	

Mitigation

The	Group’s	employment	policies	and	remuneration	and	benefits	
packages	are	regularly	reviewed	and	are	designed	to	be	competitive	
with	other	companies,	as	well	as	providing	colleagues	with	fulfilling	
career	opportunities.	Colleague	surveys,	performance	reviews,	
communications	with	trade	unions	and	regular	communication	
of	business	activities	are	some	of	the	methods	the	Group	uses	to	
understand	and	respond	to	colleagues’	needs.	Processes	are	also	
in	place	to	identify	talent	and	actively	manage	succession	planning	
throughout	the	business.	

Data security

Risk

It	is	essential	that	the	security	of	customer,	colleague	or	company	
confidential	data	is	maintained.	A	major	breach	of	information	security	
could	have	a	major	impact	on	the	business.

Mitigation

Various	information	security	policies	and	standards	are	in	place	
which	focus	on	encryption,	network	security,	access	controls,	system	
security,	data	protection	and	information	handling.	A	review	of	key	
contractors	across	the	organisation	who	hold	sensitive	customer	
or	colleague	data	is	ongoing,	and	progress	is	monitored	by	the	
Information	Security	Risk	Committee.	A	risk-based	security	testing	
approach	across	Sainsbury’s	IT	infrastructure	and	applications	is	in	
place	to	identify	and	remediate	ongoing	vulnerabilities.

Environment and sustainability

Risk

Environment	and	sustainability	are	core	to	Sainsbury’s	values.	The	key	
risk	facing	the	Group	in	this	area	relates	to	reducing	the	environmental	
impact	of	the	business	with	a	focus	on	reducing	packaging	and	new	ways	
of	reducing	waste	and	energy	usage	across	stores,	depots	and	offices.

Mitigation

A	number	of	initiatives	are	in	place,	which	are	being	led	by	the	
Environmental	Action	Team	and	the	Corporate	Responsibility	
Steering	Group,	to	reduce	our	environmental	impact	and	to	meet	our	
customers’	expectations	in	this	area.	Further	details	are	included	in	
the	Corporate	Responsibility	review	on	pages	44	to	45.

Financial strategy and treasury risk

Risk

The	main	financial	risks	are	the	availability	of	short	and	long-
term	funding	to	meet	business	needs,	counterparty	liabilities	and	
fluctuations	in	interest	and	foreign	currency	rates	which	continue	to	
be	impacted	by	the	turbulence	in	the	financial	markets.

Mitigation

The	Group	Treasury	function	is	responsible	for	managing	the	Group’s	
liquid	resources,	funding	requirements,	and	interest	rate	and	currency	
exposures	and	the	associated	risks	as	set	out	in	note	28	on	pages	99	
to	104.	The	Group	Treasury	function	has	clear	policies	and	operating	
procedures	which	are	regularly	reviewed	and	audited.

50  J Sainsbury plc	Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012

Corporate governance statement continued

Health and safety – people and product

Regulatory environment

Risk

Risk

Prevention	of	injury	or	loss	of	life	for	both	colleagues	and	customers	
is	of	utmost	importance.	In	addition	it	is	paramount	to	maintaining	the	
confidence	our	customers	have	in	our	business.

The	Group’s	operations	are	subject	to	a	broad	spectrum	of	regulatory	
requirements.	Key	areas	subject	to	regulation	include	planning,	
competition	and	environmental	issues,	employment,	pensions	and	tax	
laws	and	regulations	over	the	Group’s	products	and	services.

Mitigation

Clear	policies	and	procedures	are	in	place	detailing	the	controls	
required	to	manage	health	and	safety	and	product	safety	risks	
across	the	business	and	comply	with	all	applicable	regulations.	These	
cover	the	end-to-end	operation,	from	the	auditing	and	vetting	of	
construction	contractors,	to	the	health	and	safety	processes	in	place	
in	our	depots,	stores	and	offices	to	the	controls	in	place	to	ensure	
people	and	product	safety	and	integrity.	

Process	compliance	is	supported	by	external	accreditation	and	
internal	training	programmes,	which	are	aligned	to	both	health	and	
safety	laws	and	Sainsbury’s	internal	policies.	In	addition,	resource	
is	dedicated	to	manage	the	risk	effectively,	in	the	form	of	the	Group	
Safety	Committee	and	specialist	teams	including	Convenience	Risk	
Managers	and	Logistics	and	Commercial	Safety	Specialists.

IT systems and infrastructure

Risk

The	Group	is	reliant	on	its	IT	systems	and	operational	infrastructure	in	
order	to	trade	efficiently.	Inadequate	systems	or	failure	of	key	systems	
could	have	a	significant	impact	on	our	business.

Mitigation

The	Group	has	extensive	controls	in	place	to	maintain	the	integrity	and	
efficiency	of	its	systems	including	detailed	recovery	plans	in	the	event	
of	a	significant	failure.	New	innovations	and	upgrades	to	systems	
are	ongoing	to	improve	both	the	customer	experience	and	colleague	
efficiency.	Prior	to	introducing	system	changes,	rigorous	testing	is	
completed.

Pension risk

Risk

The	Group	operates	a	number	of	pension	arrangements	which	
includes	a	defined	benefit	scheme.	This	scheme	is	subject	to	risks	
in	relation	to	its	liabilities	as	a	result	of	changes	in	life	expectancy,	
inflation	and	future	salary	increases,	and	to	risks	regarding	the	value	
of	investments	and	the	returns	derived	from	such	investments.	

Mitigation

An	investment	strategy	is	in	place	which	has	been	developed	by	the	
pension	trustee,	in	consultation	with	the	Company,	to	mitigate	the	
volatility	of	liabilities,	to	diversify	investment	risk	and	to	manage	cash.	

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Failure	to	comply	with	laws	and	regulations	could	lead	to	civil	and/
or	criminal	legal	prosecution	and	fines	or	imprisonment	imposed	
on	Sainsbury’s	or	our	colleagues.	In	addition,	a	breach	could	lead	to	
reputational	damage.

Mitigation

There	is	an	established	governance	process	in	place	to	monitor	
regulatory	developments	and	to	ensure	that	all	existing	and	
forthcoming	regulations	are	complied	with.	Regular	reviews	are	
completed	across	the	estate	to	ensure	compliance	and	that	training	
needs	are	addressed	as	required.

Processes	for	monitoring	and	embedding	training	for	key	new	
legislation	are	in	place	and	Sainsbury’s	also	has	a	dedicated	internal	
legal	department	to	provide	the	relevant	colleagues	impacted	by	the	
regulations	with	advice	and	guidance.

Trading environment

Risk

Effective	management	of	the	trading	account	is	key	to	the	
achievement	of	performance	targets.	The	continued	challenging	
economic	environment	and	competitive	retail	pressure	could	affect	
the	performance	of	the	Group	in	terms	of	sales,	costs	and	operations,	
through:

•	the	ongoing	challenges	to	household	disposable	income;
•	competitor	pricing	positions;	
•	the	reduction	of	the	industry	profit	pool	in	the	last	year;	and
•	commodity	costs	driving	up	the	cost	of	goods.

There	is	also	a	risk	of	supplier	or	other	counterparty	failure,	with	
possible	operational	or	financial	consequences	for	the	Group.

Mitigation

We	continue	to	focus	on	delivering	quality	products	with	‘universal	
appeal’,	at	a	range	of	price	points	ensuring	value	for	all	our	customers.	
This	is	achieved	through	the	continuous	review	of	our	key	customer	
metrics,	monitoring	of	current	market	trends	and	price	points	across	
competitors,	active	management	of	price	positions,	development	of	
sales	propositions	and	increased	promotion	and	marketing	activity.	
While	external	cost	pressures	including	oil-related	costs,	commodity	
pricing	and	business	rates	affect	our	business,	the	Group	continues	to	
work	hard	to	mitigate	the	impact	of	these	cost	pressures	on	customers	
and	on	our	overall	profitability	through	the	delivery	of	cost	savings.	
Sainsbury’s	undertakes	credit	checks	on	suppliers	and	maintains	
regular,	open	dialogue	with	key	suppliers	concerning	their	ability	
to	trade.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements	2012	J Sainsbury plc  51

	
	
Remuneration report 

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Bob	Stack
Chairman, 
Remuneration  
Committee

Dear shareholder,
Since I became Chairman of 
the Remuneration Committee 
in 2005, the remuneration 
policy has gradually evolved 
alongside our business strategy. 
Throughout this process we have 
continued to place significant 
emphasis on ensuring that 
executive remuneration is 
weighted towards performance-
related elements and directed 
towards creating sustainable 
long-term shareholder value. 

During the year, the Committee took the opportunity to review the 
long-term incentive plan (‘LTIP’) framework which was originally 
implemented in 2006. The purpose of the review was to ensure that 
our performance targets retained a strong alignment with the longer 
term business plans of the Company and, in particular, to ensure that 
our growth is delivered in a profitable way. We wanted to bring in 
an additional measure so that the plan would focus on what we see 
as being the important success factors over the coming years. The 
changes made this year will also make the performance measurement 
more transparent for participants and shareholders. As part of the  
review, we consulted with our major shareholders. The dialogue 
was informative and constructive, and we have used the feedback in 
determining our final design. 

We have not made any changes to award levels as a result of the review. 
Therefore maximum opportunities under the three incentive plans for 
Executive Directors shall remain unchanged from last year.

Sainsbury’s continues to deliver good performance and this has been 
achieved despite the continued weakness within the retail sector and 
the wider economy. The vesting of this year’s cash annual bonus and the 
2009/10 long-term incentive plan is lower than the awards which vested 
last year, and this is a function of the stretching targets that were set at 
the start of the relevant performance period. The Deferred Share Award 
is our medium-term incentive plan, and the vesting outcome for 2011/12 
reflects the positive actions taken by management to build the long-
term growth of the Company. 

In order to help shareholders to understand how pay is linked 
to performance, we have included a new section in this year’s 
Remuneration Report, which summarises the payout for the Chief 
Executive from the different elements of the package as they relate 
to performance in 2011/12.

The remuneration policy for the coming year is set out in greater detail 
in the main body of the report. 

52	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Remuneration report continued

Key points include:

• In keeping with our long standing approach, pay awards made to  
the Executive Directors at the start of the 2012/13 financial year  
were consistent with the approach taken across the wider Company. 
Justin King’s salary was increased by 2.17 per cent.

• During the year the Company achieved year-on-year growth in both 
sales and profit. The outcome under the annual bonus plan reflects 
the highly stretching targets which were set at the start of the year.
• The maximum opportunities for Executive Directors under the Annual 
Bonus, Deferred Share Award and Long-Term Incentive Plan are 
unchanged from last year.

• As a result of the review of the long-term incentives and following 
shareholder consultation, the Committee has decided that for the 
2012/13 grant, awards will be based on a combination of return on 
capital employed (‘ROCE’), cumulative underlying cash flow from 
operations and relative sales performance. 

• These changes will focus management on efficient use of our capital 

base, generating cash flow through increased profitability and 
achieving sales growth more successfully than our peers.

• In recognition of the recent developments in best practice and the 
concerns of shareholders generally, we are also introducing a claw-
back provision for future long-term incentive awards. This will further 
strengthen our formal governance in line with our existing philosophy.

The remuneration policy and framework as detailed in this 
Remuneration Report provide a platform to incentivise, motivate, retain 
and reward our leadership team. We are confident that our consistent 
efforts to ensure a direct link between pay and performance in the 
areas most valued by our shareholders have significantly contributed 
to building a focused leadership team.

Bob	Stack	
Chairman, Remuneration Committee 

Summary	of	performance	for	2011/12
Under the leadership of our experienced Executive team, we continue 
to deliver strong performance relative to our peers and this has been 
achieved despite the continued weakness within the retail sector and 
the wider economy. This highlights our continued improvement in 
performance across all key areas.

The charts below demonstrate the sustained performance and the value 
that we have delivered to our shareholders over an extended period. 

Like-for-like sales (including VAT, excluding fuel) (%)

2.1

4.4

8.9

1-year

2-year 

3-year 

4-year 

5-year 

2011/12 (%)

Underlying profit before tax (£m)

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

Underlying operating margin (%)

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

13.8

18.3

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434

519

610

665

712

3.00

3.26

3.36

3.50

3.54

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 53
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 53

 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

Chief	Executive	Pay	Summary	
In order to provide shareholders with greater clarity as to how performance is linked to pay levels, the following table shows a breakdown of 
remuneration for the Chief Executive for 2011/12 and for 2010/11.

The table shows variable remuneration elements which are linked to performance in 2011/12. Shareholders will note that the Deferred Share Award 
is subject to a further two-year deferral period from the date of the award and that one half of the Value Builder award is subject to a further one-
year deferral period.

Base	salary

Pension	and	benefits 

• Paid in the year

• Paid in the year

Annual	Bonus1 2

• Based on performance over one year

Deferred	Share	Award3 4

• Based on performance over one year
• Full award deferred for further two years

Long	Term	Incentive	Plan5

• Based on performance over the last three years
• Half of the award shown here will be deferred for a further year

Total

Chief	Executive	(£’000s)

2011/12

2010/11

920

306

514

897

900

301

520

934

735

3,372

1,052

3,707

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 Annual bonus payouts are based on profit, sales and customer-focused targets plus performance against individual objectives. 

1 
2   The bonuses awarded to the Executive Directors for 2011/12 averaged 46 per cent of the maximum bonus opportunity, reflecting the highly stretching performance targets that were set at the start 

of the financial year.

3   The Deferred Share Award demonstrates the link between Sainsbury’s strategic goals and its incentive plan framework.
4   Awards made under the third plan cycle, covering 2011/12, recognised the progress that has been made on the annual targets that are firmly focused on building long-term, sustainable success. 
Most of the targets set were either achieved or exceeded, further contributing to the creation of shareholder value, and awards will be made to all participants at 78 per cent of the maximum 
available under the plan.

5   The fourth cycle of the Value Builder plan was based on growth in ROCE and cash flow per share, with performance measured over the three financial years to 17 March 2012. Over the period the 

Company made substantial improvements in both cash generation and the returns achieved on our assets.

  Awards vested at 43 per cent of the maximum opportunity; one half of the shares to vest become exercisable in May 2012, and the balance will be exercisable in May 2013.

Note:
 – 

 The Deferred Annual Bonus Plan is a dormant plan described on page 61. No matching shares vested in respect of the 2009 grant which was tested at the end of the financial year. 143,818 matching 
shares were awarded in March 2011 in respect of the 2008 grant which was tested at the end of the 2010/11 financial year.

The Committee’s terms of reference are available on the Company’s 
website (www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/governance). 

Tim Fallowfield, Company Secretary, acts as secretary to the 
Committee. David Tyler, Justin King and Gwyn Burr, Customer Service 
and Colleague Director, are invited to attend Committee meetings, in 
addition to Diana Breeze, Director of Corporate HR. The Committee 
considers their views when reviewing the remuneration of the Executive 
Directors and Operating Board Directors. Individuals who attend 
Remuneration Committee meetings do not participate in discussions 
concerning their own remuneration. 

The Committee is authorised by the Board to appoint external 
advisers if it considers this beneficial. Over the course of the year, 
the Committee was supported by its appointed advisers, Deloitte LLP 
(‘Deloitte’), whose consultants attended all of the Committee meetings. 
Deloitte provided the Company with unrelated advice and consultancy 
regarding information technology, online strategy, and a range of 
taxation matters. Towers Watson provided comparative data which was 
considered by the Committee in setting remuneration levels and it also 
provided actuarial services in the year. Total Shareholder Return (‘TSR’) 
calculations are supplied by UBS, who provided broking and banking 
services to the Company during the year.

This	report	
This report is made by the Board on the recommendation of the 
Remuneration Committee. The first part of the report sets out the 
remuneration policy, while the second part details the remuneration, 
pensions and share plan interests of the Directors for the 52 weeks to 
17 March 2012. The Directors confirm that this report has been prepared 
in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 and reflects the provision 
of Schedule 8 of the Large & Medium-sized Companies and Groups 
(Accounts & Reports) Regulations 2008. 

A resolution will be put to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting 
(‘AGM’) on 11 July 2012 asking them to approve this report. 

Remuneration	Committee	
The Remuneration Committee comprises Bob Stack (Chairman), 
Anna Ford and Mary Harris. Mary joined the Committee in July 2011, 
replacing Val Gooding. All members of the Committee are independent 
Non-Executive Directors. Mary Harris will become Chairman of the 
Committee when Bob Stack steps down from the Board in July 2012.

Role	and	responsibilities	of	the	Committee
The responsibilities of the Committee include: 

• determining and agreeing with the Board the broad remuneration 

policy for the Chairman, Executive Directors and the Operating Board 
Directors; 

• setting individual remuneration arrangements for the Chairman and 

Executive Directors; 

• recommending and monitoring the level and structure of 

remuneration for those members of senior management within the 
scope of the Committee, namely the Operating Board Directors and 
any other executive whose salary exceeds that of any Operating 
Board Director;

• considering the achievement of the performance conditions under 

annual bonus and long-term incentive plans; and

• approving the service agreements of each Executive Director, 

including termination arrangements. 

54	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Remuneration report continued

Principal	activities	and	matters	addressed	during	2011/12
The Committee has a calendar of standard items within its remit and in 
addition it held in-depth discussions on specific topics during the year. 
The Committee typically meets four times each year. 

The table below shows the items considered at each meeting, leading 
up to the meeting in May where the key decisions regarding vesting 
outcomes and grants for the coming year are determined.

Standard Items

2011/12 Topics

September

January

March

May

• Review of dilution under Company share plans
• Summary of share grants
• Performance update under outstanding incentive plans
• Initial salary review
• Initial proposals for forward looking incentive plan designs
• Performance update under outstanding incentive plans
• Develop proposals for forward looking incentive plan designs
• Directors’ salary review decisions
• Performance update under outstanding incentive plans
• Review of performance and vesting under Annual Bonus and 

Deferred Share Award

• Review of performance and vesting under LTIP
• Determine incentive structure for coming year including 

finalisation of targets
• Remuneration report

• Review of Chairman’s fee
• Corporate governance and market update review
• Initiate LTIP review
• LTIP review
• Competitive review of Directors’ total remuneration packages
• Corporate governance update
• Shareholder consultation process for revised LTIP

• Finalise LTIP design

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Remuneration	Policy	
The Committee considers that the Remuneration Policy should drive 
performance and complement the overall strategy of the Company.  
It believes that the ongoing growth and success of the Company  
during challenging market conditions is testament to this approach.  
It is committed to ensuring that the management team is rewarded for 
continuing to deliver the Company’s growth plans and is appropriately 
aligned with the creation of long-term shareholder value.

• The design and scale of pension provision and other employment 
benefits should be in line with wider market practice, placing a 
particular emphasis on the retail sector. 

• Incentive plans should be linked to stretching performance measures 
and targets, covering a mix of financial and non-financial measures. 
The measures are reviewed and monitored to ensure that they do not 
drive unacceptable behaviours or encourage excessive risk-taking. 
Incentive plan awards are not pensionable. 

The Company’s current arrangements, therefore, incorporate 
performance metrics which link to the business strategy, and 
specifically the five areas of focus (as described in the Business review) 
which are directed towards generating good long-term growth.

• A significant proportion of the total remuneration package is 

performance-related, aligning management’s and shareholders’ 
interests. Exceptional levels of performance will be rewarded with 
exceptional levels of total reward. 

The	Company’s	Remuneration	Policy	is	as	follows:	
It remains the Committee’s intention that Directors’ remuneration 
should be competitive, both in terms of base salary and total 
remuneration. This approach is designed to promote the Company’s 
short and long-term successes through the securing of high calibre 
executive talent. This, in turn, is one of the key ways in which 
shareholder value can be further created and strengthened. 

• Basic salaries should be market competitive, determined by drawing 
on a range of factors. The Committee considers the individual’s 
experience, potential, performance, job size and scope, along with 
data that takes into account the remuneration of comparable 
executive roles in similar companies. The Committee also has regard 
to the external business environment and the general level of 
increases applied across the Company. 

• The Committee expects the Executive Directors and Operating Board 
Directors to acquire and maintain a shareholding in the Company 
sufficient to align their interests with those of shareholders. 

When reviewing or amending remuneration arrangements, the 
Committee considers any impact on the cost to the Company, employee 
behaviour, pay practices across the Company, stakeholders (including 
shareholders, governance bodies and employees), share dilution, best 
practice corporate governance and market competitiveness, particularly 
within the retail sector. 

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 55
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 55

 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

Components	of	remuneration	
The main remuneration components for the Executive Directors and Operating Board Directors comprise basic salary, pensions and benefits and 
awards under variable incentive plans. 

Fixed	pay

Element

Purpose

Policy

Salary and benefits

Core element of remuneration, paid for doing the 
expected day-to-day job to a good standard

Consideration given to a number of internal and external 
factors. Benefits may include the provision of company 
car benefits, life assurance, colleague discount and private 
medical cover

Pension

Market competitive pension, or cash contribution in lieu, 
provides an income following retirement

Combination of defined contribution and pension 
supplements. Defined benefit plan closed to new participants

Variable	pay

Element

Purpose

Annual Bonus

Deferred Share Award

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Incentivise performance on an 
annual basis against key financial and 
non-financial targets and individual 
objectives

Recognise and reward for delivery of 
short-term objectives which contribute 
towards long-term sustainable growth. 
Balance with Annual Bonus to ensure 
management remain mindful of long-
term consequences of short-term 
actions

Long-Term Incentive 
Plan

Recognise and reward for delivery of 
Company performance and shareholder 
value over the longer-term

Three-year performance 
period 

Share-based to provide greater 
alignment with shareholder interests

Half of the award is 
deferred for a further 
year 

Timeframe

One-year

Performance metrics

Profit, sales and customer-focused measures plus 
individual objectives

One-year performance 
period plus two year 
deferral

Basket of metrics, covering: 
• financial performance; 
• returns to shareholders;
• relative performance against peers; and 
• strategic goals 
For 2012/13 awards:
• ROCE (50%);
• cumulative underlying cash flow from 

operations (30%); and

• relative sales (20%)

The relative proportion of the remuneration package that these elements represent at target performance are set out in the diagram below.

Chief Executive 

Other Executive Directors

Salary, pension and benefits

Annual
Bonus

DSA

LTIP

Salary, pension and benefits

Annual
Bonus

DSA

LTIP

Fixed

Variable

Fixed

Variable

Cash

Shares

Cash

Shares

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Proportion of the overall remuneration package

Proportion of the overall remuneration package

The balance between the fixed pay (basic salary, pension and benefits) 
and variable pay (Annual Bonus, Deferred Share Award and Long-Term 
Incentive Plan) changes with performance, and the variable proportion 
of total remuneration increases significantly for increased levels of 
performance. 

Around 60 per cent of the package is delivered through variable pay at 
on-target performance and this proportion increases to around three-
quarters of the package at stretch levels of performance.

The Committee believes that it is important to align the interests of both 
management and shareholders and therefore a significant proportion of 
the Executive Directors’ remuneration is made in the form of shares. 

Overall, the Committee considers that the overall package structure 
is balanced, from the perspective of the breakdown between fixed and 

variable elements, cash and shares and the phased delivery of rewards 
over time.

The sections below describe each component of the Executive 
Directors’ remuneration package.

i)	Fixed	remuneration	

Basic	salary	
Basic salary for each Executive Director is determined by the 
Committee, taking account of a number of elements, including the 
Director’s performance, experience, responsibilities and job size and 
scope, as well as external pay data. Furthermore, the Committee 
considers such information as economic factors, remuneration trends 
and focuses in particular on the general level of salary increases 
awarded throughout the Company. The Committee uses the same 
approach when reviewing the salaries of the Operating Board Directors. 

56	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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The external pay data provided to the Committee is sourced from 
relevant roles within the UK retail sector, in companies with annual 
sales revenues over £5 billion and also in companies with a market 
capitalisation ranging from £3-£10 billion. This approach ensures that 
the most appropriate available benchmark for the Director’s specific 
position is obtained; however, in line with best practice, the Committee 
applies judgement when considering market data. 

The Committee reviewed the Executive Directors’ salaries for the start 
of the 2012/13 financial year. In the context of another good year, the 
Committee agreed salary increases for 2012/13 that were in line with the 
range of awards applied to management and non-management central 
colleagues (2 per cent). The hourly paid retail colleague award for 
2011/12 was 2.7 per cent. 

• An increase in Justin King’s basic salary of £20,000, from £920,000 

to £940,000. 

• Increases in John Rogers’ and Mike Coupe’s basic salaries of £10,000 
each, from £500,000 to £510,000 and from £565,000 to £575,000, 
respectively.

• In aggregate their total salaries have increased by £40,000, in line 
with the overall budget of 2 per cent of their combined 2011/12  
basic salaries.

Pensions	
The Company’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan was closed to new 
members on 31 January 2002 and none of the Executive Directors 
participates in it. 

In lieu of pension plan participation, Justin King receives a pension 
supplement of 30 per cent of salary whilst Mike Coupe receives a 
pension supplement of 25 per cent of salary.

John Rogers participates in the JS Self Invested Pension Plan, a defined 
contribution arrangement which is open to all senior management. 
In return for contributing five per cent of his salary, the Company 
contributes 12.5 per cent of his salary up to an internal earnings cap 
(£129,600 for 2011/12). He receives a pension supplement of 25 per cent 
of the pensionable salary he was paid in excess of the earnings cap.

Benefits	
Benefits for Directors include the provision of company car benefits,  
life assurance, colleague discount and private medical cover. 

ii)	Variable	remuneration	—	current	plans	

Annual	bonus	plan	
All bonus plans across the Company are aligned under a set of common 
principles. For 2011/12, Board and management plans retained the 
same key metrics based on profit and sales growth, customer-focused 
measures, plus an element for individual performance. 

Bonus awards are weighted to the achievement of profit, and it 
continues to act as the overall ‘gateway’ measure for the plan,  
reflecting the emphasis on growing profit. For Executive Directors,  
at least half of the bonus is based on profit, and the remainder is  
based on sales, customer-focused targets and the achievement of 
individual objectives. 

The customer-focused measures for 2011/12 were revised to be based 
on: (i) availability, which is measured across all stores on a regular basis 
by an independent third party, conducting random and unannounced 
store visits, and (ii) a customer service measure which is also assessed 
by an independent third party. Individual performance objectives 
are set annually for each Executive Director and are reviewed by the 
Committee. These objectives cover a variety of financial and operational 
targets that contribute to the achievement of longer-term strategic 
goals; some of these objectives relate, either directly or indirectly,  
to the Company’s values. 

assessed performance against the performance targets at the start of 
the year, and for guidance, the outturn is as follows:

Above target

Target

Threshold

Below threshold

Profit

Sales

•

•

Customer-
focused
•

Individual 
performance
•

During the year the Company achieved year-on-year growth in sales 
and profit but the sales performance was below the threshold level. 
The bonus outcome reflects the highly stretching targets which were 
set across all elements of the plan at the start of the year. Based on 
the above performance outcomes, the bonus payments for 2011/12 will 
be 55.9 per cent of salary for Justin King, 43.7 per cent of salary for 
John Rogers and 42.2 per cent of salary for Mike Coupe.

The 2011/12 bonus plan for store colleagues was based on the 
achievement of a corporate sales target as well as customer service 
targets measured in their individual stores. The Company’s performance 
has enabled around 125,000 colleagues to earn awards from a bonus 
pool totalling over £60 million. 

For 2012/13, the bonus measures will remain unchanged and the targets 
will be set to incentivise stretching year-on-year growth. The maximum 
annual bonus award opportunities will also remain unchanged at 125 
per cent of basic salary for the Chief Executive and 90 per cent of basic 
salary for the other Executive Directors.

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Deferred	Share	Award	
The Deferred Share Award (‘DSA’) is intended to drive performance 
against a diverse range of business-critical financial and non-financial 
scorecard measures. These are intended to reward Directors for 
achieving the short-term objectives that will directly lead to building  
the sustainable, long-term growth of the Company. 

The DSA covers broadly the top 40 managers in the Company, including 
Executive Directors. Share-based awards are made to participants 
subject to performance against a basket of key strategic measures 
which are aligned under four broad categories: 

1.   financial performance;
2.  returns to shareholders; 
3.  relative performance against peers; and 
4.  strategic goals. 

At least 50 per cent of the award will be based on the delivery of 
financial performance (e.g. profit, earnings per share and sales) and 
returns to shareholders (e.g. TSR and dividend yield). The balance will 
be based on measures which will assess the Company’s performance 
relative to its competitors (e.g. market share) as well as key strategic/
corporate goals, linked to the five areas of focus. In addition, no shares 
will be awarded unless the profit gateway target (as applied to the 
annual bonus plan) is achieved. 

Performance against the targets is measured over one financial year, 
but any shares awarded are deferred for a further two years to ensure 
that management’s interests continue to be aligned with those of 
shareholders. The shares are subject to forfeiture if the participant 
resigns or is dismissed for cause prior to their release date. Dividends 
accrue on the shares that vest in the form of additional shares. 

When developing the DSA, the Committee gave careful consideration 
to the selection of its performance measures and targets, as well as to 
the robustness of the plan design. In reviewing the plan, the Committee 
has agreed that appropriate corporate responsibility targets would be 
included within the strategic goals category. 

The maximum cash bonus that could have been earned for 2011/12 was 
125 per cent of salary in respect of the Chief Executive and 90 per cent 
of salary in respect of the other Executive Directors. The Committee 

During the year, the Committee conducted an interim appraisal to gauge 
the progress of performance and the plan’s effectiveness based on half 
year results. 

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 57
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 57

 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

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The Company has performed well in 2011/12, and this has flowed 
through to the basket of measures that the Committee considered for 
the purposes of making awards under the DSA. Although some of the 
specific measures and targets are commercially sensitive, the sections 
below present a selection of performance highlights within each of the 
four categories. 

Financial	performance	
Underlying profit before tax improved by 7.1 per cent to £712 million. 
Underlying operating margin improved by four basis points to 3.54 
per cent, or ten basis points at constant fuel prices. Underlying basic 
earnings per share increased by 6.0 per cent to 28.1 pence.

Return	to	shareholders
The Company saw its seventh consecutive year of like-for-like sales 
growth, with like-for-like sales (including VAT, excluding fuel) of 2.1 
per cent. Our strong sales performance helped us to maintain a 
strong balance sheet, with return on capital employed of 11.1 per cent. 
This has enabled the Company to maintain a good level of returns 
to shareholders. The recommended full year dividend increased 6.6 
per cent to 16.1 pence, covered 1.75 times by underlying earnings. Our 
dividend yield and price/earnings ratio remain amongst the highest in 
the sector. TSR was assessed on both a relative and absolute basis over 
one, three and five-year periods.

Relative	performance
Our sales grew ahead of the market, with market share increasing to 
16.6 per cent despite the continuing difficult consumer environment. For 
the 46 weeks from 20 March 2011 to 4 February 2012 we outperformed 
the IGD pool by 0.6 per cent (source: IGD Market Track – in compliance 
with the Market Track 12 week exclusion rule). We grew our customer 
numbers by a further one million to 22 million per week, demonstrating 
our universal customer appeal and ability to reach more customers 
through our store opening programme and multichannel offer. We won 
the top award in the Retail Industry Awards 2011 for the second time 
in three years and for a second year running won the Convenience 
Chain of the Year award. Since the trial of Brand Match in August 2011, 
research has shown that the number of customers that agree that 
Sainsbury’s sells brands at the same price as other supermarkets has 
risen from 68 per cent to 80 per cent.

Strategic	goals	
The Company’s strategy continues to centre on our five areas of focus. 
These are underpinned by Sainsbury’s strong heritage and brand which 
consistently set it apart from major competitors. Further details on the 
corporate objectives can be found in the Business review, and details 
of the corporate responsibility commitments are summarised on  
pages 8 to 9. 

• We made good progress with our Great Food programme, rolling  

this out across 333 stores. We successfully re-launched our core own 
label by Sainsbury’s brand, with 3,700 products new or improved.   
We further improved our customer offer by introducing a Bakery 
College and six Food Colleges to equip our colleagues with the 
ability to deliver consistently great products to our customers, 
training 18,000 colleagues. We were proud to receive City & Guilds 
accreditation for the Colleges.

• Our compelling general merchandise and clothing ranges continued 

to grow significantly faster than food, driven by our focus on category 
champions and, in clothing, by the launch of a number of Gok for 
Tu ladieswear collections with the celebrity designer, Gok Wan. We 
continued to make it easier for our customers to shop for general 
merchandise by increasing our Click & Collect offer to over 900 stores 
across the country. We also continued to expand our online presence, 
with the acquisition of Global Media Vault Limited building our online 
entertainment capability.

• We continued the development of our multi-channel offer. Strong 
growth in the Convenience business, which now generates sales of 
£1.3 billion, was supported by the opening of a further 73 stores in the 
year, in line with our plans to open one to two stores per week. We 
were also proud to receive the Convenience Chain of the Year award 
at the 2011 Retail Industry Awards. Our online offer has continued to 
expand and grew at 20 per cent year-on-year, delivering sales of £0.8 
billion. Sainsbury’s Bank has performed strongly in the year, with 
Sainsbury’s share of underlying post tax profits up over 45 per cent.

58	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

• During the year, we continued to develop new businesses, including 
the launch of Sainsbury’s Energy in partnership with British Gas and 
our first hospital outpatient pharmacy at the James Cook Hospital 
in South Tees. By moving into areas that are a natural extension of 
our brand we aim to grow value based on the trust people have in 
Sainsbury’s, our colleagues and our values.

• Expanding and developing the store estate continued to be at the 
heart of the Company’s strategy. During the year, we added 1.4 
million sq ft of gross space achieved through the opening of 19 new 
or replacement supermarkets, the extension of 28 supermarkets and 
the opening of 73 new convenience stores. Our investments made 
over the past few years continue to deliver returns above our required 
hurdle and have helped to deliver sales growth and drive property 
value. Our return on capital employed was 11.1 per cent, a year-on-year 
movement of (2) basis points. ROCE growth was held back by the 
cumulative effect of our accelerated investment in our space growth 
programme. The Company still has a strong pipeline of sites for future 
development, both for new stores and extensions.

• The market value of the Company’s freehold property portfolio 
increased by £0.7 billion to £11.2 billion, as a result of £1.0 billion  
from investment and development activity offset by £0.3 billion  
from sales of properties. By taking advantage of competitive market 
pricing on these dry assets, the Company generated £83 million of 
property profits.

• The Company’s corporate responsibility commitments have moved 
on significantly during the year. In October, we launched a £1 billion 
plan, to ensure the Company remains at the forefront of sustainability 
between now and 2020. The Sainsbury’s 20 by 20 Sustainability 
Plan sets out 20 sustainability targets to be achieved by 2020. Our 
industry-leading approach has also been recognised through our 
inclusion in the globally respected Dow Jones Sustainability Index, for 
a number of years. We have also retained our Platinum Plus status in 
the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index, the 
highest external accolade in the UK. In December 2011, we pledged 
our support for Comic Relief and Sport Relief for another six years, 
which will see the total raised by colleagues and customers pass £100 
million. This year’s Sport Relief total was £5.5 million.

Following the year-end, the Committee conducted a rigorous 
assessment of performance. Consistent with the underlying principles 
of the DSA, the Committee assessed achievements in the round, and 
also considered the manner in which these strategic goals had been 
delivered, in particular how the overall performance of the Company 
had contributed to its future, sustainable growth and success. 

The Committee agreed that for 2011/12, awards would be made at 78 
per cent of the maximum level. This translates into a share award of 98 
per cent of salary for Justin King and 70 per cent of salary for the other 
Executive Directors.

The Committee has reviewed the DSA’s performance framework for 
2012/13; the four performance categories and metrics will remain 
consistent with those agreed for 2011/12. The maximum DSA award 
opportunities will also remain unchanged at 125 per cent of basic salary 
for the Chief Executive and 90 per cent of basic salary for the other 
Executive Directors.

Long-term	Incentive	Plan	2006	
At its launch in 2006, this plan covered the Company’s core 
management from the Chief Executive to supermarket store managers. 
From 2011/12, awards have covered around 200 of the Company’s top 
leaders only, including the Executive Directors. An alternative reward 
framework was designed for supermarket store managers and other 
managers of an equivalent grade, which incentivises them against a 
range of operational and financial measures that are closely aligned  
to their roles. 

Under the plan, a core award of shares in the Company is granted 
to all participants, calculated as a percentage of their salaries and 
scaled according to grade. Vesting of core awards is dependent upon 
performance against specific measures tested at the end of a three year 
performance period. No awards vest for performance below threshold 
levels of performance and core awards can grow by up to four times at 
stretch levels of performance. There is no re-testing. The performance 
measures and the targets are common for all participants. 

Remuneration report continued

The performance measures are reviewed each year by the Committee, 
before a new grant is made, to ensure that they remain relevant and 
stretching. 

Awards granted under the new framework described below are referred 
to as Future Builder awards. Awards granted between 2006 and 2011 
under the previous framework were referred to as Value Builder awards.

The Committee determined that it was in the interests of both the 
Company and shareholders that the long-term incentives complement 
these strategic goals. The measures for the 2012/13 awards will focus 
on sustainable long-term growth while also improving visibility and 
transparency for both management and shareholders. As part of  
the design process the Committee consulted with major shareholders. 
The feedback received from shareholders was taken into account  
during the design process and influenced the final design. 

Future	Builder	–	review	for	2012/13	awards
During the course of 2011/12 the Remuneration Committee undertook an 
in-depth review of the performance metrics which would apply to awards 
granted under the Long-Term Incentive Plan for the 2012/13 cycle. 

The review primarily focused on performance metrics and strategic 
alignment, and therefore the maximum award levels for executive 
directors remain unchanged from last year.

The previous structure had been in operation since 2006, and therefore 
the Committee considered it appropriate to review the extent to which 
the performance targets supported the corporate ambitions of the 
Company during the next phase of development. Specifically, the 
intention was to ensure that awards complement the Company’s future 
strategy as outlined in the Business review which would be achieved by 
delivering long-term sustainable performance in three key areas:

• Improving the returns from our existing supermarkets business  

(both food and non-food);

• Driving growth through value-adding new stores and extensions; and 
• Creating new business growth through investing further in our 
existing convenience and online channels, building our presence 
in financial services, and pursuing new opportunities, for example 
Energy and Pharmacy. 

For 2012/13 awards, vesting will be subject to three performance 
criteria: ROCE, cumulative underlying cash flow from operations  
and relative sales performance.

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Element

ROCE

Cumulative	
underlying	
cash	flow	from	
operations

Relative	sales

Performance metrics

• ROCE reflects the value we gain from our assets, and as such is a critical measure of the quality of our business activity and 
the efficiency of capital use, and is therefore retained from the previous structure. To increase the transparency around 
this measure and bring greater consistency with published results, we propose to adjust the definition to reflect externally 
reported ROCE more closely, by removing the effect of the Group pension scheme.

• In particular, an adjustment was previously made to the calculation for capital investments in the final year of the 

performance period. In line with our reported results, this adjustment will not be made in future years. Subsequently, the 
targets have been re-articulated to relate to the new definition. The Committee considers that the revised targets are of 
comparable stretch to the previous targets, taking into account the additional investment built into the business plan over 
the performance period.

• The definition of cash flow used under previous schemes had become highly complex and opaque for both participants and 

shareholders.

• Therefore, for future awards the target will be based on cumulative underlying cash flow from operations over the 

performance period after adding back net rent and cash pension costs.

• The Committee is of the view that this definition of cash flow provides a better measure of both cash flow and underlying 
profitability than the previous definition. In addition a cumulative target is also inherently more stretching than a point-to-
point growth measure.

• This is an important metric used across the retail sector. Outperforming our direct peers on sales will be a key source of 
value for our shareholders, and therefore the Committee believes that this should be incentivised within the LTIP. Like-for-
like sales are also the biggest driver for profitability and returns.

• Since any profitable growth will primarily arise from outperforming in the UK market, it is proposed to measure sales 
performance against the Institute of Grocery Distribution (‘IGD’) Index on a like-for-like basis. The IGD Index measures 
growth in like-for-like sales (excluding fuel) across the market based on the performance of all of the Company’s key 
competitors. This is an independently audited index of sales efficiency, which is viewed as a robust reference point for 
performance across the food retail sector. To retain visibility of vesting levels, shareholders will be provided with details of 
how the Company has performed against the index at the end of the period.

• The growth targets have been set taking into account our current competitive position and longer term sustainable growth 
aspirations. Threshold vesting requires the Company to at least match the index over the period with full vesting requiring 
outperformance of the index. 

The relative sales objective is fully aligned with the core strategy of the 
business, and the Committee is satisfied that the presence of ROCE 
and cash flow targets will ensure management are incentivised towards 
efficient and profitable sales growth. 

The vesting of all elements of the plan will be subject to delivery of a 
‘profit gateway’. This provides consistency with our Annual Bonus and 
Deferred Share Award, and is intended to provide shareholders with 
additional comfort that the underlying profitability of the business must 
be sound for payouts to occur. For the 2012 award, no element of the 
award will vest if compound EPS growth equivalent to at least four per 
cent per annum is not achieved across the performance period.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 59
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 59

 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

The performance conditions attached to the 2012/13 awards are summarised in the table below. 

Component

Return on Capital Employed

Cash flow1

Relative Sales v IGD index

Weighting

50%

30%

20%

Threshold
(1.0x core award)

10.75%

£5,500m

Meet index

Maximum
(4.0x core award)

12%

£6,500m

Index + 1.0% per annum

EPS Gateway

No part of the award will be eligible to vest if compound EPS growth equivalent to 4% per annum is not achieved

1 

 Cumulative underlying cash flow from operations after adding back net rent and pension costs.

Straight-line vesting will operate between the threshold and maximum 
targets shown above.

The performance period for the 2009/10 Value Builder grant ended in 
March 2012, and its performance conditions were assessed against the 
following matrix. 

The Committee retains the discretion to make adjustments to the 
calculation of the performance measures (for instance for material 
acquisitions and disposals) to ensure they remain true and fair 
reflections of performance. 

2009/10 and 2010/11 
Pre-tax adjusted 
ROCE

15%
14%
13%
12%
11%

Cash flow per share

6%

2.5
1.5
1.0
0.5
–

9%

3.0
2.5
1.5
1.0
0.5

12%

3.5
3.0
2.5
1.5
1.0

3%

1.5
1.0
0.5
–
–

15%

4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
1.5

Note:
– 

 Full definitions of ROCE and cash flow per share can be found in the 2010/11 Annual Report  
and Accounts.

The Committee determined a final performance multiplier of 1.7 times, 
based on adjusted ROCE of 13.2 per cent and cash flow per share 
(‘CFPS’) of 9.0 per cent. This represents 43 per cent of the maximum 
award opportunity. When assessing ROCE and CFPS performance for 
the purposes of the plan, adjustments were made to take into account 
capital investment in the final year of the performance period and 
certain limited one-off investments. 

One half of the award becomes exercisable in May 2012, with the 
remaining portion exercisable in May 2013. 

The 2010/11 award will be tested for performance against the ROCE  
and CFPS targets in March 2013, and is subject to the matrix above. 

The 2011/12 award will be tested for performance against the ROCE and 
CFPS targets in March 2014. The matrix was considered and agreed by 
the Committee prior to these awards to ensure the degree of challenge 
inherent in the targets was commensurate with internal and external 
performance expectations at the time of grant, and is presented below.

2011/12 
Pre-tax adjusted 
ROCE

15% 
14.5% 
14% 
13.5% 
13% 
12.5% 

Cash flow per share

4% 

2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
–

6% 

3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5

8% 

3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0

10% 

4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5

12%

4.0
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0

Performance was assessed in May 2011 in respect of the Value Builder 
Share Plan awards granted in 2008/09.  Pre-tax adjusted ROCE of 13.4 
per cent and CFPS of 9.9 per cent were achieved over the three-year 
performance period, which gave rise to a performance multiplier of 
1.9 out of a maximum four times. This performance outcome led to 
the vesting of 48 per cent of the total award for all plan participants, 
including the Executive Directors. One half of the award became 
exercisable in May 2011, with the remaining portion exercisable  
in May 2012. The number of shares awarded from this grant cycle  
to the Executive Directors is set out on page 63. 

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The Committee considers that the stretch of the targets set for 2012/13 
awards is comparable to awards granted in previous years, and that 
delivery of stretch targets would result in significant shareholder value 
creation.

As noted above, the other key features of the plan shall remain 
unchanged. The quantum for executive directors is unchanged from last 
year. Accordingly, for 2012/13, the Chief Executive will be granted a core 
award of 55 per cent of salary. The remaining Executive Directors will 
each be granted a core award of 50 per cent of salary. The performance 
period shall continue to be measured over three financial years with half 
of the award deferred for a further year.

Claw-back
As part of the review, the Remuneration Committee was also mindful 
of recent developments in best practice. Subsequently, in order to 
strengthen our formal governance in line with our existing philosophy, 
and in recognition of shareholders’ current concerns around executive 
remuneration, the Committee has introduced a claw-back (malus) clause 
on the 2012/13 awards. This clause is intended to apply to all future 
awards under the LTIP.

The circumstances in which the clause may be invoked have been 
defined as follows: 

Financial Accounts • Material mis-statement of our financial 

statements

Actions / Conduct 
of Participant

• Serious Reputational Damage
• Serious Misconduct
• Fraud

Should the Committee consider such events to have occurred, it will 
have discretion to: 

• reduce the number of shares under an unvested award; 
• cancel an unvested award in full; or 
• impose further conditions on an unvested award. 

The Committee believes that this provision is consistent with the 
principles underpinning our existing approach to governance and 
is therefore a positive development for both the Company and 
shareholders.

Previous	Long	Term	Incentive	Plan	Cycles	(‘Value	Builder’	awards)
Awards made under the plan between 2006 and 2011 were subject to 
three-year performance against two stretching co-dependent measures: 
ROCE and cash flow per share. For the 2006-2011 awards, the capital 
employed figure used to calculate ROCE was adjusted for one-off impact 
of capital spend in the year in which the calculation is made.

60	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Remuneration report continued

iii)	Variable	remuneration	–	dormant	share	plan	

Deferred	Annual	Bonus	Plan	2006	
The Deferred Annual Bonus Plan previously applied to the top levels of 
management, including Executive Directors. Its purpose was to incentivise 
growth in relative TSR. The plan is now dormant and the last deferral took 
place in June 2009 using the bonus awards earned for 2008/09. 

Following the year-end, performance was tested in respect of the 
deferral made in 2009 and this resulted in no matching shares vesting. 
Details of the Executive Directors’ awards under this incentive plan are 
set out in the table on page 64. 

iv)	All	employee	share	plans	
In order to encourage wider employee share ownership, the Company 
provides two all employee share plans for colleagues, namely the 
Savings Related Share Option Plan (‘SAYE’) and the All Employee Share 
Ownership Plan. Executive Directors may participate in these plans 
in the same way as all other colleagues. Justin King and John Rogers 
currently participate in both plans. Mike Coupe participates in the SAYE. 
As these are all employee plans there are no performance conditions. 
The Committee approves the adoption or amendment of these plans 
and awards to Executive Directors. 

The 2006 (five-year) SAYE reached maturity on 1 March 2012. Around 
3,300 colleagues could use their savings and a tax-free bonus to buy 
Sainsbury’s shares at a 328 pence option price. The 2008 (three-year) 
SAYE matured at the same time covering around 7,700 colleagues 
who could use their savings and a tax-free bonus to buy Sainsbury’s 
shares at a 224 pence option price. Using the market price on the date 
of the first exercise, the value of all the shares subject to the maturity 
was nearly £26.5 million. The Company currently has over 26,000 
colleagues participating in the SAYE with around 63,000 individual 
savings contracts. 

In August 2008, the Company introduced a matching element to the 
partnership element of the All Employee Share Ownership Plan on a 
‘buy four get one free’ basis. This arrangement ceased in August 2010. 
These matching shares must be held for five years to receive all of the 
relevant tax benefits and will be forfeited if the individual resigns from 
the Company within the first three years. 

Shareholding	guidelines
The Committee introduced shareholding guidelines in 2006/07 to create 
greater alignment of the Directors’ interests with those of shareholders, 
which is a key objective within the remuneration policy. The guidelines 
are as follows: Chief Executive 2.5x salary; Executive Directors: 1.5x 
salary; Operating Board Directors: 1x salary, in each case within five 
years of appointment. These guidelines were last updated in 2010/11. 

The table below sets out the Executive Directors’ shareholdings as at 
the year end on 17 March 2012.

Justin King
Mike Coupe
John Rogers

Shareholding

825,519
866,411
192,496

Valuation 
(£000)1

Percentage of 
salary2

£2,501
£2,625
£583

272%
465%
117%

1 

  The valuation is calculated against the closing mid-market share price on 17 March 2012  
of 303.0 pence.

2   The percentage of salary figures have been calculated using the salaries earned as at  

17 March 2012.

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Dilution	
The Company ensures that the level of shares granted under the 
Company’s share plans and the means of satisfying such awards 
remains within best practice guidelines so that dilution from employee 
share awards does not exceed ten per cent of the Company’s issued 
share capital for all-employee share plans and five per cent in respect 
of executive share plans in any ten-year rolling period. The Company 
monitors dilution levels on a regular basis and the Committee reviews 
these at least once a year. Up to 17 March 2012, an estimated 7.8 per 
cent of the Company’s issued share capital has been allocated for 
the purposes of its all employee share plans over a ten-year period, 
including an estimated 3.7 per cent over five years in respect of its 
executive share plans. 

Performance	graph	
The graph below shows the TSR performance of an investment of  
£100 in J Sainsbury plc shares over the last five years compared with  
an equivalent investment in the FTSE 100 Index. This has been selected 
to provide an established and broad-based index. 

TSR Performance since March 2007

Sainsbury’s
FTSE 100

150

125

100

75

50

Mar 07

Mar 08

Mar 09

Mar 10

Mar 11

Mar 12

In March 2007 the Group share price was materially affected by 
speculation surrounding a possible takeover bid. To exclude the  
impact of this short-term share price increase, we have presented  
below a graph which shows the TSR performance over seven years.

TSR Performance since March 2005

Sainsbury’s
FTSE 100

175

150

125

100

75

Mar 05

Mar 06

Mar 07

Mar 08 Mar 09

Mar 10

Mar 11

Mar 12

150

125

75

50

175

150

125

75

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 61
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 61

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100

 
 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

Service	contracts	
Justin King has a service contract which can be terminated by either 
party by giving 12 months’ written notice. If his service contract is 
terminated without cause, the Company can request that he works his 
notice period or takes a period of garden leave, or can pay an amount  
in lieu of notice equal to one times basic salary for the notice period plus 
75 per cent of basic salary in lieu of all other elements of remuneration, 
except share plans. If he is dismissed within six months of a change 
of control, the above sum will become payable. The contract contains 
restrictive covenants, which continue for 12 months after termination. 

If the service contract of Mike Coupe is terminated without cause, the 
maximum payment he would receive would be equal to one times basic 
salary for the 12 month notice period plus 50 per cent of basic salary 
in lieu of all other elements of remuneration, except share plans. He 
is required to mitigate his losses and would receive phased payments, 
which would be reduced or terminated if he secured alternative 
employment during the notice period. His contract also contains 
restrictive covenants, which continue for 12 months after termination.  
It does not contain any specific provisions relating to change of control. 

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In 2010, the Committee agreed that the termination provisions within 
future Executive Directors’ service agreements would state that any 
severance payments would be limited to one year’s salary and benefits, 
be made on a phased basis and be subject to mitigation. As is the 
current practice, if ‘good leaver’ status is given, long-term incentive 
awards that vest following a director’s employment termination will 
continue to be pro-rated for time and performance. Bonus awards will 
also be paid subject to time and performance for the financial year in 
which office is held if the individual is considered to be a ‘good leaver’. 
The service contract under which John Rogers was appointed as Chief 
Financial Officer follows these provisions in full; in addition, there are  
no specific terms relating to change of control.

As disclosed in last year’s report, Darren Shapland ceased to be a 
director on 13 July 2011 and was subsequently appointed to the position 
of Non-Executive Chairman of Sainsbury’s Bank for a fixed annual fee 
of £150,000 per annum plus benefits, and in this capacity earned a 
salary of £107,308 in 2011/12. Darren did not receive either a severance 
payment or an ex gratia payment as a result of the change in his 
employment status.

The Executive Directors’ service contracts became effective on the 
following dates: 

Justin King  
Mike Coupe  
John Rogers  

29 March 2004 
1 August 2007
19 July 2010 

External	appointments	
The Company’s normal practice is that Executive Directors may take up 
one public company non-executive role outside the Company, subject 
to a consideration of the role and the time commitment. Directors are 
entitled to retain the fees earned from such appointments. Details of the 
Executive Directors’ external fees are set out on page 63. 

Chairman	
The Chairman does not have a service contract; his letter of 
appointment became effective on 1 October 2009 and he became 
Chairman on 1 November 2009. He was appointed for an initial term  
of three years, renewable on a 12-month rolling basis and thereafter  
by mutual consent. His appointment may be terminated at any time 
upon the serving of six months’ written notice by either party. 

David Tyler was appointed as Chairman on a basic fee of £450,000 
per annum. His fee was reviewed by the Remuneration Committee 
for the first time since his appointment at the half year in 2011/12 
and it was increased to £470,000 per annum. He devotes such time 
as is necessary to perform his duties. He does not participate in any 
performance-related incentive plans and he does not receive any 
benefits except for an annual medical assessment and a colleague 
discount card. 

Non-Executive	Directors
Non-Executive Directors do not have service contracts. They are 
appointed for an initial three-year period, which may be extended for 
a further term by mutual consent. The initial appointments and any 
subsequent re-appointments are subject to election or re-election  
by shareholders. Their appointments may be terminated by the serving 
of three months’ notice by either party. 

Non-Executive Directors receive a basic annual cash fee; additional 
fees are paid to the Senior Independent Director and to the Chairmen 
of the Audit, Remuneration and Corporate Responsibility Committees. 
Non-Executive Directors do not participate in any performance-related 
incentive plans and receive no benefits other than a colleague  
discount card. 

The Non-Executive Directors’ fees were last increased in September 
2009; they were reviewed by a sub-committee of other members of  
the Board during 2011/12 and were increased to the following levels: 

Basic	fee	 
Senior Independent Director fee 
Chairman of Remuneration Committee fee 
Chairman of Audit Committee fee 
Chairman of Corporate 
Responsibility Committee fee 

£60,000 (from £55,000)
£15,000 (unchanged)
£15,000 (unchanged)
£15,000 (unchanged)

£12,500 (from £10,000)

The Non-Executive Directors’ letters of appointment became effective 
on the following dates: 

Matt Brittin 
Anna Ford  
Mary Harris  
Gary Hughes  
John McAdam  
Bob Stack  

27 January 2011
2 May 2006 
1 August 2007 
1 January 2005 
1 September 2005 
1 January 2005 

62	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Remuneration report continued

The following section provides details of the remuneration, pension and share plan interests of the Directors for the 52 weeks ended 17 March 2012 
and has been audited.

i)	Directors’	remuneration
The remuneration of the Directors for the year was as follows:

Justin King
Mike Coupe
John Rogers
David Tyler
Matt Brittin
Anna Ford
Mary Harris
Gary Hughes
John McAdam
Bob Stack
Val Gooding
Darren Shapland

Total	2012

Total 2011

Cash components and benefits

Salary/fees
£000 

Bonus5
£000

Pension
supplement6
£000

Total cash and 
benefits
2012
£000

Benefits8
£000

Deferred 
share award1
£000

920
565
484
459
57
68
57
72
72
72
18
161

3,005

3,133

514
238
219
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

971

1,105

276
141
89
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
40

546

597

30
17
17
1
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5

70

77

1,740
961
809
460
57
68
57
72
72
72
18
206

4,592

4,912

897
397
351
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

1,645

1,960

Note

2,9
9
7

3

4
4,9

Total
2012
£000

2,637
1,358
1,160
460
57
68
57
72
72
72
18
206

6,237

Total
2011
£000

2,655
1,282
800
451
8
65
55
70
70
70
55
1,291

6,872

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1  The deferred share award is an award of shares with the value shown above. These shares are retained by the Company for two financial years and will not become exercisable by the participants 

until after the year-end in 2014. 

2  Highest-paid Director.
3  Appointed to the Board on 27 January 2011.
4  Resigned from the Board on 13 July 2011. In his capacity as Non-Executive Chairman of Sainsbury’s Bank, Darren Shapland earned a salary of £107,308 in 2011/12 following his resignation from the 

Board of J Sainsbury plc.

5  Includes performance bonuses earned in the period under review but paid following the end of the financial year.
6  Justin King is not a member of the Company’s pension plans and received 30 per cent of his basic salary as a cash pension supplement. In addition to this supplement, £440 (2011: £440) of 

interest has been earned on a notional fund during the year from his previous membership of the Executive Stakeholder Pension Plan. Neither Darren Shapland nor Mike Coupe are members of the 
Company’s pension plans – each received 25 per cent of basic salary as a cash pension supplement. John Rogers is a member of the Company’s JS Self Invested Pension Plan. Contributions to the 
JS Self Invested Pension Plan by the Company in 2011/12 in respect of his membership were £16,200 (2010/11 £15,450). He received a cash supplement equal to 25 per cent of the amount by which 
his salary exceeded the Company’s earnings cap (2011/12: £129,600) (2010/11:£123,600).

7  The totals for 2012 and 2011 in the case of John Rogers do not include deductions made from basic salary for Saving Money and Reducing Tax (‘SMART’) pensions.
8  Benefits include a combination of cash and non-cash benefits. Non-cash benefits for John Rogers, Darren Shapland and Mike Coupe include car allowance and private medical cover. Justin King 

received non-cash benefits which include company car benefits and private medical cover. 

9  Directors are entitled to retain the fees earned from non-executive appointments outside the Company. Justin King was appointed a Non-Executive Director of Staples, Inc. on 17 September 2007. 

He received US $75,000 for his services during 2011/12 (2010/11: $75,000). During the year 8,653 (2010/11: 11,540) of restricted Staples stock was released to Justin and a further award over 
11,372 shares was granted (2010/11: 8,653 restricted shares awarded). Justin King is also a Director of Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited and a member of the London Organising 
Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Justin received £10,500 (2010/11: £12,000) during the year for his services which after deductions for National Insurance was donated directly to 
charity. Mike Coupe was appointed a Non-Executive Director of Greene King plc on 26 July 2011 and received £29,604 for his services. Darren Shapland was appointed a Non-Executive Director of 
Ladbrokes plc on 18 November 2009 and received £25,000 for his services up to his resignation from the Board of J Sainsbury plc on 13 July 2012 (2010/11: £58,800). 

ii)	Long-term	incentive	plans
Long-term	Incentive	Plan	2006
The table below shows the conditional awards granted under this Plan, which would be released if the Company achieves the performance targets 
for maximum vesting. 

Justin King

Mike Coupe

John Rogers

Date of grant

20.06.07 
28.05.08
24.06.09
21 .06.10
19.05.11
20.06.07
28.05.08
24.06.09
21.06.10
19.05.11
20.06.07
28.05.08
24.06.09
21.06.10
19.05.11

Maximum 
share award1

380,844
630,876
570,984
611,488
570,748
163,092 
281,868
258,844
315,008
318,648
22,581
144,696
137,036
191,476
250,972

Share price at 
date of award
pence

Lapsed 
during the 
year

Number of 
dividend shares 
allocated
19 May 20112

583.5
352.0
314.0
329.3
343.0
583.5
352.0
314.0
329.3
343.0
583.5
352.0
314.0
329.3
343.0

–
331,210
–
–
–
–
147,981
–
–
–
–
75,966
–
–
–

26,011
19,951
–
–
–
11,138
8,913
–
–
–
3,855
4,575
–
–
–

Number 
of options 
released

178,349
169,784
–
–
–
76,375
75,856
–
–
–
26,436
38,940
–
–
–

First exercise 
date 

Last exercise 
date

12.05.10
11.05.11
10.05.12
09.05.13
08.05.14
12.05.10
11.05.11
10.05.12
09.05.13
08.05.14
12.05.10
11.05.11
10.05.12
09.05.13
08.05.14

11.05.12
10.05.13
09.05.14
08.05.15
07.05.16
11.05.12
10.05.13
09.05.14
08.05.15
07.05.16
11.05.12
10.05.13
09.05.14
08.05.15
07.05.16

1  The maximum share award assumes full vesting.
2  The performance conditions attaching to the award are return on capital employed and growth in cash flow per share. Further information is provided on pages 113 to 114. The performance of the 
award made in June 2008 was tested in May 2011 and a multiplier of 1.9 was achieved. The number of shares between the maximum multiplier (4.0) and the multiplier achieved have been lapsed. 
Half of the achieved award vested in May 2011 whilst the remainder of the achieved award will vest in May 2012. The number of dividend shares which have been received on vested shares was 
determined by a five-day average share price from 12 to 18 May 2011. 

Note:
–  The Long-term Incentive Plan 2006 is a nil-cost option plan. The exercise price is nil.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 63
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 63

 
 
 
 
Remuneration report continued

The following table shows the options that were exercised during the year. 

Justin King

Mike Coupe

John Rogers

Number of 
options 
released
during the 
year

178,349
169,784
76,375
75,856
26,436
38,940

Number of 
options 
exercised 
during the 
year

178,349
169,784
76,375
75,856
26,436
38,940

Mid- market 
price on date 
of exercise 
pence

Notional gain 
on option 
exercises
£000

Lapsed during 
the year

Number of 
options held 17 
March 2012

Exercise price 
pence

304.1
304.1
343.2
343.2
316.4
316.4

542
516
262
260
84
123

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

nil
nil
nil
nil
nil
nil

Date of grant

20.06.07
28.05.08
20.06.07
28.05.08
20.06.07
28.05.08

Note:
–  Some of the shares were sold to fund the participants’ income tax and National Insurance liabilities, all of the remaining shares were retained.

Deferred	Share	Award
The table below shows the number of deferred shares awarded to participants in May 2010 and 2011. There are no further performance measures 
attached to the awards. 

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Justin King

Mike Coupe

John Rogers

Date of grant

20.05.10
19.05.11
20.05.10
19.05.11
20.05.10
19.05.11

Deferred 
share award 

298,570
263,436
108,281
104,855
57,325
79,578

Share price at 
date of award 
pence

First exercise 
date 

Last exercise 
date

316.6
343.0
316.6
343.0
316.6
343.0

23.03.12
22.03.13
23.03.12
22.03.13
23.03.12
22.03.13

22.03.20
21.03.21
22.03.20
21.03.21
22.03.20
21.03.21

Notes:
–  There were no exercises or lapses under this Plan during the year.
–  The Deferred Share Award is a nil-cost option plan. The exercise price is nil.

Deferred	Annual	Bonus	Plan
The table below shows the maximum number of shares conditionally allocated to participants and what would be released to them in the form of 
nil-cost options if the Company achieves the performance targets for maximum vesting. 

Deferred 
bonus share 
award 

Maximum 
matching 
share award1

Share price at 
date of award 
pence

158,042
81,319
18,292
23,280
7,513

316,084
275,658
36,584
78,920
15,026

325.75
314.00
325.75
314.00
325.75

Date of grant

20.06.08
24.06.09
20.06.08
24.06.09
20.06.08

Matching 
share award 
lapsed during 
the year

Number of 
dividend 
shares 
allocated
19 May 2011

Number 
of options 
released

172,266

9,575

81,484

19,939

1,108

9,430

8,189

455

3,873

First exercise 
date 

Last exercise 
date

21.03.11
20.03.12
21.03.11
20.03.12
21.03.11

21.03.13
20.03.14
21.03.13
20.03.14
21.03.13

Justin King

Mike Coupe

John Rogers

1  The maximum matching share award is the maximum award that would become exercisable provided that the Company achieves first position within the comparator group of Ahold, Carrefour, 

Casino, Delhaize, DSG International, Home Retail Group, Kingfisher, Marks & Spencer, Metro, Morrisons, Next and Tesco. The Company’s relative performance is determined by reference to Total 
Shareholder Return. 

Notes:
–  A number of the shares deferred in June 2008 have been sold to fund the participant’s income tax and National Insurance liabilities. The remainder were released to participants on 25 March 2011.
–  The performance of the awards granted in June 2008 was tested and matching shares of 0.91 times an individual’s deferral was achieved. Half of the achieved award vested in May 2011 whilst the 

remainder of the achieved award will vest in May 2012. The number of dividend shares on the first vesting was determined by a five-day average share price from 12 to 18 May 2011.

–  The 2009 deferral was made on a net post tax basis.
–  The exercise price is nil.

The following table shows the options that were exercised during the year. 

Justin King
Mike Coupe
John Rogers

Number of 
options held 
19 March 2011

–
–
–

Number 
of options 
released
during the 
year

81,484
9,430
3,873

Number 
of options 
exercised 
during the 
year

81,484
9,430
3,873

Mid- market 
price on date 
of exercise 
pence

Notional gain 
on option 
exercises
£000

304.1
343.2
316.4

248
32
12

Lapsed during 
the year

Number of 
options held 17 
March 2012

Exercise price 
pence

–
–
–

–
–
–

nil
nil
nil

Note:
–  Some of the shares were sold to fund the participants’ income tax and National Insurance liabilities, all of the remaining shares were retained.

64	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Remuneration report continued

iii	Savings-Related	Share	Option	Plan	(‘SAYE’)
At the end of the year, the Directors’ SAYE share options were as follows:

Justin King
Mike Coupe
John Rogers

19 March 2011

3,030
3,324
–

Number of Options

Date

Granted 
during the 
year

Exercised 
during the 
year

Mid- market 
price on date 
of exercise 
pence

Gains on 
option 
exercise
£000

Lapsed during 
the year

17 March 2012

Exercise price 
pence

From which 
exercisable

–
–
6,302

–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
–

3,030
3,324
6,302

297.0
273.0
238.0

01.03.14
01.03.13
01.03.17

Of expiry

31.08.14
31.08.13
31.08.17

Note:
–  The SAYE Plan is an all employee share option plan and has no performance conditions as per HMRC Regulations.

In the period from 19 March 2011 to 17 March 2012, the highest mid-market price of the Company’s shares was 362.8 pence and the lowest mid-
market price was 263.5 pence. At 17 March 2012 the Company’s share price was 303.0 pence.

iv)	Directors’	interests
The beneficial interests of the Directors and their families in the shares of the Company are shown below: 

Justin King
Mike Coupe
John Rogers
David Tyler
Matt Brittin
Anna Ford
Mary Harris
Gary Hughes
John McAdam
Bob Stack1

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Ordinary shares3

19 March 2011

17 March 2012

08 May 20122

1,399,878
798,285
145,998
50,000
–
1,000
5,686
26,480
1,000
2,800

825,519
866,411
192,496
50,000
1,000
1,000
11,037
30,071
1,000
2,800

825,593
866,411
192,571
50,000
1,000
1,000
11,037
30,071
1,000
2,800

1  Held in the form of 700 American Depository Receipts . 
2  The total includes shares purchased under the Sainsbury’s Share Purchase Plan between 17 March 2012 and 8 May 2012.
3  Ordinary shares are beneficial holdings which include the Directors’ personal holdings and those of their spouses and minor children. They also include the beneficial interests in shares which are 

held in trust under the Sainsbury’s Share Purchase Plan. 

Note:
–  The Executive Directors are potential beneficiaries of the Company’s employee benefit trust, which is used to satisfy awards under the Company’s employee share plans, and they are therefore 

treated as interested in the 5.9 million shares (2011: 6.1 million) held by the Trustees.

Approved by the Board on 8 May 2012

Bob	Stack
Chairman,	Remuneration	Committee

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 65
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 65

 
 
 
 
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the 
Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the 
preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from 
legislation in other jurisdictions. 

Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed on page 3  
3
confirm that, to the best of their knowledge:

• the Group financial statements, which have been prepared in 

accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU, give a true and fair view 
of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Group; and
• the Directors’ report contained in the Annual Report includes a fair 
review of the development and performance of the business and the 
position of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks 
and uncertainties that it faces.

By order of the Board

Tim	Fallowfield
Company Secretary

8 May 2012 

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report, the 
Remuneration report and the financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements 
for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have prepared 
the Group and Company financial statements in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by the 
European Union. Under company law the Directors must not approve 
the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and the Company and 
of the profit or loss of the Group for that period. In preparing these 
financial statements, the Directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and 

prudent;

• state whether applicable IFRSs as adopted by the European Union 

have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and 
explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless 
it is inappropriate to presume that the Group and the Company will 
continue in business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records 
that are sufficient to show and explain the Group’s and the Company’s 
transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the 
financial position of the Company and the Group and enable them to 
ensure that the financial statements and the Remuneration report 
comply with the Companies Act 2006 and, as regards the Group 
financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation. They are also 
responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and the Group 
and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection 
of fraud and other irregularities.

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66	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Independent Auditors’ report to the members of J Sainsbury plc

We have audited the financial statements of J Sainsbury plc for the 
52 weeks ended 17 March 2012 which comprise the Group income 
statement, the Group and Company Statements of comprehensive 
income, the Group and Company Balance sheets, the Group and 
Company Cash flow statements, the Group and Company statements 
of changes in equity and the related notes. The financial reporting 
framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law 
and International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by 
the European Union and, as regards the Company financial statements, 
as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006. 

Respective	responsibilities	of	Directors	and	Auditors	
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 
set out on page 66, the Directors are responsible for the preparation 
of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the 
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and International 
Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to 
comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s Ethical Standards for Auditors.

This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for 
the Company’s members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of 
Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do 
not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any 
other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or 
into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior 
consent in writing.

Scope	of	the	audit	of	the	financial	statements		
An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and disclosures 
in the financial statements sufficient to give reasonable assurance 
that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, 
whether caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: 
whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the Group’s and 
the Company’s circumstances and have been consistently applied and 
adequately disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting 
estimates made by the Directors; and the overall presentation of the 
financial statements. In addition, we read all the financial and non–
financial information in the Annual Report and Financial Statements to 
identify material inconsistencies with the audited financial statements. 
If we become aware of any apparent material misstatements or 
inconsistencies we consider the implications for our report.

Opinion	on	financial	statements	
In our opinion: 

• the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the 
Group’s and of the Company’s affairs as at 17 March 2012 and of the 
Group’s profit and Group’s and Company’s cash flows for the 52 weeks 
then ended;

• the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union; 

• the Company financial statements have been properly prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union and as 
applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; 
and

• the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and, as regards the Group 
financial statements, Article 4 of the lAS Regulation. 

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006  
In our opinion: 

• the part of the Remuneration report to be audited has been properly 

prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006; and

• the information given in the Directors’ report for the financial year 

for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the 
financial statements.

Matters	on	which	we	are	required	to	report	by	exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following:  

Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if,  
in our opinion: 

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Company,  
or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from 
branches not visited by us; or 

• the Company financial statements and the part of the Remuneration 
report to be audited are not in agreement with the accounting records 
and returns; or 

• certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are  

not made; or 

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require 

for our audit. 

Under the Listing Rules we are required to review: 

• the Directors’ statement, set out on page 37, in relation to going 

concern; 

• the parts of the Statement of Corporate Governance relating to the 
Company’s compliance with the nine provisions of the UK Corporate 
Governance Code specified for our review; and

• certain elements of the report to shareholders by the Board on 

Directors’ remuneration.

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Richard	Hughes	(Senior	Statutory	Auditor)
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
London 
8 May 2012

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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 67

 
 
 
Group income statement
for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012

Revenue
Cost of sales

Gross	profit
Administrative expenses
Other income

Operating	profit
Finance income
Finance costs
Share of post–tax profit from joint ventures

Profit	before	taxation

Analysed as:

Underlying profit before tax
Profit on disposal of properties 
Investment property fair value movements
Financing fair value movements
IAS 19 pension financing credit
One–off items

Income tax expense

Profit	for	the	financial	period

Earnings	per	share
Basic
Diluted
Underlying basic
Underlying diluted

The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Note

4

2012
£m

2011
£m

22,294
(21,083)

21,102
(19,942)

5

6

6

14

3

3

3

3

3

8

9

1,211
(419)
82

874
35
(138)
28

799

712
83
–
(16)
17
3

799

(201)

598

1,160
(417)
108

851
32
(116)
60

827

665
108
39
7 
3
5

827

(187)

640

pence
32.0
31.5
28.1
27.8

pence
34.4
33.8
26.5
26.1

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68	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
Statements of comprehensive income
for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012

Group

Company

Profit	for	the	financial	period

Other	comprehensive	income/(expense):

Note

2012
£m

598

2011
£m

 640 

Net actuarial (losses)/gains on defined benefit pension scheme
Available–for–sale financial assets fair value movements:

30

(222)

Group
Joint ventures

Cash flow hedges effective portion of fair value movements:

Group
Joint ventures

Current tax on items recognised directly in other comprehensive income
Deferred tax on items recognised directly in other comprehensive income

8

8

Total	other	comprehensive	(expense)/income	for	the	financial	period	(net	of	tax)

Total	comprehensive	income	for	the	financial	period

The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

1
2

–
2
59
11

(147)

451

29

14
2 

(8)
2
(1) 
 (5)

33

673

2012
£m

260

–

(5)
–

–
–
1
–

(4)

256

2011
£m

280

–

2 
–

–
–
(1)
–

1

281

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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 69

 
 
 
Balance sheet
At 17 March 2012 and 19 March 2011 

Non–current	assets
Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Investments in subsidiaries
Investments in joint ventures
Available–for–sale financial assets
Other receivables
Derivative financial instruments
Deferred income tax asset

Current	assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Derivative financial instruments
Cash and cash equivalents

Non–current assets held for sale

Total	assets

Current	liabilities
Trade and other payables
Borrowings
Derivative financial instruments
Taxes payable
Provisions

Net	current	liabilities

Non–current	liabilities
Other payables
Borrowings
Derivative financial instruments
Deferred income tax liability
Provisions
Retirement benefit obligations

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Net	assets

Equity
Called up share capital
Share premium account
Capital redemption reserve
Other reserves
Retained earnings

Total	equity

Group

Company

Note

2012
£m

2011
£m

2012
£m

2011
£m

11

12

13

14

15

17

29

21

16

17

29

26b

18

19

20

29

22

19

20

29

21

22

30

23

23

24

24

25

9,329
160
–
566
178
38
37
–

10,308

938
286
69
739

2,032
–

2,032

8,784
151
–
502
176
36
29
–

9,678

812
343
52
501

1,708
13

1,721

17
–
7,285
91
31
1,312
33
1

8,770

–
1,099
65
408

1,572
–

1,572

42
–
7,309
91
36
1,181
25
1

8,685

–
1,069
43
169

1,281
–

1,281

12,340

11,399

10,342

9,966

(2,740)
(150)
(88)
(149)
(9)

(3,136)

(1,104)

(137)
(2,617)
(1)
(286)
(63)
(471)

(3,575)

5,629

538
1,061
680
(365)
3,715

(2,597)
(74)
(59)
(201)
(11)

(2,942)

(1,221)

 (120)
(2,339)
–
(172)
(62)
(340)

(3,033)

5,424

535
1,048
680
(213) 

3,374

(4,494)
(72)
(84)
–
(1)

(4,651)

(3,079)

(874)
(565)
(1)
–
(18)
–

(1,458)

4,233

538
1,061
680
14
1,940

5,629

5,424

4,233

(4,443)
(17)
(51)
(15)
(1)

(4,527)

(3,246)

(861)
(338)
–
–
(19)
–

(1,218)

4,221

535
1,048
680
23
1,935

4,221

The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 68 to 118 were approved by the Board of Directors on 8 May 2012, and are signed on its behalf by:

Justin	King Chief	Executive

John	Rogers Chief	Financial	Officer

70	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash flow statements
for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012

Cash	flows	from	operating	activities
Cash generated from/(used in) operations
Interest paid
Corporation tax paid

Net	cash	generated	from/(used	in)	operating	activities

Cash	flows	from	investing	activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
Purchase of intangible assets
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment 
Acquisition of and investment in subsidiaries, net of cash acquired
Increase in loans to joint ventures
Investment in joint ventures
Investment in financial assets
Proceeds from disposal of financial assets
Interest received
Dividends received 

Net	cash	(used	in)/generated	from	investing	activities

Cash	flows	from	financing	activities
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares
Repayment of short–term borrowings
Proceeds from long–term borrowings
Repayment of long–term borrowings
Repayment of capital element of obligations under finance lease payments
Interest elements of obligations under finance lease payments
Dividends paid

Net	cash	generated	from/(used	in)	financing	activities

Net	increase/(decrease)	in	cash	and	cash	equivalents

Net opening cash and cash equivalents

Net	closing	cash	and	cash	equivalents

Group

Company

Note

26

14

10

 26b

2012
£m

1,291
(142)
(82)

1,067

(1,227)
(25)
314
(1)
(1)
–
(1)
40
18
–

(883)

14
–
391
(51)
(9)
(5)
(285)

55

239

500

739

2011
£m

1,138
(126)
(158)

854

(1,136)
(15)
282
(1)
–
(2)
(50)
–
19
1

(902)

17
(11)
45
(61)
(3)
(4)
(269)

(286)

(334)

834

500

2012
£m

(68)
(59)
–

(127)

(2)
–
30
(5)
–
–
–
–
84
250

357

14
–
298
(18)
–
–
(285)

9

239

169

408

2011
£m

(535)
(66)
–

(601)

(36)
–
36
–
–
–
(10)
–
87
251

328

17
–
45
(20)
–
–
(269)

(227)

(500)

669

169

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The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 71

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group statement of changes in equity
for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012

Called up 
share capital
£m

Note

Share
 premium 
account
£m

Capital 
redemption 
and other 
reserves
£m

At	20	March	2011

Profit for the financial period
Other comprehensive (expense)/income:

Actuarial losses on defined benefit pension scheme (net of tax):
Available–for–sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax):

Group
Joint ventures

Cash flow hedges effective portion of changes in fair value (net of tax):

Joint ventures

Total	comprehensive	(expense)/income	for	the	52	weeks	ended	

17	March	2012

Transactions with owners:

Dividends paid
Amortisation of convertible bond equity component
Share–based payment (net of tax)
Allotted in respect of share option schemes

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010

Profit for the financial period
Other comprehensive income/(expense):

Actuarial gains on defined benefit pension scheme (net of tax)
Available–for–sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax):

Group
Joint ventures

Cash flow hedges effective portion of changes in fair value (net of tax):

Group
Joint venture

Total	comprehensive	income/(expense)	for	the	52	weeks	ended		

19	March	2011

Transactions with owners:
Dividends paid
Amortisation of convertible bond equity component
Share–based payment (net of tax)
Allotted in respect of share option schemes

24

24

24

24

10

24,25

25

23,25

24

24

24

24

24

10

24

31

23,25

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1,048

–

–

–
–

–

–

–
–
–
3

–

–

–
–

–

–

–
–
–
13

Retained 
earnings
£m

3,374

598

–

–
–

–

Total 
equity
£m

5,424

598

(154)

3
2

2

467

–

(154)

3
2

2

(147)

598

451

–
(5)
–
–

(285)
5
26
(3)

(285)
–
26
13

538

1,061

315

3,715

5,629

532

1,033

438

–

–

–
–

–
–

–

–
–
–
3

–

–

–
–

–
–

–

–
–
–
15

–

26

11
2

(8)
2

33

–
(4)
–
–

2,963

640

4,966

640

–

–
–

–
–

26

11
2

(8)
2

640

673

(269)
4
37
(1)

(269)
–
37
17

At	19	March	2011

535

1,048

467

3,374

5,424

The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

72	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
Company statement of changes in equity
for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012

At	20	March	2011

Profit for the financial period
Other comprehensive income/(expense):

Available–for–sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax)

24

Total	comprehensive	(expense)/income	for	the	52	weeks	ended	

17	March	2012

Transactions with owners:

Dividends paid
Amortisation of convertible bond equity component
Allotted in respect of share option schemes
Utilised in respect of share option schemes

At	17	March	2012

At	21	March	2010

10

24,25

23,25

23,25

Profit for the financial period
Other comprehensive income/(expense):

Available–for–sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax)

24

Total	comprehensive	income/(expense)	for	the	52	weeks	ended		

19	March	2011

Transactions with owners:

Dividends paid
Amortisation of convertible bond equity component
Allotted in respect of share option schemes
Utilised in respect of share option schemes

10

23,25

25

Called up 
share capital
£m

Note

Share
 premium 
account
£m

535

1,048

Capital 
redemption 
and other 
reserves
£m

703

–

(4)

(4)

–
(5)
–
–

Retained 
earnings
£m

1,935

260

Total 
equity
£m

4,221

260

–

(4)

260

256

(285)
5
27
(2)

(285)
–
43
(2)

–

–

–

–
–
3
–

–

–

–

–
–
13
–

538

1,061

694

1,940

4,233

532

1,033

706

–

–

–

–
–
3
–

–

–

–

–
–
15
–

–

1

1

–
(4)
–
–

1,886

280

–

280

(269)
4
35
(1)

1,935

4,157

280

1

281

(269)
–
53
(1)

4,221

At	19	March	2011

535

1,048

703

The notes on pages 74 to 118 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 73

 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements

1	General	information
J Sainsbury plc is a public limited company (the ‘Company’) 
incorporated in the United Kingdom, whose shares are publicly traded 
on the London Stock Exchange. The Company is domiciled in the United 
Kingdom and its registered address is 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT, 
United Kingdom.

The financial year represents the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012 (prior 
financial year 52 weeks to 19 March 2011). The consolidated financial 
statements for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012 comprise the financial 
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) and the 
Group’s share of the post-tax results of its joint ventures.

The Group’s principal activities are grocery and related retailing.

2	Accounting	policies
(a)	Statement	of	compliance
The Group’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by the 
European Union and International Financial Reporting Interpretations 
Committee (‘IFRICs’) interpretations and with those parts of the 
Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRSs. 
The Company’s financial statements have been prepared on the same 
basis and, as permitted by Section 408(3) of the Companies Act 2006, 
no income statement is presented for the Company.

(b)	Basis	of	preparation
The financial statements are presented in sterling, rounded to the 
nearest million (‘£m’) unless otherwise stated. They have been prepared 
on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, except for 
derivative financial instruments, investment properties and available-
for-sale financial assets that have been measured at fair value.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRSs 
requires the use of judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect 
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial 
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses 
during the reporting period. The estimates and associated assumptions 
are based on historical experience and various other factors that are 
believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which 
form the basis of making the judgements about carrying values of 
assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. 
Actual results may differ from these estimates. The areas involving a 
higher degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions 
and estimates are significant to the financial statements are disclosed 
in note 2c.

New	standards,	interpretations	and	amendments	to		
published	standards
Effective	for	the	Group	in	these	financial	statements:

• IAS 24 ‘Related Party Disclosures’ revised definition of related parties
• IFRIC 19 ‘Extinguishing financial liabilities with equity instruments’
• Amendments to certain IFRSs and IASs arising from the April 2010 
Annual Improvements to IFRS by the International Accounting 
Standards Board (‘IASB’)

• Amendments to IFRIC 14 ‘Prepayments of a minimum funding 

requirement’

The Group has considered the above interpretations, revisions and 
amendments to published standards that are effective and concluded 
that they are either not relevant to the Group or that they would  
not have a significant impact on the Group’s financial statements,  
apart from additional disclosures. 

Effective	for	the	Group	for	the	financial	year	beginning	
18	March	2012:

• Amendments to IFRS 7 ‘Financial Instruments: Transfers of Financial 

Assets’ *

74	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

• Amendments to IAS 12 ‘Income Taxes’, Deferred tax accounting for 

investment property at fair value

• Amendments to IFRS 1, Severe hyperinflation and removal of fixed 

dates for first time adopters

• Amendments to IAS 1 ‘Presentation of financial statements’ on other 

comprehensive income

• IAS 1 Other comprehensive income

* These standards and interpretations have been endorsed by the EU.

The Group has considered the above amendments to published 
standards that are not yet effective and concluded that they are  
either not relevant to the Group or that they would not have a  
significant impact on the Group’s financial statements, apart from 
additional disclosures. 

The	following	standards	and	revisions	will	be	effective	for	
future	periods:

• IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated financial statements’ *
• IFRS 11 ‘Joint arrangements’ *
• IFRS 12 ‘Disclosure of interests in other entities’ *
• IFRS 13 ‘Fair value measurement’ *
• Amendments to certain IFRSs and IASs arising from the April 2011 
Annual Improvements to IFRS by the International Accounting 
Standards Board (‘IASB’)

• Amendment to IAS 32 ‘Offsetting Financial Assets and Liabilities’ ^
• IAS 19 (Revised) ‘Employee benefits’ *
• IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’ ^
• IAS 27 (Revised) ‘Separate Financial Statements’ *
• IAS 28 (Revised) ‘Associates and Joint Ventures’ *

* These standards are effective for accounting periods starting on or after 1 January 2013.
^  This standard is effective for accounting periods starting on or after 1 January 2015 and 

beyond.

The Group has considered the impact of the above standards and 
revisions and has concluded that they will not have a significant impact 
on the Group’s financial statements, apart from additional disclosures.

The accounting policies set out below and in note 3 have been applied 
consistently to all periods presented in the financial statements by the 
Group and the Company.

Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are all entities over which the Group has the power to 
govern the financial and operating policies generally accompanying 
a shareholding of more than one half of the voting rights. The results 
of subsidiaries are included in the income statement from the date 
of acquisition, or in the case of disposals, up to the effective date of 
disposal. Intercompany transactions and balances between Group 
companies are eliminated upon consolidation.

Investments in subsidiaries are carried at cost less any impairment loss 
in the financial statements of the Company. 

Joint	ventures
Joint ventures are jointly controlled entities in which the Group has an 
interest. The Group’s share of the post-tax results of its joint ventures 
are included in the income statement using the equity method of 
accounting. Where the Group transacts with a joint venture, profits  
and losses are eliminated to the extent of the Group’s interest in the 
joint venture. 

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Notes to the financial statements continued

2	Accounting	policies	continued

Investments in joint ventures are carried in the Group balance sheet at 
cost plus post-acquisition changes in the Group’s share of net assets of 
the entity, less any provision for impairment. 

Investments in joint ventures are carried in the Company balance sheet 
at cost less any provision for impairment. 

Sainsbury’s Bank’s fees and commissions, that are not integral to 
the effective interest rate calculation, are recognised in the income 
statement as services are provided. Where in the case of insurance 
commissions the income comprises an initial commission and profit 
share both are recognised on completion of the service to the extent 
reliably measurable. Where there is a risk of potential claw-back, an 
appropriate element of the commission receivable is deferred and 
amortised over the life of the underlying loan or period of claw-back.

Investment properties held by the Group are those contained within 
its joint ventures with Land Securities Group PLC and The British Land 
Company PLC. These are properties held for capital appreciation and / 
or to earn rental income. They are initially measured at cost, including 
related transaction costs. After initial recognition at cost, they are 
carried at their fair values based on market value determined by 
professional valuers at each reporting date. The difference between 
the fair value of an investment property at the reporting date and its 
carrying amount prior to re-measurement is included within the income 
statement but is excluded from underlying profit in order to provide a 
clear and consistent presentation of the underlying performance of the 
Group’s ongoing business for shareholders. 

Revenue
Revenue consists of sales through retail outlets and excludes Value 
Added Tax. Sales through retail outlets are shown net of returns, the 
cost of Nectar reward points issued and redeemed, colleague discounts, 
vouchers and sales made on an agency basis. Commission income is 
recognised in revenue based on the terms of the contract.

Revenue is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of goods 
and services have been passed to the buyer and it can be measured 
reliably.

The cost of Nectar points is treated as a deduction from sales and 
part of the fair value of the consideration received is deferred and 
subsequently recognised over the period that the awards are redeemed. 
The fair value of the points awarded is determined with reference to the 
fair value to the customer.

Finance	income
Finance income is recognised in the income statement for all 
instruments measured at amortised cost using the effective interest 
method. This calculation takes into account interest received or paid 
and fees and commissions received or paid that are integral to the yield 
as well as incremental transaction costs. 

Cost	of	sales
Cost of sales consists of all costs to the point of sale including 
warehouse and transportation costs and all the costs of operating retail 
outlets.

Supplier incentives, rebates and discounts are recognised within cost 
of sales as they are earned. The accrued value at the reporting date is 
included in prepayments and accrued income.

Property,	plant	and	equipment
Land	and	buildings
Land and buildings are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation 
and any recognised provision for impairment. Properties in the course 
of construction are held at cost less any recognised provision for 
impairment. Cost includes the original purchase price of the asset and 
the costs incurred attributable to bringing the asset to its working 
condition for intended use. This includes capitalised borrowing costs.

Fixtures	and	equipment
Fixtures, equipment and vehicles are held at cost less accumulated 
depreciation and any recognised provision for impairment. Cost includes 
the original purchase price of the asset and the costs attributable  
to bringing the asset to its working condition and its intended use.

Depreciation
Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost of the assets to their 
residual values, on a straight-line method, on the following bases:

• Freehold buildings and leasehold properties – 50 years, or the lease 

term if shorter

• Fixtures, equipment and vehicles – 3 to 15 years
• Freehold land is not depreciated

Buildings under construction are not depreciated.

Gains and losses on disposal are determined by comparing proceeds 
with the asset’s carrying amount and are recognised within operating 
profit.

Intangible	assets
Pharmacy	licences
Pharmacy licences are carried at cost less accumulated amortisation 
and any recognised provision for impairment and amortised on a 
straight-line basis over the licence period of up to 15 years within cost 
of sales.

Computer	software
Computer software is carried at cost less accumulated amortisation and 
any provision for impairment. Externally acquired computer software 
and software licences are capitalised and amortised on a straight-line 
basis over their useful economic lives of five to seven years. Costs 
relating to development of computer software for internal use are 
capitalised once the recognition criteria of IAS 38 ‘Intangible Assets’ 
are met. When the software is available for its intended use, these costs 
are amortised over the estimated useful life of the software within 
administrative expenses. 

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Other intangible assets are carried at cost less accumulated 
amortisation and any provision for impairment. They are amortised on 
a straight-line basis over their contractual useful economic lives within 
cost of sales.

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Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the fair value of the consideration 
of an acquisition over the fair value of the Group’s share of the net 
identifiable assets of the acquired subsidiary at the date of acquisition. 
Goodwill is recognised as an asset on the Group’s balance sheet in the 
year in which it arises, and is considered to have an indefinite useful 
life. Goodwill is tested for impairment annually and again whenever 
indicators of impairment are detected and is carried at cost less any 
provision for impairment.

Impairment	of	non-financial	assets	
Annually and again whenever indicators of impairment are detected, 
the Group reviews the carrying amounts of its property, plant and 
equipment and intangible assets to determine whether there is any 
indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any 
such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset, which is the 
higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use, is estimated 
in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss. Where the asset 
does not generate cash flows that are independent from other assets, 
the Group estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating 
unit (‘CGU’) to which the asset belongs. For property, plant and 
equipment and intangible assets excluding goodwill, the CGU is deemed 
to be each trading store. For goodwill, the CGU is deemed to be each 
retail chain of stores acquired.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 75

 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

2	Accounting	policies	continued

Any impairment charge is recognised in the income statement in 
the year in which it occurs. Where an impairment loss, other than an 
impairment loss on goodwill, subsequently reverses due to a change in 
the original estimate, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to 
the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, or its original carrying 
value if lower.

Capitalisation	of	interest
Interest costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition or 
construction of qualifying assets are capitalised to the cost of the asset, 
gross of tax relief.

Non-current	assets	held	for	sale	
Non-current assets are classified as assets held for sale and stated 
at the lower of the carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell 
if their carrying amount is to be recovered principally through a sale 
transaction rather than through continuing use. Non-current assets held 
for sale are not depreciated.

Leased	assets
Leases are classified as finance leases when the terms of the lease 
transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the 
Group. All other leases are classified as operating leases. For property 
leases, the land and building elements are treated separately to 
determine the appropriate lease classification.

Finance	leases
Assets funded through finance leases are capitalised as property, 
plant and equipment and depreciated over their estimated useful lives 
or the lease term, whichever is shorter. The amount capitalised is the 
lower of the fair value of the asset or the present value of the minimum 
lease payments during the lease term at the inception of the lease. 
The resulting lease obligations are included in liabilities net of finance 
charges. Finance costs on finance leases are charged directly to the 
income statement.

Operating	leases
Assets leased under operating leases are not recorded on the balance 
sheet. Rental payments are charged directly to the income statement  
on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Sale	and	leaseback
A sale and leaseback transaction is one where a vendor sells an 
asset and immediately reacquires the use of that asset by entering 
into a lease with the buyer. The accounting treatment of the sale and 
leaseback depends upon the substance of the transaction and whether 
or not the sale was made at the asset’s fair value. 

For sale and finance leasebacks, any apparent profit or loss from 
the sale is deferred and amortised over the lease term. For sale and 
operating leasebacks, generally the assets are sold at fair value, and 
accordingly the profit or loss from the sale is recognised immediately  
in the income statement.

Following initial recognition, the lease treatment is consistent with those 
principles described above.

Lease	incentives
Lease incentives primarily include up-front cash payments or rent-free 
periods. Lease incentives are capitalised and spread over the period of 
the lease term.

Leases	with	predetermined	fixed	rental	increases
The Group has a number of leases with predetermined fixed rental 
increases. These rental increases are accounted for on a straight-line 
basis over the term of the lease.

Operating	lease	income
Operating lease income consists of rentals from sub-tenant agreements 
and is recognised as earned.

Inventories
Inventories comprise of goods held for resale and properties held for, 
or in the course of, development and are valued on a weighted average 
cost basis and carried at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost 
includes all direct expenditure and other appropriate attributable costs 
incurred in bringing inventories to their present location and condition.

Cash	and	cash	equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand, demand deposits, 
investments in money market funds and deposits and other short-term 
highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount 
of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value. Bank 
overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of 
the Group’s cash management are included as a component of cash and 
cash equivalents for the purposes of the cash flow statement.

Current	taxation
Current tax is accounted for on the basis of tax laws enacted or 
substantively enacted at the balance sheet date. Current tax is charged or 
credited to the income statement, except when it relates to items charged 
to equity or other comprehensive income, in which case the current tax is 
also dealt with in equity or other comprehensive income respectively. 

Deferred	taxation
Deferred tax is accounted for on the basis of temporary differences 
arising from differences between the tax base and accounting base  
of assets and liabilities.

Deferred tax is recognised for all temporary differences, except to 
the extent where it arises from the initial recognition of an asset or a 
liability in a transaction that is not a business combination and, at the 
time of transaction, affects neither accounting profit nor taxable profit. 
It is determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or 
substantively enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected to 
apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realised or the 
deferred income tax liability is settled.

Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that 
future taxable profits will be available against which the temporary 
differences can be utilised.

Deferred tax is charged or credited to the income statement, except 
when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity or other 
comprehensive income, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with 
in equity or other comprehensive income respectively.

Deferred tax is provided on temporary differences associated with 
investments in subsidiaries, branches, and joint ventures except where 
the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary 
difference and it is probable that the temporary difference will not 
reverse in the foreseeable future.

Provisions
Provisions are recognised when there is a present legal or constructive 
obligation as a result of past events, for which it is probable that an 
outflow of economic benefit will be required to settle the obligation,  
and where the amount of the obligation can be reliably estimated.

Onerous	leases
Provisions for onerous leases, measured net of expected rental income, 
are recognised when the property leased becomes vacant and is no 
longer used in the operations of the business. Provisions for dilapidation 
costs are recognised on a lease-by-lease basis.

Employee	benefits
Pensions
The Group operates various defined benefit and defined contribution 
pension schemes for its employees. A defined benefit scheme is 
a pension plan that defines an amount of pension benefit that an 
employee will receive on retirement. A defined contribution scheme  
is a pension plan under which the Group pays fixed contributions into  
a separate entity.

76	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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Notes to the financial statements continued

2	Accounting	policies	continued

In respect of the defined benefit pension scheme, the pension scheme 
surplus or deficit recognised in the balance sheet represents the 
difference between the fair value of the plan assets and the present value 
of the defined benefit obligation at the balance sheet date. The defined 
benefit obligation is actuarially calculated on an annual basis using the 
projected unit credit method. Plan assets are recorded at fair value.

The income statement charge is split between an operating service 
cost and a financing charge, which is the net of interest cost on pension 
scheme liabilities and expected return on plan assets. Actuarial gains 
and losses are recognised in full in the period in which they arise, in the 
statement of comprehensive income.

Payments to defined contribution pension schemes are charged as an 
expense as they fall due. Any contributions unpaid at the balance sheet 
date are included as an accrual as at that date. The Group has no further 
payment obligations once the contributions have been paid. 

Long	service	awards
The costs of long service awards are accrued over the period the service 
is provided by the employee.

Share-based	payments
The Group provides benefits to employees (including Directors) of 
the Group in the form of equity-settled and cash-settled share-based 
payment transactions, whereby employees render services in exchange 
for shares, rights over shares or the value of those shares in cash terms.

For equity-settled share-based payments the fair value of the employee 
services rendered is determined by reference to the fair value of the 
shares awarded or options granted, excluding the impact of any non-
market vesting conditions. All share options are valued using an option-
pricing model (Black-Scholes or Monte Carlo). This fair value is charged 
to the income statement over the vesting period of the share-based 
payment scheme. 

For cash-settled share-based payments the fair value of the employee 
services rendered is determined at each balance sheet date and the 
charge recognised through the income statement over the vesting 
period of the share-based payment scheme, with the corresponding 
increase in accruals. 

Financial	instruments
Financial	assets
The Group classifies its financial assets in the following categories: 
at fair value through profit or loss (‘FVTPL’), loans and receivables, 
and available-for-sale (‘AFS’). AFS investments are initially measured 
at fair value including transaction costs. Financial assets held at fair 
value through profit and loss are initially recognised at fair value and 
transaction costs are expensed.

‘Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss’ include financial 
assets held for trading and those designated at fair value through profit 
or loss at inception. Derivatives are classified as held for trading unless 
they are accounted for as an effective hedging instrument. ‘Financial 
assets at fair value through profit or loss’ are recorded at fair value, with 
any fair value gains or losses recognised in the income statement in the 
period in which they arise.

Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed 
or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. 
The Group has no intention of trading these loans and receivables. 
Subsequent to initial recognition at fair value plus transaction costs, 
these assets are carried at amortised cost less impairment using  
the effective interest method. Income from these financial assets  
is calculated on an effective yield basis and is recognised in the  
income statement.

Available-for-sale financial assets are non-derivatives that are 
either designated in this category or not classified in any of the 
other categories. They are included in non-current assets unless 
management intends to dispose of the investment within 12 months of 
the balance sheet date. Subsequent to initial recognition at fair value 
plus transaction costs, these assets are recorded at fair value with the 
movements in fair value recognised in other comprehensive income 
until the financial asset is derecognised or impaired at which time the 
cumulative gain or loss previously recognised in other comprehensive 
income is recognised in the income statement. Dividends on AFS 
equity instruments are recognised in the income statement when the 
entity’s right to receive payment is established. Interest on AFS debt 
instruments is recognised using the effective interest method.

Financial assets are derecognised when the rights to receive cash 
flows from the financial assets have expired or where the Group has 
transferred substantially all risks and rewards of ownership. 

The value of the charge is adjusted in the income statement over the 
remainder of the vesting period to reflect expected and actual levels  
of options vesting, with the corresponding adjustments made in equity 
and accruals.

Trade	receivables
Trade receivables are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently 
at amortised cost using the effective interest method less provision for 
impairment.

Foreign	currencies
Foreign	operations
On consolidation, assets and liabilities of foreign operations are 
translated into sterling at year-end exchange rates. The results of foreign 
operations are translated into sterling at average rates of exchange for 
the year. The functional currency of the Company is sterling.

Financial	liabilities
Interest-bearing bank loans and overdrafts are recorded initially at 
fair value, which is generally the proceeds received, net of direct issue 
costs. Subsequently, these liabilities are held at amortised cost using the 
effective interest method.

Exchange differences arising from the retranslation at year-end 
exchange rates of the net investment in foreign operations, less 
exchange differences on foreign currency borrowings or forward 
contracts which are in substance part of the net investment in a foreign 
operation, are taken to equity and are reported in the statement of 
comprehensive income.

Foreign	currency	transactions
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the 
exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and 
liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet date 
are translated at the exchange rate ruling at that date. Foreign exchange 
differences arising on translation are recognised in the income statement.

Finance charges, including premiums payable on settlement or 
redemption and direct issue costs are accounted for on an accrual basis 
in the income statement using the effective interest method and are 
added to the carrying amount of the instrument to the extent that they 
are not settled in the period in which they arise.

The fair value of the liability component of a convertible bond is 
determined using the market interest rate for an equivalent non-
convertible bond. This amount is recorded as a liability on an amortised 
cost basis until extinguished on conversion or maturity of the bonds. 
The remainder of the proceeds are allocated to the conversion option. 
This is recognised and included in shareholders’ equity, net of income 
tax effects and is not subsequently re-measured.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 77

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Notes to the financial statements continued

2	Accounting	policies	continued

Issue costs are apportioned between the liability and the equity 
components of the convertible bonds based on their carrying amounts 
at the date of issue. The portion relating to the equity component  
is charged directly against equity.

Trade	payables
Trade payables are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently  
at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Impairment	of	financial	assets
An assessment of whether there is objective evidence of impairment 
is carried out for all financial assets or groups of financial assets 
at the balance sheet date. This assessment may be of individual 
assets (‘individual impairment’) or of a portfolio of assets (‘collective 
impairment’). A financial asset or a group of financial assets is 
considered to be impaired if, and only if, there is objective evidence of 
impairment as a result of one or more events that occurred after the 
initial recognition of the asset (a ‘loss event’) and that loss event (or 
events) has an impact on the estimated future cash flows of the financial 
asset or group of financial assets that can be reliably estimated. 

For individual impairment the principal loss event is one or more missed 
payments, although other loss events can also be taken into account, 
including arrangements in place to pay less than the contractual 
payments, fraud and bankruptcy or other financial difficulty indicators. 
An assessment of collective impairment will be made of financial 
assets with similar risk characteristics. For these assets, portfolio loss 
experience is used to provide objective evidence of impairment.

Where there is objective evidence that an impairment loss exists on 
loans and receivables, impairment provisions are made to reduce the 
carrying value of financial assets to the present value of estimated 
future cash flows discounted at the financial asset’s original effective 
interest rate.

For financial assets carried at amortised cost, the charge to the income 
statement reflects the movement in the level of provisions made, 
together with amounts written off net of recoveries in the year.

In the case of equity investments classified as available-for-sale, a 
significant or prolonged decline in the fair value of the asset below 
its cost is considered in determining whether the asset is impaired. 
If any such evidence exists for available-for-sale financial assets, the 
cumulative loss is removed from equity and recognised in the income 
statement. The cumulative loss is measured as the difference between 
the acquisition cost and the current fair value, less any impairment loss 
on that financial asset previously recognised in the income statement.

Impairment losses recognised in the income statement on equity 
instruments are not reversed. If, in a subsequent period, the fair  
value of a debt instrument classified as available-for-sale increases  
and the increase can be objectively related to an event occurring  
after the impairment loss was recognised in the income statement,  
the impairment loss is reversed through the income statement.

Interest will continue to accrue on all financial assets, based on the 
written down balance. Interest is calculated using the rate of interest 
used to discount the future cash flows for the purpose of measuring  
the impairment loss. To the extent that a provision may be increased  
or decreased in subsequent periods, the recognition of interest will  
be based on the latest balance net of provision.

Fair	value	estimation
The methods and assumptions applied in determining the fair values  
of financial assets and financial liabilities are disclosed in note 29. 

78	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Derivative	financial	instruments	and	hedge	accounting
All derivative financial instruments are initially measured at fair value 
on the contract date and are also measured at fair value at subsequent 
reporting dates.

Hedge relationships are classified as cash flow hedges where the 
derivative financial instruments hedge the exchange rate risk of future 
highly probable inventory purchases denominated in foreign currency. 
Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that are 
designated and effective as hedges of future cash flows are recognised 
directly in other comprehensive income and the ineffective portion 
is recognised immediately in the income statement. If the cash flow 
hedge of a firm commitment or forecasted transaction results in the 
recognition of a non-financial asset or liability, then, at the time the 
asset or liability is recognised, the associated gains or losses on the 
derivative that had previously been recognised in other comprehensive 
income are included in the initial measurement of the asset or liability.

Hedge relationships are classified as fair value hedges where the 
derivative financial instruments hedge the change in the fair value of 
a financial asset or liability due to movements in interest rates. The 
changes in fair value of the hedging instrument are recognised in the 
income statement.

The hedged item is also adjusted for changes in fair value attributable  
to the hedged risk, with the corresponding adjustment made in the 
income statement.

To qualify for hedge accounting, the Group documents at the inception 
of the hedge, the hedging risk management strategy, the relationship 
between the hedging instrument and the hedged item or transaction 
and the nature of the risks being hedged. The Group also documents  
the assessment of the effectiveness of the hedging relationship, to show 
that the hedge has been and will be highly effective on an ongoing basis. 

Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that do not 
qualify for hedge accounting are recognised in the income statement as 
finance income or costs as they arise.

Hedge accounting is discontinued when the hedging instrument expires 
or is sold, terminated, or exercised, or no longer qualifies for hedge 
accounting. At that time, any cumulative gain or loss on the hedging 
instrument recognised in other comprehensive income is retained in 
equity until the forecasted transaction occurs. If a hedged transaction is 
no longer expected to occur, the net cumulative gain or loss recognised 
in other comprehensive income is transferred to the income statement 
for the period.

Offsetting	financial	instruments
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amount reported  
in the balance sheet when there is a legally enforceable right to offset 
the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net 
basis, or realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

(c)	Judgements	and	estimates
The Group makes judgements and assumptions concerning the future 
that impact the application of policies and reported amounts. The 
resulting accounting estimates calculated using these judgements and 
assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results 
but are based on historical experience and expectations of future events. 

The judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a 
significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements 
are discussed below. 

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Notes to the financial statements continued

2	Accounting	policies	continued

Goodwill	impairment
The Group is required to assess whether goodwill has suffered any 
impairment loss, based on the recoverable amount of its CGUs. The 
recoverable amounts of the CGUs have been determined based on value 
in use calculations and these calculations require the use of estimates  
in relation to future cash flows and suitable discount rates as disclosed 
in note 12. Actual outcomes could vary from these estimates. 

Impairment	of	assets
Financial and non-financial assets are subject to impairment reviews 
based on whether current or future events and circumstances suggest 
that their recoverable amount may be less than their carrying value. 
Recoverable amount is based on a calculation of expected future 
cash flows using suitable discount rates and includes management 
assumptions and estimates of future performance. 

Post-employment	benefits
The Group operates a defined benefit scheme for its employees. The 
present value of the scheme’s liabilities recognised at the balance sheet 
date is dependent on interest rates of high quality corporate bonds. The 
net financing charge recognised in the income statement is dependent 
on the interest rate of high quality corporate bonds and an expectation 
of the weighted average returns on the assets within the scheme. Other 
key assumptions within this calculation are based on market conditions 
or estimate of future events, including mortality rates, as set out in 
note 30.

Provisions
Provisions have been made for onerous leases, dilapidations, and 
disposal costs. These provisions are estimates and the actual costs 
and timing of future cash flows are dependent on future events. Any 
difference between expectations and the actual future liability will be 
accounted for in the period when such determination is made. Details  
of provisions are set out in note 22.

Income	taxes
The Group recognises expected liabilities for tax based on an estimation 
of the likely taxes due, which requires significant judgement as to the 
ultimate tax determination of certain items. Where the actual liability 
arising from these issues differs from these estimates, such differences 
will have an impact on income tax and deferred tax provisions in the 
period when such determination is made. Detail of the tax charge and 
deferred tax are set out in notes 8 and 21 respectively.

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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 79

 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

3	Non–GAAP	performance	measures
Certain items recognised in reported profit before tax can vary significantly from year to year and therefore create volatility in reported earnings 
which does not reflect the Group’s underlying performance. The Directors believe that the ‘underlying profit before tax’ (‘UPBT’) and ‘underlying 
diluted and basic earnings per share’ measures presented provide a clear and consistent presentation of the underlying performance of Sainsbury’s 
ongoing business for shareholders. Underlying profit is not defined by IFRS and therefore may not be directly comparable with the ‘adjusted’ profit 
measures of other companies. The adjusted items are:

• Profit/loss on disposal of properties; 
• Investment property fair value movements – these reflect the difference between the fair value of an investment property at the reporting date 

and its carrying amount at the previous reporting date;

• Financing fair value movements – these are fair value gains and losses on non–derivative financial assets and liabilities carried at amortised cost, 

on derivatives relating to financing activities and on hedged items in fair value hedges;

• Impairment of goodwill;
• The financing element of IAS 19 ‘Employee Benefits’; and
• One–off items – these are items which are material and infrequent in nature and do not relate to the Group’s underlying performance.

The adjustments made to reported profit before tax to arrive at underlying profit before tax are:

Underlying	profit	before	tax

Profit on disposal of properties1
Investment property fair value movements
Financing fair value movements2
IAS 19 pension financing credit
One–off items 

Total	adjustments

Profit	before	tax

2012	
£m

712

83
–
(16)
17
3

87

799

2011
£m

665

108
39
7
3
5

162

827

1 Profit on disposal of properties for the financial year comprised of £82 million for the Group (2011: £108 million) and £1 million for the property joint ventures (2011: £nil).
2 Financing fair value movements for the financial year comprised a £(11) million loss for the Group (2011: £10 million gain) and £(5) million loss for the joint ventures (2011: £(3) million loss).

One–off	items
The £3 million one–off item relates to the release of a provision in respect of the Office of Fair Trading dairy inquiry which was settled in full in 
October 2011. The £5 million one–off item in the prior financial year relates to the release of a disposal provision which was no longer required. 

Both of these items were initially recorded as one-off items outside underlying profit before tax.

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4	Segment	reporting
The Group’s businesses are organised into three operating segments: 

• Retailing (Supermarkets and Convenience);
• Financial services (Sainsbury’s Bank joint venture); and
• Property investments (The British Land Company PLC joint venture and Land Securities PLC joint venture).

Management have determined the operating segments based on the information provided to the Operating Board (the Chief Operating Decision 
Maker for the Group) to make operational decisions on the management of the Group. All material operations and assets are in the UK. The business 
of the Group is not subject to highly seasonal fluctuations although there is an increase in trading in the period leading up to Christmas. 

The Group has continued to include additional voluntary disclosure analysing the Group’s Financial services and Property investment joint ventures 
into separate reportable segments.

Revenue from operating segments is measured on a basis consistent with the income statement. All revenue is generated by the sale of goods  
and services.

Segment results, assets and liabilities include items directly attributable to a segment as well as those that can be allocated on a reasonable basis. 
Segment capital expenditure is the total cost incurred during the period to acquire segment assets that are expected to be used for more than  
one period. 

The Operating Board assesses the performance of all segments on the basis of underlying profit before tax. The reconciliation provided below 
reconciles underlying operating profit from each of the segments disclosed to profit before tax.

80	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
Notes to the financial statements continued

4	Segment	reporting	continued

52	weeks	to	17	March	2012

Segment	revenue

Underlying	operating	profit
Underlying finance income
Underlying finance costs
Underlying share of post–tax profit from joint ventures

Underlying	profit	before	tax
Profit on disposal of properties
Financing fair value movements
IAS 19 pension financing credit
One–off item

Profit	before	tax
Income tax expense

Profit	for	the	financial	period

Assets
Investment in joint ventures

Segment	assets

Segment	liabilities

Other	segment	items
Capital expenditure1
Depreciation expense
Amortisation expense
Share–based payments

Retailing
£m

22,294

789
18
(127)
–

680
82
(11)
17
3

771

11,774
–

11,774

(6,711)

1,287
486
13
27

1 Capital expenditure consists of property, plant and equipment additions of £1,265 million and intangibles additions of £22 million.

52 weeks to 19 March 2011

Segment revenue

Underlying operating profit
Underlying finance income
Underlying finance costs
Underlying share of post–tax profit from joint ventures

Underlying profit before tax
Profit on disposal of properties
Investment property fair value movements
Financing fair value movements
IAS 19 pension financing credit
One–off item

Profit before tax
Income tax expense

Profit for the financial period

Assets
Investment in joint ventures

Segment assets

Segment liabilities

Other segment items
Capital expenditure2
Depreciation expense
Amortisation expense
Share–based payments

Retailing
£m

21,102

738
19
(116)
–

641
108
–
10
3
5

767

10,897
–

10,897

(5,975)

1,319
468
14
35

2 Capital expenditure consists of property, plant and equipment additions of £1,297 million and intangibles additions of £22 million. 

Financial	
services
£m

Property	
investments
£m

–

–
–
–
16

16
–
–
–
–

16

–
134

134

–

–
–
–
–

–

–
–
–
16

16
1
(5)
–
–

12

–
432

432

–

–
–
–
–

Financial 
services
£m

Property 
investments
£m

–

–
–
–
11

11
–
–
–
–
–

11

–
115

115

–

–
–
–
–

–

–
–
–
13

13
–
39
(3)
–
–

49

–
387

387

–

–
–
–
–

Group
£m

22,294

789
18
(127)
32

712
83
(16)
17
3

799
(201)

598

11,774
566

12,340

(6,711)

1,287
486
13
27

Group
£m

21,102

738
19
(116)
24

665
108
39
7
3
5

827
(187)

640

10,897
502

11,399

(5,975)

1,319
468
14
35

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 81

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Notes to the financial statements continued

5	Operating	profit

Operating profit is stated after charging/(crediting) the following items:
Employee costs (note 7)
Depreciation expense (note 11)
Amortisation expense (note 12)
Profit on disposal of properties (note 3)
Operating lease rentals – land and buildings

– other leases
– sublease payments received

Foreign exchange (gains)/losses
One–off items (note 3)

Group 

Auditors’	remuneration

Audit	and	audit	related	services
Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of the Group and the Company financial statements
Audit of the Company’s subsidiaries pursuant to legislation
Audit related services pursuant to legislation

Non–audit	services
Fees payable to the Company’s auditor and its associates for other services

6	Finance	income	and	finance	costs

Interest on bank deposits and other financial assets
Financing fair value gains1
IAS 19 pension financing credit (note 30)

Finance	income

Borrowing costs:

Secured borrowings
Unsecured borrowings
Obligations under finance leases
Provisions – amortisation of discount (note 22)
Other

Other finance costs:

Interest capitalised – qualifying assets
Financing fair value losses 1

2012
£m

2,173
486
13
(82)
426
55
(29)
(6)
(3)

2012
£m

0.2
0.5
0.1

0.8

0.1

0.9

2012
£m

18
–
17

35

(108)
(46)
(5)
(2)
(1)

(162)

35
(11)

24

2011
£m

2,119
468
14
(108)
405
57
(33)
5
(5)

2011
£m

0.2
0.5
0.1

0.8

0.2

1.0

2011
£m

19
10
3

32

(97)
(39)
(4)
(3)
–

(143)

27
–

27

Finance	costs

(138)

(116)

1  Fair value gains and losses relate to fair value adjustments on non–derivative financial assets and liabilities carried at amortised cost and on derivatives relating to financing activities and hedged 

items in fair value hedges.

82	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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Notes to the financial statements continued

7	Employee	costs

Employee costs for the Group during the year amounted to:

Wages and salaries, including bonus and termination benefits 
Social security costs
Pension costs – defined contribution schemes
Pension costs – defined benefit scheme (note 30)
Share–based payments expense (note 31)

The average number of employees, including Directors, during the year were:

Full–time
Part–time

Full–time equivalent

Details of key management compensation can be found in note 32 and within the Remuneration report on pages 52 to 65.

2012
£m

1,923
124
39
60
27

2,173

2011
£m

1,859
132
37
56
35

2,119

Number
000’s

Number
000’s

48.8
103.2

152.0

101.9

48.1
100.3

148.4

99.3

8	Income	tax	expense

Current tax expense:

Current year
Over provision in prior years

Deferred tax expense:

Origination and reversal of temporary differences
Under provision in prior years
Effect of change in tax rate

Total	deferred	tax	(note	21)

Total	income	tax	expense	in	income	statement

2012
£m

105
(28)

77

110
20
(6)

124

201

The effective tax rate of 25.2 per cent (2011: 22.6 per cent) is lower than (2011: lower than) the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK.  
The differences are explained below:

Profit before taxation
Income tax at UK corporation tax rate of 26.07% (2011: 28.0%) 
Effects of underlying items:

Disallowed depreciation on UK properties
Over provision in prior years
Revaluation of deferred tax balances
Other

Effects of non-underlying items:

Profit on disposal of properties
Investment property fair value movements
Revaluation of tax balances
Under provision in prior years
Other

Total	income	tax	expense	in	income	statement 

2012
£m

799
208

30
(12)
(17)
(1)

(23)
–
11
4
1

201

2011
£m

214
(51)

163

9
15
–

24

187

2011
£m

827
232

28
(35)
(7)
1

(27)
(11)
7
–
(1)

187

On 23 March 2011, the Chancellor announced that the main rate of UK corporation tax would reduce from 28.0 per cent to 26.0 per cent for the 
financial year commencing 1 April 2011 and to 25.0 per cent with effect from 1 April 2012.  The change to 25.0 per cent was substantively enacted  
on 5 July 2011 and hence the effect of the change on the deferred tax balances has been included in the figures above.

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8	Income	tax	expense	continued

In addition to this, a number of further changes to the UK corporation tax system were announced in the 21 March 2012 UK Budget Statement.  
A resolution passed by Parliament on 26 March 2012 reduced the main rate of corporation tax to 24.0 per cent from 1 April 2012. Legislation to reduce 
the main rate of corporation tax from 24.0 per cent to 23.0 per cent from 1 April 2013 is expected to be included in the Finance Act 2012. Further 
reductions to the main rate are proposed to reduce the rate by one per cent per annum to 22.0 per cent by 1 April 2014. None of these expected rate 
reductions had been substantively enacted at the balance sheet date and, therefore, their effect is not included in the financial statements.

The effect of a one per cent reduction in the corporation tax rate on the deferred tax balances at the balance sheet date would reduce the deferred 
tax liability by £11 million which is primarily recognised in other comprehensive income.

As part of the funding plan agreed with the Pension Scheme’s Trustees, in June 2010 Sainsbury’s established the Sainsbury’s Property Scottish 
Partnership with the Scheme and properties with a value of £757 million were transferred to the Partnership. The Government recently announced 
law changes in relation to such asset backed pension contributions. Draft legislation published in November 2011 and amended in February and March 
2012 which is expected to be included in Finance Act 2012, restricts the relief to the total amount of payments an employer makes to the pension 
scheme directly or through the Partnership. These changes have not been substantively enacted so have not been included in the figures above.

Income tax charged or (credited) to equity and / or other comprehensive income during the year is as follows:

52	weeks	to	17	March	2012
Current tax recognised in equity 
Deferred tax recognised in equity
Revaluation of deferred tax balances

Income tax charged/(credited) to equity

52 weeks to 19 March 2011
Current tax recognised in equity 
Deferred tax recognised in equity
Revaluation of deferred tax balances

Income tax (credited)/charged to equity

Share 
based 
payments
£m

Pension 
scheme
£m

Fair value 
movements
£m

–
1
–

1

(1)
(1)
–

(2)

(58)
–
(10)

(68)

–
8
(5) 

3

(1)
2
(3)

(2)

1
3
(1) 

3

Total
£m

(59)
3
(13)

(69)

–
10
(6)

4

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t
a
t
S

The current and deferred tax in relation to the Group’s defined benefit pension scheme’s actuarial gains and losses and available for sale fair value 
movements have been charged or credited through other comprehensive income.

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Notes to the financial statements continued

9	Earnings	per	share
Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary 
shares in issue during the year, excluding those held by the Employee Share Ownership Plan trusts (note 25), which are treated as cancelled.

For diluted earnings per share, the earnings attributable to the ordinary shareholders are adjusted by the interest on the convertible bonds  
(net of tax). The weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue is adjusted to assume conversion of all potentially dilutive ordinary shares. 
These represent share options granted to employees where the exercise price is less than the average market price of the Company’s ordinary 
shares during the year and the number of shares that would be issued if all convertible bonds are assumed to be converted.

Underlying earnings per share is provided by excluding the effect of any profit or loss on disposal of properties, investment property fair value 
movements, impairment of goodwill, financing fair value movements, IAS 19 pension financing element and one–off items that are material and 
infrequent in nature. This alternative measure of earnings per share is presented to reflect the Group’s underlying trading performance.

All operations are continuing for the periods presented.

Weighted average number of shares in issue
Weighted average number of dilutive share options
Weighted average number of dilutive convertible bonds

Total number of shares for calculating diluted earnings per share 

Profit for the financial period
Add interest on convertible bonds, net of tax

Diluted earnings for calculating diluted earnings per share

Profit for the financial period attributable to equity holders of the parent
(Less)/add (net of tax):

Profit on disposal of properties
Investment property fair value movements
Financing fair value movements
IAS 19 pension financing credit
One–off items
Revaluation of deferred tax balances 

Underlying profit after tax
Add interest on convertible bonds, net of tax

Diluted underlying profit after tax

Basic earnings
Diluted earnings
Underlying basic earnings
Underlying diluted earnings

2012
million

1,870.3
13.6
45.6

1,929.5

2011
million

1,858.7
16.9
45.4

1,921.0

£m

598
10

608

£m

598

(80)
–
13
(13)
(3)
11

526
10

536

£m

640
10

650

£m

640

(105)
(39)
(4)
(2)
(5)
7

492
10

502

pence
per share

pence
per share

32.0
31.5
28.1
27.8

34.4
33.8
26.5
26.1

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Notes to the financial statements continued

10	Dividend

Amounts recognised as distributions to equity holders in the year:

Final dividend of prior financial year
Interim dividend of current financial year

2012
pence
per	share

2011
pence
per share

10.80
4.50

15.30

10.20
4.30

14.50

2012
£m

201
84

285

2011 
£m

189
80

269

After the balance sheet date, a final dividend of 11.60 pence per share (2011: 10.80 pence per share) was proposed by the Directors in respect of the 
52 weeks to 17 March 2012, resulting in a total final proposed dividend of £218 million (2011: £201 million). The proposed final dividend has not been 
included as a liability at 17 March 2012. 

11	Property,	plant	and	equipment

Cost
At 20 March 2011
Additions
Disposals 

At	17	March	2012

Accumulated	depreciation	and	impairment
At 20 March 2011
Depreciation expense for the year
Disposals 

At	17	March	2012

Group
Land and 
buildings
£m

Group 
Fixtures and 
equipment
£m

Group
Total
£m

Company
Land and 
buildings
£m

8,460
742
(284)

8,918

1,398
137
(67)

1,468

5,105
523
(288)

13,565
1,265
(572)

5,340

14,258

3,383
349
(271)

3,461

4,781
486
(338)

4,929

45
2
(28)

19

3
–
(1)

2

17

–

45
36
–
(36)
–

45

3
–
–
–

3

42

–

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Net	book	value	at	17	March	2012

7,450

1,879

9,329

Capital	work–in–progress	included	above

364

137

501

Cost
At 21 March 2010
Additions
Acquisition of subsidiaries
Disposals 
Transfer to assets held for sale

At 19 March 2011

Accumulated	depreciation	and	impairment
At 21 March 2010
Depreciation expense for the year
Disposals 
Transfer to assets held for sale

At 19 March 2011

Net	book	value	at 19 March 2011

Capital	work–in–progress	included	above

7,927
749
61
(264)
(13)

8,460

1,309
138
(47)
(2)

1,398

5,129
487
–
(509)
(2)

5,105

3,544
330
(490)
(1)

3,383

13,056
1,236
61
(773)
(15)

13,565

4,853
468
(537)
(3)

4,781

7,062

1,722

8,784

380

102

482

Impairment of property, plant and equipment
In accordance with IAS 36 ‘Impairment of Assets’, property, plant and equipment is only tested for impairment in the event that a triggering event is 
identified. The Group has determined that for the purposes of impairment testing, following a triggering event, each store is a cash-generating unit 
(‘CGU’).

The recoverable amounts for the CGUs are based on value in use which is calculated on the cash flows expected to be generated by the units using 
the latest budget and forecast data, the results of which are reviewed by the Board. The key assumptions in the value in use calculation are the 
discount rate, growth rates and expected changes in margin. Changes in income and expenditure are based on past experience and expectations of 
future changes in the market. The forecasts are extrapolated beyond five years based on estimated long–term growth rates for the UK food retail 
sector. The discount rate is based on the Group’s pre–tax weighted average cost of capital of ten per cent (2011: ten per cent).

Non-store assets are also tested for impairment in the event that a triggering event is identified. When an impairment is required, the carrying value 
of the asset is compared to its value in use using a methodology consistent with that described above.

86	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

11	Property,	plant	and	equipment	continued

Interest capitalised
Interest capitalised included in additions amounted to £35 million (2011: £27 million) for the Group and £nil (2011: £nil) for the Company. 
Accumulated interest capitalised included in the cost of property, plant and equipment net of disposals amounted to £302 million (2011: £273 
million) for the Group and £nil (2011: £nil) for the Company. The capitalisation rate used to determine the amount of borrowing costs eligible for 
capitalisation is 5.7 per cent (2011: five per cent).

Security
Property, plant and equipment of 131 (2011: 130) supermarket properties, with a net book value of £2,288 million (2011: £2,323 million) has been 
pledged as security for the long–term financing (note 20).

In addition, property, plant and equipment of a further six supermarket properties, with a net book value of £68 million (2011: £69 million) has been 
pledged as security to underpin the residual value guarantee given by the Group with regards to 16 supermarket properties sold in March 2000 and 
ten supermarket properties sold in July 2000.

On 17 June 2010 property, plant and equipment comprising eight supermarket properties, with a net book value of £167 million were transferred  
to the Sainsbury’s Property Scottish Partnership (‘the partnership’). On 25 March 2011 a further 13 properties with a net book value of £345 million 
were transferred to the partnership (see note 30).

Analysis	of	assets	held	under	finance	leases	

Group

Cost
Accumulated depreciation and impairment

Net book value

12	Intangible	assets

Group

Cost
At 20 March 2011
Additions
Acquisition of subsidiaries 

At	17	March	2012

Accumulated	amortisation	and	impairment
At 20 March 2011
Amortisation expense for the year

At	17	March	2012

Net	book	value	at	17	March	2012

Cost
At 21 March 2010
Additions
Acquisition of subsidiaries
Disposals

At 19 March 2011

Accumulated	amortisation	and	impairment
At 21 March 2010
Amortisation expense for the year

At 19 March 2011

Net	book	value	at 19 March 2011

2012
Land	and	
buildings
£m

2012
Fixtures	and	
equipment
£m

50
(24)

26

15
(7)

8

2012
Total
£m

65
(31)

34

2011
Land and 
buildings
£m

2011
Fixtures and 
equipment
£m

48
(22)

26

15
(4)

11

Goodwill
£m

Computer 
software
£m

100
–
–

100

–
–

–

100

100
–
1
(1)

100

–
–

–

100

152
19
1

172

117
6

123

49

141
11
–
–

152

109
8

117

35

Other
£m

46
2
–

48

30
7

37

11

36
10
–
–

46

24
6

30

16

2011
Total
£m

63
(26)

37

Total
£m

298
21
1

320

147
13

160

160

277
21
1
(1)

298

133
14

147

151

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Notes to the financial statements continued

12	Intangible	assets	continued

Other intangibles are primarily comprised of pharmacy licences.

The goodwill balance above relates primarily to the Group’s acquisitions of Bells Stores Ltd, Jacksons Stores Ltd, JB Beaumont Ltd, SL Shaw Ltd, 
Culcheth Provision Stores Ltd, Town Centre Retail (Bicester) Ltd, SW Dewsbury Ltd and Portfolio Investments Ltd and is allocated to the respective 
cash–generating units (‘CGUs’) within the Retailing segment. The CGUs for this purpose are deemed to be the respective acquired retail chains  
of stores. The value of the goodwill was tested for impairment during the current financial year by means of comparing the recoverable amount  
of each CGU to the carrying value of its goodwill. 

To calculate the CGU’s value in use, Board approved cash flows for the following financial year are assumed to inflate at the long–term average 
growth rate for the UK food retail sector and are discounted at a pre–tax rate of ten per cent (2011: ten per cent) over a 25 year period. Changes  
in income and expenditure are based on past experience and expectations of future changes in the market. Based on the operating performance  
of the respective CGUs, no impairment loss was identified in the current financial year (2011: £nil). The valuations indicate sufficient headroom  
such that a reasonably possible change to key assumptions would not result in an impairment of the related goodwill. 

13	Investments	in	subsidiaries

Shares	in	subsidiaries	–	Company

Beginning of year
Additions
Disposal of subsidiaries
Provision for diminution in value of investment
Release of provision for diminution in value of investment

End	of	year

The Company’s principal operating subsidiaries, all of which are directly owned by the Company, are:

JS Insurance Ltd
JS Information Systems Ltd
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd

2012	
£m

 2011 
£m

7,309
32
(56)
(1)
1

7,285

7,276
35
– 
(4)
2

7,309

Share of ordinary 
allotted capital and 
voting rights

100%
100%
100%

Country of 
registration or
 incorporation 

Isle of Man
England
England

All principal operating subsidiaries operate in the countries of their registration or incorporation, and have been consolidated up to and as at 
17 March 2012. The Company has taken advantage of the exemption in s410 of the Companies Act 2006 only to disclose a list comprising solely the 
principal subsidiaries. A full list of subsidiaries will be sent to Companies House with the next annual return.

During the year, a corporate simplification exercise resulted in the liquidation of a number of subsidiary companies of the Group with a carrying 
value of £56 million (2011: £nil).

During the year, a provision of £1 million was made against investments in subsidiaries where the carrying value exceeded the recoverable amount 
(2011: £4 million).

The Group has an interest in two partnerships, Sainsbury’s Property Scottish Partnership and Sainsbury’s Property Scottish Limited Partnership, 
which are fully consolidated into these Group accounts. The Group has taken advantage of the exemption conferred by Regulation 7 of the 
Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008 and has therefore not appended the accounts of these qualifying partnerships to these accounts. 
Separate accounts for these partnerships are not required to be, and have not been, filed at Companies House.

88	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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14	Investments	in	joint	ventures

At 20 March 2011
Share of retained profit:

Underlying profit after tax
Financing fair value movements
Share of profit on disposal of properties

Unrealised loss on disposal of properties
Realised profit on disposal of properties
Movements in other comprehensive income (note 24)

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Additions in year
Release of provision for diminution in value of investment
Share of retained profit:

Underlying profit after tax
Investment property fair value movements
Financing fair value movements

Dividends received
Unrealised profit on disposal of properties
Movements in other comprehensive income (note 24)

At	19	March	2011

The Group’s principal joint ventures were:

The Harvest Limited Partnership (property investment)
BL Sainsbury Superstores Limited (property investment)
Sainsbury’s Bank plc (financial services)

Group 
share of 
post–
acquisition 
reserves
£m

69

32
(5)
1

28

20
12
4

 Group 
shares at 
cost
£m 

433

–
–
–

–

–
–
–

Group 
Total
£m

502

32
(5)
1

28

20
12
4

433

133

566

431
2
–

–
–
–

–

–
–
–

433

18
–
1

24
39
(3)

60

(1)
(13)
4

69

449
2
1

24
39
(3)

60

(1)
(13)
4

Company 
shares 
at cost 
£m

91

–
–
–

–

–
–
–

91

91
–
–

–
–
–

–

–
–
–

502

91

Year–end

31 March
31 March
31 December

Share	of	ordinary	
allotted	capital

50%
50%
50%

Country	of	
registration	or	
incorporation	

England
England
England

Where relevant, management accounts for the joint ventures have been used to include the results up to 17 March 2012. The Group’s share of the 
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of its principal joint ventures are detailed below:

Non–current assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Non–current liabilities

Net assets

Income
Expenses
Investment property fair value movements

Profit after tax

Investments in joint ventures at 17 March 2012 include £5 million of goodwill (2011: £5 million).

2012
£m

1,526
1,471
(1,549)
(887)

561

201
(173)
–

28

2011
£m

1,487
1,767
(1,848)
(909)

497

196
(175)
39

60

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15	Available–for–sale	financial	assets

Non–current
Unlisted equity investments
Interest bearing financial assets
Other financial asset

Group
2012
£m

1
31
146

178

Group
2011
£m

–
36
140

176

Company
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

–
31
–

31

–
36
–

36

The other financial asset represents the Group’s beneficial interest in a commercial property investment pool. The fair value of the other financial 
asset is based on discounted cash flows assuming a property rental growth rate of three per cent (2011: 3.2 per cent) and a weighted average cost 
of capital of ten per cent (2011: ten per cent). There were no disposals or impairment provisions on available–for–sale financial assets in either the 
current or the previous financial year (see note 28 for sensitivity analysis).

16	Inventories

Goods held for resale
Development properties

2012
£m

916
22

938

2011
£m

812
–

812

The amount of inventories recognised as an expense and charged to cost of sales for the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012 was £17,000 million (2011: 
£16,053 million). 

17	Trade	and	other	receivables

Non–current
Amounts owed by Group entities
Other receivables

Current
Trade receivables
Amounts owed by Group entities
Other receivables 

Prepayments and accrued income

Group
2012
£m

–
38

38

110
–
115

225
61

286

Group
2011
£m

Company
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

–
36

36

93
–
188

281
62

343

1,277
35

1,312

–
1,076
20

1,096
3

1,099

1,146
35

1,181

–
1,045
20

1,065
4

1,069

Non–current other receivables of £38 million (2011: £36 million) comprise £5 million of floating rate subordinated undated loan capital  
(2011: £5 million) and £30 million of floating rate subordinated dated loan capital due from Sainsbury’s Bank (2011: £30 million) (note 32). 

Trade receivables are non–interest bearing and are on commercial terms. Current other receivables are generally non–interest bearing, other than 
the £20 million of floating rate subordinated undated loan capital due from Sainsbury’s Bank (2011: £20 million) (note 32) and also include a fixed 
term interest–bearing deposit of £nil (2011: £40 million). The carrying amounts of trade and other receivables are denominated in sterling.

The Group’s exposure to credit risk arising from its retail operations is minimal given that the customer base is large and unrelated and that the 
overwhelming majority of customer transactions are settled through cash or secure electronic means. New parties wishing to obtain credit terms 
with the Group are credit checked prior to invoices being raised and credit limits are determined on an individual basis. 

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17	Trade	and	other	receivables	continued

Major counterparties are identified as follows:

Trade receivables
Other receivables
Related parties

2012
Number	of
counterparties

2
1
1

2012
Balance
£m

28
16
56

2011
Number of
counterparties

3
2
1

2011
Balance
£m

34
58
56

Significant trade receivables identified above relate to amounts receivable from credit card companies and balances due from external suppliers. 

At 17 March 2012, significant other receivables identified were amounts due from the National Health Service of £16 million (2011: £18 million) and  
in the prior year, an interest–bearing deposit of £40 million.

Related party receivables are from the Group’s joint venture, Sainsbury’s Bank. Loans are approved by the Investment Committee and are 
determined by the Financial Services Authority’s capital funding requirements.

No major counterparty balances are considered overdue or impaired.

18	Non–current	assets	held	for	sale
There were no non–current assets held for sale in the current year. In prior year, there were £13 million of non–current assets relating to properties 
held in the Retailing segment. Sale of these assets occurred during the current financial year.

19	Trade	and	other	payables

Current
Trade payables
Amounts owed to Group entities
Other payables
Accruals and deferred income

Non–current
Amounts owed to Group entities
Other payables
Accruals and deferred income

Group	
2012	
£m

Group
2011
£m

Company
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

1,903
–
580
257

2,740

–
–
137

137

1,836
–
511
250

2,597

–
3
117

120

–
4,442
52
–

4,494

874
–
–

874

–
4,421
22
–

4,443

861
–
–

861

The Group’s policy on payment of creditors is to agree terms of payment prior to commencing trade with a supplier and to abide by those terms  
on the timely submission of satisfactory invoices. 

Deferred income relates to the accounting for leases with fixed rental increases and lease incentives on a straight–line basis over the term  
of the lease.

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Notes to the financial statements continued

20	Borrowings

Group

Secured loans:

Loan due 2018
Loan due 2031
Unsecured loans:

Bank overdrafts
Bank loan due 2012
Bank loan due 2014
Bank loans due 2015
Bank loans due 2016
Bank loans due 2017
Convertible bond due 2014
Other loans due 2015
Finance lease obligations

Total	borrowings

Company

Bank loan due 2012
Bank loan due 2014
Bank loans due 2015
Bank loans due 2016
Bank loans due 2017
Convertible bond due 2014
Other loans due 2015

Total	borrowings

2012
Current
£m

2012
Non–current
£m

2012
Total
£m

2011
Current
£m

2011
Non–current
£m

41
14

–
50
–
23
1
–
2
–
19

1,028
860

1,069
874

–
–
25
230
42
108
177
23
124

–
50
25
253
43
108
179
23
143

150

2,617

2,767

40
10

1
–
–
20
–
–
–
–
3

74

1,047
860

–
50
–
152
–
–
176
–
54

2011
Total
£m

1,087
870

1
50
–
172
–
–
176
–
57

2,339

2,413

2012
Current
£m

2012
Non–current
£m

50
–
19
1
–
2
–

72

–
25
190
42
108
177
23

565

2012
Total
£m

50
25
209
43
108
179
23

637

2011
Current
£m

2011
Non–current
£m

–
–
17
–
–
–
–

17

50
–
112
–
–
176
–

338

2011
Total
£m

50
–
129
–
–
176
–

355

s
t
n
e
m
e
t
a
t
S

l

a
i
c
n
a
n
F

i

Secured	loans
Secured loans are secured on 131 (2011: 130) supermarket properties (note 11) and comprise loans from two finance companies:
• a fixed rate amortising loan with an outstanding principal value of £1,036 million (2011: £1,069 million) at a weighted average rate of 4.98 per cent 
stepping up to 5.36 per cent from April 2013 with an effective interest rate of 5.28 per cent and carrying amount of £1,069 million (2011: £1,087 
million) with a final repayment date of July 2018; and

• an inflation linked amortising loan with an outstanding principal value of £843 million (2011: £840 million) at a fixed real rate of 2.36 per cent 

where principal and interest are uplifted annually by RPI subject to a cap at five per cent and floor at nil per cent with a carrying amount of £874 
million (2011: £870 million) with a final repayment date of April 2031. 

The Group has entered into interest rate swaps to convert £211 million (2011: £211 million) of the £1,036 million (2011: £1,069 million) loan due 2018 
from fixed to floating rates of interest. These transactions have been accounted for as fair value hedges (note 29). In previous years, £572 million 
of swaps accounted for as fair value hedges were de–designated from their fair value hedging relationship. The fair value adjustment of the debt 
previously hedged by these swaps will be amortised over the remaining life of the loans, resulting in an amortisation charge to the income statement 
in the current financial year of £1 million (2011: £1 million). 

In September 2011, the Group entered into inflation linked swaps to convert £250 million (2011: £nil) of the £843 million (2011: £840 million) loan due 
2031 from RPI linked interest to fixed rate interest for the period from April 2012 to April 2017. These transactions have been accounted for as cash 
flow hedges.

Bank	overdrafts
Bank overdrafts are repayable on demand and bear interest at a spread above bank base rate.

Bank	loan	due	2012
A £50 million loan due May 2012 at floating rates of interest subject to a cap.

Bank	loan	due	2014
A £25 million loan due July 2014 at floating rates of interest.

Bank	loans	due	2015
A £72 million loan due May 2015 at floating rates of interest; a £20 million loan due March 2015 at floating rates of interest; a £40 million loan due 
May 2015 at floating rates of interest subject to a cap; a €50 million loan due March 2015 at floating rates of interest swapped into a £45 million 
floating rate loan; a US$69 million loan due March 2015 at floating rates of interest swapped into a £44 million floating rate loan and a €40 million 
loan due March 2015 at floating rates of interest swapped into a £34 million floating rate loan. 

92	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
Notes to the financial statements continued

20	Borrowings	continued

Bank	loans	due	2016
A €50 million loan due September 2016 at floating rates of interest. The €50 million loan has been swapped into a £44 million floating rate loan via a 
cross currency swap.

Bank	loans	due	2017
A £45 million loan due February 2017 at floating rates of interest and a US$100 million loan due March 2017 at floating rates of interest. The US$100 
million loan has been swapped into a £63 million fixed rate loan via a cross currency swap. The US$100 million loan and associated cross currency 
swap have been accounted for as a cash flow hedge with fair value movements in future interest payments deferred through the cash flow hedge 
reserve.

Convertible	bond	due	2014
In July 2009, the Group issued £190 million of unsecured convertible bonds due July 2014. The bonds pay a coupon of 4.25 per cent payable semi–
annually. Each bond is convertible into ordinary shares of J Sainsbury plc at any time up to 9 July 2014 at a current conversion price of 413.0 pence. 

The £190 million of fixed rate convertible bonds have been swapped into floating rates of interest for the period to July 2012. These transactions 
have been accounted for as fair value hedges (note 29).

The net proceeds of the convertible bond have been split into a liability component of £166 million and an equity component of £24 million.  
The equity component represents the fair value of the embedded option to convert the bond into ordinary shares of the Company.

Liability component as at the beginning of the financial period
Interest expense
Interest paid
Other1

Liability component as at the end of the financial period

1 Other relates to fair value movements and fees.

2012
£m

176
14
(8)
(3)

179

2011
£m

172
13
(8)
(1)

176

Other	loans	due	2015
Three institutional fixed rate loans due March 2015 totalling €28 million swapped into a £23 million floating rate loan. These transactions have been 
accounted for as fair value hedges (note 29).

Borrowing	facilities
The Group maintains a £690 million syndicated revolving credit facility maturing in October 2015 for standby liquidity purposes. At 17 March 2012, 
no advance had been made under the borrowing facility (2011: £nil) and all conditions precedent had been met as at that date.

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The facility incurs commitment fees at market rates and would provide funding at floating rates.

Obligations	under	finance	leases

Amounts payable under finance leases:

Within 1 year
Within 2 to 5 years inclusive

After 5 years

Less: future finance charges

Present value of lease obligations

Disclosed as:
Current
Non–current

S
t
a
t
e
m
e
n
t
s

Present	
value	of	
minimum	
lease	
payments
2012
£m

Present 
value of 
minimum 
lease 
payments
2011
£m

19
71
53

143

3
10
44

57

Minimum	
lease	
payments
2012
£m

Minimum 
lease 
payments
2011
£m

20
82
177

279

(136)

143

19
124

143

7
21
168

196

(139)

57

3
54

57

Finance leases have effective interest rates ranging from 3.80 per cent to 9.00 per cent (2011: 4.30 per cent to 9.00 per cent). The average 
remaining lease term is 72 years (2011: 62 years). 

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 93

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

21	Deferred	taxation	
The movements in deferred income tax assets and liabilities during the financial year, prior to the offsetting of the balances within the same tax 
jurisdiction, are shown below.

Group	

At 20 March 2011
(Charge)/credit to income statement
Charge to equity
Rate change adjustment to income 
statement
Rate change adjustment to equity

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
(Charge)/credit to income statement
(Charge)/credit to equity
Rate change adjustment to income 
statement
Rate change adjustment to equity

At 19 March 2011

Group	

Total deferred income tax liabilities
Total deferred income tax assets

Net	deferred	tax	liabilities

Company	

At 20 March 2011
Rate change adjustment to income statement

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Rate change adjustment to income statement 

At 19 March 2011

Company	

Total deferred income tax liabilities
Total deferred tax assets

Net	deferred	tax	assets

s
t
n
e
m
e
t
a
t
S

l

a
i
c
n
a
n
F

i

Accelerated	
capital	
allowances
£m

Capital		
losses
£m

Fair	value	
gains
£m

Other	
property
£m

Retirement	
benefit	
obligations
£m

Share-based	
payment
£m

(185)
(23)
–

15
–

(193)

(177)
(15)
–

7
–

(185)

53
9
–

(5)
–

57

49
5
–

(1)
–

53

Other
£m

(29)
(14)
–

3
–

(38)
–
(2)

–
3

(89)
(20)
–

8
–

(37)

(40)

(101)

(36)
–
(3)

–
1

(27)
(3)
–

1
–

(84)
(8)
–

3
–

(38)

(29)

(89)

99
(79)
–

(14)
10

16

118
(7)
(8)

(9)
5

99

17
(3)
(1)

(1)
–

12

13
4
1

(1)
–

17

2012
£m

(371)
85

(286)

Capital		
losses	
£m

Fair	value	
losses
£m

Other	
property
£m

34
(2)

32

35
(1)

34

1
–

1

1
–

1

(34)
2

(32)

(35)
1

(34)

2012
£m

(32)
33

1

Total
£m

(172)
(130)
(3)

6
13

(286)

(144)
(24)
(10)

–
6

(172)

2011
£m

(341)
169

(172)

Total
£m

1
–

1

1
–

1

2011
£m

(34)
35

1

Deferred income tax assets have been recognised in respect of all income tax losses and other temporary differences giving rise to deferred income 
tax assets because it is probable that these assets will be recovered. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are only offset where there is a legally 
enforceable right of offset and there is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis.

94	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
	
	
 
	
Notes to the financial statements continued

22	Provisions

At 20 March 2011
Charge/(credit) to income statement:

Additional provisions
Unused amounts reversed
Utilisation of provision
Amortisation of discount

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Charge/(credit) to income statement:

Additional provisions
Unused amounts reversed
Utilisation of provision
Amortisation of discount

At	19	March	2011

Disclosed as:
Current
Non-current

Group 
onerous 
leases
£m

Group 
disposal 
provisions
£m

Group 
long service 
awards
£m

49

11
(7)
(7)
2

48

49

13
(1)
(15)
3

49

17

–
–
–
–

17

23

–
(5) 
(1)
–

17

7

–
–
–
–

7

7

–
–
–
–

7

Group	
total
£m

73

11
(7)
(7)
2

72

79

13
(6)
(16)
3

73

Group
2012
£m

9
63

72

Company 
onerous 
leases
£m

Company 
disposal 
provision
£m

3

–
–
(1)
–

2

3

2
–
(2)
–

3

17

–
–
–
–

17

22

–
(5)
–
–

17

Company	
total
£m

20

–
–
(1)
–

19

25

2
(5)
(2)
–

20

Group
2011
£m

Company
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

11
62

73

1
18

19

1
19

20

The onerous lease provision covers residual lease commitments of up to an average of 26 years (2011: 29 years), after allowance for existing or 
anticipated sublet rental income.

The disposal provisions relate to indemnities arising from the disposal of subsidiaries, the timing of utilisation of which is uncertain. 

Long service awards are accrued over the period the service is provided by the employee.

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23	Called	up	share	capital	and	share	premium	account

Group	and	Company		

Authorised	share	capital
Ordinary shares of 284/7 pence each (2011: 284/7 pence)
Preference B shares of 35 pence each (2011: 35 pence) 

Called	up	share	capital
Allotted and fully paid – ordinary shares

Share	premium	account
Share premium

The movements in the called up share capital and share premium accounts are set out below:

At 20 March 2011
Allotted in respect of share option schemes

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Allotted in respect of share option schemes

At 19 March 2011

S
t
a
t
e
m
e
n
t
s

2012
million

2011
million

2,450
2,100

2,450
2,100

2012
£m

700
735

2011
£m

700
735

1,883

1,871

538

535

1,061

1,048

Ordinary 
shares
million

1,871
12

1,883

1,860
11

1,871

Ordinary 
shares
£m

535
3

538

532
3

535

Share 
premium
account
£m

1,048
13

1,061

1,033
15

1,048

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 95

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

24	Capital	redemption	and	other	reserves

Group	

At 20 March 2011
Actuarial (losses) on defined benefit pension scheme  

(net of tax)

Available-for-sale financial assets fair value movements

(net of tax):
Group
Joint ventures (note 14)

Cash flow hedges effective portion of fair value movements 

(net of tax):

Joint ventures (note 14)

Amortisation of convertible bond equity component

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Actuarial gains on defined benefit pension scheme 

(net of tax)

Available-for-sale financial assets fair value movements

(net of tax):
Group
Joint ventures (note 14)

Cash flow hedges effective portion of fair value movements

(net of tax):
Group
Joint Venture (note 14)

Amortisation of convertible bond equity component

Capital 
redemption 
reserve
£m

680

–

–
–

–
–

680

680

–

–
–

–
–
–

Currency 
translation 
reserve
£m

Actuarial 
(losses)/
gains
£m

Available-
for-sale 
assets
£m

Cash flow 
hedge 
reserve
£m

Convertible 
bond 
reserve
£m

(1)

(322)

102

(9)

–

–
–

–
–

(1)

(1)

–

–
–

–
–
–

(154)

–
–

–
–

–

3
2

–
–

(476)

107

(348)

89

26

–
–

–
–
–

–

11
2

–
–
–

–

–
–

2
–

(7)

(3)

–

–
–

(8)
2
–

(9)

Total 
other 
reserves
£m

(213)

(154)

3
2

2
(5)

(365)

(242)

26

11
2

(8)
2
(4)

(213)

17

–

–
–

–
(5)

12

21

–

–
–

–
–
(4)

17

At 19 March 2011

680

(1)

(322)

102

s
t
n
e
m
e
t
a
t
S

l

a
i
c
n
a
n
F

i

Company

At 20 March 2011
Available-for-sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax)
Amortisation of convertible bond equity

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Available-for-sale financial assets fair value movements (net of tax)
Amortisation of convertible bond equity

At 19 March 2011

Capital 
redemption 
reserve
£m

Available-
for-sale 
assets
£m

Convertible 
bond 
reserve
£m

Total 
other 
reserves
£m

680
–
–

680

680
–
–

680

6
(4)
–

2

5
1
–

6

17
–
(5)

12

21
–
(4)

17

23
(4)
(5)

14

26
1
(4)

23

The capital redemption reserve arose on the redemption of B shares. Shareholders approved a £680 million return of share capital, by way  
of a B share scheme, at the Company’s Extraordinary General Meeting on 12 July 2004. The final redemption date for B Shares was 18 July 2007 
and all transactions relating to the B shares have now been completed.

Currency translation reserve represents the cumulative foreign exchange differences on the translation of the net assets of the Group’s foreign 
operations from their functional currency to the presentation currency of the parent.

The actuarial gains and losses reserve represents the actuarial gains and losses on the defined benefit pension scheme operated by the Group. 
The available-for-sale assets reserve represents the fair value gains and losses on the available-for-sale financial assets held by the Group. 
The cash flow hedge reserve represents the cumulative effective fair value gains and losses on cash flow hedges in the Group. 

The convertible bond reserve represents the equity component of the £190 million convertible bond issued in July 2009.

96	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

25	Retained	earnings

At 20 March 2011
Profit for the year
Dividends paid
Share-based payment (net of tax)
Allotted in respect of share option schemes
Utilised in respect of share option schemes
Amortisation of convertible bond equity

At	17	March	2012

At 21 March 2010
Profit for the year
Dividends paid
Share-based payment (net of tax)
Allotted in respect of share option schemes
Utilised in respect of share option schemes
Amortisation of convertible bond equity

At 19 March 2011

Group 
Own shares
£m

Group 
Profit and 
loss account
£m

Group 
Total retained 
earnings
£m

 Company 
Retained 
earnings 
£m

(22)
–
–
–
–
–
–

3,396
598
(285)
26
(3)
–
5

(22)

3,737

(22)
–
–
–
–
–
–

(22)

2,985
640
(269)
37
(1)
–
4

3,396

3,374
598
(285)
26
(3)
–
5

3,715

2,963
640
(269)
37
(1)
–
4

3,374

1,935
260
(285)
–
27
(2)
5

1,940

1,886
280
(269)
–
35
(1)
4

1,935

Own	shares	held	by	Employee	Share	Ownership	Plan	(‘ESOP’)	trusts
The Group owned 5,893,732 (2011: 6,099,104) of its ordinary shares of 284/7 pence nominal value each. At 17 March 2012, the total nominal value  
of the own shares was £2 million (2011: £2 million). 

All shares (2011: all shares) are held by an ESOP trust for the Executive Share Plans. The ESOP trusts waive the rights to the dividends receivable  
in respect of the shareholder under the above schemes. 

The cost of the own shares is deducted from equity in the Group financial statements. The market value of the own shares at 17 March 2012  
was £18 million (2011: £21 million). 

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a
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t
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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 97

 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

26	Notes	to	the	cash	flow	statements
a.	Reconciliation	of	operating	profit	to	cash	generated	from	operations

Profit before tax

Net finance costs
Share of post-tax profits of joint ventures (note 14)
Dividend income from subsidiaries

Operating profit
Adjustments for:

Depreciation expense
Amortisation expense
Profit on disposal of properties
Foreign exchange differences
Share-based payments expense
Retirement benefit obligations1
Liquidation of subsidiaries
Provision for diminution in value of investment

Operating cash flows before changes in working capital
Changes in working capital: 
Increase in inventories
Increase in trade and other receivables 
Increase in trade and other payables 
Decrease in provisions 

Cash	generated	from	operations

Group
2012
£m

799

103
(28)
–

874

486
13
(82)
(6)
27
(74)
–
–

1,238

(126)
–
182
(3)

1,291

Group
2011
£m

827

84
(60)
–

851

468
14
(108)
5
35
(49)
–
–

1,216

(110)
(64)
105
(9)

1,138

Company
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

246

(12)
–
(276)

(42)

–
–
(3)
–
–
–
45
–

–

–
(99)
31
–

(68)

320

(68)
–
(250)

2

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2

4

–
(535)
2
(6)

(535)

1  The adjustment for retirement benefit obligations reflects the difference between the service charge of £60 million (2011: £56 million) for the defined benefit scheme and the cash contributions of 

£134 million made by the Group to the defined benefit scheme (2011: £105 million). 

b.	Cash	and	cash	equivalents
For the purposes of the cash flow statements, cash and cash equivalents comprise the following:

s
t
n
e
m
e
t
a
t
S

Cash and cash equivalents
Bank overdrafts (note 20)

Net cash and cash equivalents

Group
2012
£m

739
–

739

Group
2011
£m

501
(1)

500

Company
2012
£m

408
–

408

Company
2011
£m

169
–

169

l

a
i
c
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a
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F

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98	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

27	Analysis	of	net	debt

Non-current	assets
Interest bearing available-for-sale financial assets
Derivative financial instruments

Current	assets
Cash and cash equivalents 
Interest bearing deposit
Derivative financial instruments

Current	liabilities
Bank overdrafts
Borrowings
Finance leases
Derivative financial instruments

Non-current	liabilities
Borrowings
Finance leases
Derivative financial instruments

Total	net	debt

Reconciliation	of	net	cash	flow	to	movement	in	net	debt

Net	debt	at	beginning	of	the	year
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Increase in interest bearing available-for-sale assets1
(Decrease)/increase in interest bearing financial asset
Net (increase)/decrease in borrowings1
Net increase in derivatives1
Net (increase)/decrease of obligations under finance leases
Fair value movements
Other non-cash movements

Net	debt	at	the	end	of	the	year

1 Excluding fair value movements.

2012
£m

31
37

68

739
–
69

808

–
(131)
(19)
(88)

(238)

(2,493)
(124)
(1)

(2,618)

(1,980)

2012
£m

(1,814)
239
–
(40)
(262)
–
(84)
(17)
(2)

(1,980)

2011 
£m

36
29

65

501
40
52

593

(1)
(70)
(3)
(59)

(133)

(2,285)
(54)
–

(2,339)

(1,814)

2011
£m

(1,549)
(334)
10
40
12
6
3
(4)
2

(1,814)

28	Financial	risk	management
The principal financial risks faced by the Group are liquidity, interest rate, foreign currency, commodity and counterparty risks.

Funding and financial risk management are managed by a central treasury department in accordance with policies and guidelines approved by 
the Board of Directors. The risk management policies are designed to minimise potential adverse effects on the Group’s financial performance by 
identifying financial exposures and setting appropriate risk limits and controls. The Finance Committee of the Board of Directors has delegated 
responsibility for approving specific financial transactions. The Treasury Committee, chaired by the Chief Financial Officer, regularly reviews risk 
positions and monitors Treasury performance. The Group Audit Committee oversees compliance with risk management policies and reviews the 
adequacy of the risk management framework in relation to the risks faced by the Group. The Group Audit Committee is assisted by Group Internal 
Audit who regularly review the Group’s risk management controls and procedures. 

The Group uses forward contracts to hedge foreign exchange and commodity risks, and interest rate swap contracts to hedge interest rate risks. 
The use of financial derivatives is governed by the Group’s treasury policies, as approved by the Board. The Group does not use derivative financial 
instruments for speculative purposes.

Treasury operations in respect of Sainsbury’s Bank are managed separately through Lloyds Banking Group, the Group’s joint venture partner.

Liquidity	risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group could be unable to meet its financial obligations as they fall due at a reasonable price.

The Group’s operational cash flow is largely stable and predictable, reflecting the low business risk profile of the food retail sector. Cash flow 
forecasts are produced regularly to assist management in identifying future liquidity requirements.

The Group’s liquidity policy targets a minimum funding headroom of £300 million in excess of forecast net debt over a rolling 12 month time  
horizon. The Group manages its liquidity risk by maintaining a core of long-dated borrowings, pre-funding future cash flow and holding adequate 
standby liquidity. 

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 99

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a
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Notes to the financial statements continued

28	Financial	risk	management	continued

The Group’s core funding comprise two long-term loans of £1,036 million due 2018 and £843 million due 2031 both secured on property assets.  
In addition the Group has unsecured bank loans totalling £476 million with maturities ranging from 2012 to 2017, unsecured institutional loans 
totalling £23 million maturing 2015, and a public issue-convertible bond totalling £190 million maturing in July 2014. The Group has also financed 
£87 million through the hire purchase facilities in respect of movable in-store assets for various periods to 2018. 

Short term and seasonal funding is sourced from the wholesale inter-bank money market where interest is charged at various spreads above LIBOR. 

The Group maintains a £690 million syndicated revolving credit facility due October 2015 for liquidity standby purposes. Interest on drawings under 
this facility is charged at a margin over LIBOR. There are £nil drawings under the facility as at 17 March 2012 (2011: £nil drawings). 

The table below analyses the Group’s financial liabilities into relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period at the balance sheet date to 
the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the tables are the contractual undiscounted cash flows or an estimate in respect of floating 
interest rate liabilities.

Group	

At	17	March	2012
Secured loans

Secured loan due 2018
Secured loan due 20311

Unsecured loans

Bank loan due 20122
Bank loan due 20142
Bank loans due 20152
Bank loans due 20162
Bank loans due 20172
Convertible bond due 2014
Other loans due 20152

Obligations under finance leases
Trade and other payables

At 19 March 2011
Secured loans

Secured loan due 2018
Secured loan due 20311

Unsecured loans

Notional overdraft
Bank loan due 20122
Bank loans due 20152
Convertible bond due 2014
Obligations under finance leases
Trade and other payables

Company	

At	17	March	2012
Bank loan due 20122
Bank loan due 20142
Bank loans due 20152
Bank loans due 20162
Bank loans due 20172
Convertible bond due 2014
Other loans due 20152
Amounts due to Group entities2
Other payables

At 19 March 2011
Bank loan due 20122
Bank loans due 20152
Convertible bond due 2014
Amounts due to Group entities2
Other payables

Less than 
one year
£m

One to 
two years
£m

Two to 
five years
£m

More than 
five years
£m

85
59

51
1
28
1
3
8
1
20
2,719

85
57

1
3
26
8
7
2,571

121
61

–
1
28
1
3
8
1
20
–

85
59

–
51
26
8
7
4

384
195

–
25
226
43
117
194
24
62
–

374
192

–
–
159
202
14
–

724
1,164

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
177
–

856
1,275

–
–
–
–
168
–

Less than 
one year
£m

One to 
two years
£m

Two to 
five years
£m

More than 
five years
£m

51
1
23
1
3
8
1
3,907
52

3
21
8
4,043
22

–
1
23
1
3
8
1
45
–

51
21
8
43
–

–
25
179
43
117
194
24
293
–

–
103
202
208
–

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
718
–

–
–
–
848
–

Assumptions:
1   Cash flows relating to debt linked to inflation rates have been calculated using a RPI of 5.0 per cent for the year ended 17 March 2012, 3.9 per cent for the years ended 2013 and 2014 and 3.3 per cent 

for future years (2011: RPI of 3.7 per cent for the year ended 19 March 2011, 5.0 per cent for the years ended 2012 and 2013 and 3.5 per cent for future years).

2 Cash flows relating to debt bearing a floating interest rate have been calculated using prevailing interest rates at 17 March 2012 and 19 March 2011. 

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28	Financial	risk	management	continued

The table below analyses the Group’s net settled derivative financial instruments into relevant maturity groupings based on the period remaining 
from the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the tables are the net contractual undiscounted cash flows.

At	17	March	2012
Commodity contracts:

Inflow

Interest rate swaps in a hedging relationship:

Inflow1

Other interest rate swaps:

Inflow/(outflow)

At 19 March 2011
Commodity contracts:

Inflow

Interest rate swaps in a hedging relationship:

Inflow1

Other interest rate swaps:

Inflow/(outflow)

Less than  
one year
£m

One to  
two years
£m

Two to  
five years
£m

More than  
five years
£m

2

9

4

6

4

1

1

7

4

–

3

1

–

19

13

–

4

4

–

8

(20)

–

5

(6)

Assumption:
1  The swap rate which matches the remaining term of the interest rate swap at 17 March 2012 has been used to calculate the floating rate cash flows over the life of the interest rate swaps shown above 

(2011: 19 March 2011).

The Group holds commodity contracts at fair values prevailing at the reporting dates. At 17 March 2012, £3 million gain relating to these financial 
instruments has been recognised in other comprehensive income (2011: gain of £5 million). 

The table below analyses the Group’s gross settled derivative financial instruments into relevant maturity groupings based on the period remaining 
from the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the tables are the contractual undiscounted cash flows.

At	17	March	2012
Forward foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedges:

Outflow
Inflow

Commodity contracts:

Outflow
Inflow

Cross currency swaps:

Outflow
Inflow

At 19 March 2011
Forward foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedges:

Outflow
Inflow

Commodity contracts:

Outflow
Inflow

Less than 
one year
£m

One to 
two years
£m

Two to 
five years
£m

More than 
five years
£m

(356)
354

(3)
3

(10)
9

(326)
319

(4)
4

(28)
28

(3)
3

(10)
9

(51)
50

(4)
4

(1)
1

(10)
11

(273)
265

–
–

(12)
13

–
–

(11)
13

–
–

–
–

(16)
19

The Group holds foreign exchange forward contracts, for which the inflow figures in the table above have been calculated by translating the foreign 
currency forward commitments at spot exchange rates prevailing at the reporting dates. At 17 March 2012, £3 million loss relating to these financial 
instruments has been recognised in other comprehensive income (2011: loss of £5 million).

Credit	risk
The Group is exposed to counterparty default or non-performance risk on its holdings of cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial assets, 
deposits with banks, investments in marketable securities and trade receivables. 

The Group credit policy limits investments to counter parties with minimum credit ratings of A1 from Standard & Poor’s and P1 from Moody’s 
Investors Service or, in the case of sterling liquidity funds, AAAm from Standard & Poor’s or Aaa/MR1+ from Moody’s Investors Service.

The Group deposits surplus funds directly with approved banks on the wholesale inter-bank money markets or with approved money market funds 
as pooled investments.

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28	Financial	risk	management	continued

Credit	risk	continued
The table below analyses the Group’s cash and cash equivalents by credit exposure excluding bank balances, store cash and cash in transit:

Counterparty	

Financial institutions – Money Market Funds
Financial institutions – Money Market Deposits
Financial institutions – Money Market Deposits

Short-term
rating

AAAm/Aaa
A1+/P1
A1/P1

2012
£m

509
–
2

2011
£m

205
15
40

Management does not expect any losses from non-performance of deposit counterparties.

Interest rate swaps, foreign exchange options, forward contracts and commodity contracts for difference are used by the Group to hedge interest 
rate, foreign currency and fuel exposures. The table below analyses the fair value of the Group’s derivative financial assets by credit exposure, 
excluding any collateral held.

Counterparty	

Interest rate swaps
Interest rate swaps 1
Interest rate swaps 1
FX forward contracts
FX forward contracts
Commodity contracts
Commodity contracts

1 Collateral held £43 million (2011: £11 million).

Short-term
rating

A1+/P1
A1/P1
A2/P1
A1+/P1
A1/P1
A1+/P1
A1/P1

2012
£m

–
64
34
–
1
2
–

2011
£m

1
67
–
1
2
4
2

Market	risk
(a)	Currency	risk
The Group is exposed to currency risk as a result of potential movements in exchange rates impacting supplier contracts denominated in currencies 
other than pound sterling. The Group also has limited exposure in respect of recognised foreign currency assets and liabilities.

The Group’s currency risk policy seeks to limit the impact of movements in exchange rates on Group income by requiring anticipated foreign 
currency cash flows primarily in US dollars and euros to be hedged. The future cash flows, which may be either contracted or un-contracted,  
are hedged between 80 per cent and 20 per cent using forward contracts and options.

The Group has limited exposure to currency risk on balances held on foreign currency denominated bank accounts, which may arise due to short-
term timing differences on maturing hedges and underlying supplier payments. 

The Group considers that a ten per cent movement in exchange rates against sterling is a reasonable measure of volatility. The impacts of these 
changes in exchange rates in US dollar and euros versus sterling at the balance sheet date with all other variables held constant is summarised  
in the following table:

USD/GBP
EUR/GBP

2012

2011

Change	in	
exchange	
rate	impact	
on	post-tax	
profit	
+/–10%
£m

Change	in	
exchange	
rate	impact	
on	cash	flow	
hedge	reserve	
+10%
£m	

Change	in	
exchange	
rate	impact	
on	cash	flow	
hedge	reserve	
–10%
£m	

Change in 
exchange 
rate impact 
on post-tax 
profit 
+/–20%
£m 

Change in 
exchange 
rate impact 
on cash flow 
hedge reserve 
+20%
£m

Change in 
exchange 
rate impact 
on cash flow 
hedge reserve 
–20%
£m 

1/(1)
1/(1)

(26)
(8)

32
10

2/(2)
1/(1)

(46)
(12)

71
18

(b)	Interest	rate	risk
The Group is exposed to interest rate risk on borrowings and deposits. The Group’s interest rate policy seeks to minimise the cost and volatility  
of the Group’s interest expense by maintaining a diversified portfolio of fixed rate, floating rate and inflation-linked liabilities. 

(i) Fair value sensitivity for fixed rate instruments
The Group holds £1,291 million of fixed rate debt (2011: £1,259 million), of which £424 million (2011: £401 million) has been swapped into floating rate 
debt using interest rate swaps. The remaining £867 million (2011: £858 million) portion of fixed rate debt is recorded at amortised cost and a change 
in interest rates at the reporting date would not affect the income statement. 

For the year, the fair value movement in the interest rate swaps has resulted in a credit to the income statement of £8 million (2011: £6 million). 
The fair value movement in the underlying fixed rate debt has resulted in a charge to the income statement of £10 million (2011: £3 million) which 
represents the ineffectiveness on the hedging relationship. 

(ii) Cash flow sensitivity for variable rate instruments
The Group holds £526 million of floating rate borrowings (2011: £686 million), comprising £485 million of floating rate swaps (2011: £461 million)  
and £41 million of floating rate debt (2011: £225 million). The Group also holds £542 million of interest bearing assets (2011: £301 million).  

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28	Financial	risk	management	continued

The Group considers that a 100 basis point increase is a reasonable measure of volatility. The sensitivity of these balances to changes of 100 basis 
points in the floating rate at the balance sheet date on post-tax profit is shown below. Where a decrease of 100 basis points would reflect a negative 
rate, the assumed rate is nil: 

Floating rate borrowings
Interest bearing assets

2012

2011

Change	in	
floating	rate	
+100	bps
£m	

Change	in	
floating	rate	
–100	bps
£m	

Change in 
floating rate 
+100 bps
£m 

Change in 
floating rate 
–100 bps
£m 

(14)
4

16
(2)

(5)
2

4
(2)

(iii) Cash flow sensitivity for inflation-linked variable instruments
The Group holds £843 million of inflation-linked debt (2011: £840 million) which is recorded at amortised cost. The Group considers that a 100 basis 
point increase is a reasonable measure of volatility. The sensitivity of this balance to changes of 100 basis points in the RPI at the balance sheet date 
on post-tax profit is shown below: 

Inflation linked debt

2012

2011

Change	in	RPI	
+100	bps
£m	

Change	in	RPI		
–100	bps
£m	

Change in RPI 
+100 bps
£m 

Change in RPI 
–100 bps
£m 

–

6

(6)

6

In September 2011, the Group entered into an inflation linked swap to convert £250 million (2011: £nil) of the £843 million (2011: £840 million) loan 
due 2031 from RPI linked to fixed rate interest for the period April 2012 to April 2017. A 100 basis points change in the RPI at the balance sheet date 
would have increased or decreased the cash flow equity reserve by £12 million (2011: £nil).

(iv) Fair value sensitivity for available-for-sale assets 
Included within available-for-sale financial assets is £146 million (2011: £140 million) relating to the Group’s beneficial interest in a property 
investment pool. The net present value of the Group’s interest in the various freehold reversions owned by the property investment pool has been 
derived by assuming a property growth rate of three per cent per annum (2011: 3.2 per cent) and a discount rate of ten per cent (2011: ten per 
cent), (see note 15). The sensitivity of this balance to changes of 0.5 per cent in the assumed rate of property rental growth and one per cent in the 
discount rate holding other assumptions constant is shown below:

Available-for-sale assets

2012

2011

Change	in	
growth	rate	
+/–	0.5%
£m 

Change	in	
discount	rate			
+/–	1.0%
£m 

Change in 
growth rate 
+/– 0.5%
£m 

Change in 
discount rate  
+/– 1.0%
£m 

10/(10)

(14)/16

9/(12)

(16)/15

Commodity	risk
The Group is exposed to commodity price risk within its commercial buying operations and with respect to its own use consumption of electricity, 
gas and fuel.

The Group’s Energy Price Risk Committee seeks to limit the impact of movements in commodity prices on Group income by requiring forecast 
purchases of power and fuel to be hedged.

The Group uses financial derivatives to hedge fuel exposures on a layered basis using contracts for difference. The Group considers a ten per cent 
movement in commodity rates a reasonable measure of volatility. A ten per cent (2011: 20 per cent) change in the fair value of the commodity price 
at the balance sheet date would have increased or decreased the cash flow equity reserve by £4 million (2011: £5 million).

The Group hedges own consumption electricity and gas exposures with forward purchases under flexible purchasing arrangements with relevant 
suppliers.

The Group has also entered into several long-term fixed price power purchase agreements with independent producers. Included within derivative 
financial assets is £3 million (2011: £4 million) relating to these agreements. The Group values agreements as the net present value of fixed price 
future expected energy purchases less the market implied forward energy price discounted back at the prevailing swap rate. The Group also makes 
an assumption regarding expected energy output based on the historical performance and the producer’s estimate of expected electricity output. 
The sensitivity of this balance to changes of 20 per cent in the assumed rate of energy output and ten per cent in the implied forward energy prices 
holding other assumptions constant is shown below:

Derivative financial instruments

2012

2011

Change	in	
volume	
+/–20.0%
£m 

Change	in	
electricity	
forward	price	
+/–10.0%
£m 

Change in 
volume 
+/–20.0%
£m 

Change in 
electricity 
forward price 
+/–10.0%
£m 

1/(1)

3/(3)

1/(1)

3/(3)

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28	Financial	risk	management	continued

Capital	risk	management
The Group defines the capital that it manages as total equity plus net debt balances.

The Board’s objective is to safeguard the Group’s ability to remain a going concern and to maintain a strong and efficient capital base to support 
the Group’s strategic objectives and to maintain its ability to provide optimal returns for shareholders. There has been no change to capital risk 
management policies during the year. 

The Group manages its capital structure and makes funding decisions based on the prevailing economic environment and has a number of tools 
available to manage capital risk. These include maintaining a diversified debt portfolio, the ability to adjust the size and timing of dividends paid  
to shareholders, to recycle capital through the sale and leaseback programme, the issue of new shares or the repurchase of shares on the open 
market to flex capital expenditure. The Board has a policy to maintain the underlying earnings cover for the ordinary dividend at a minimum of  
1.5 times. From time to time the Company purchases its own shares in the market for the purpose of issuing shares under the Group’s share option 
programmes. The Group does not have a defined share buy-back plan.

The Board monitors a range of financial metrics including return on capital employed, gearing and fixed charge cover. A key objective of the  
Group’s capital risk management is to maintain compliance with the covenants attached to the Group’s debt. Throughout the year, the Group  
has comfortably complied with these covenants. 

29	Financial	instruments

Derivative	assets
Non-current
Commodity forward contract – fair value through profit or loss
Interest rate swaps – fair value hedge
Commodity and foreign exchange forward contract – cash flow hedge

Current
Commodity and foreign exchange forward contract – cash flow hedge
Interest rate swaps – fair value through profit or loss

Derivative	liabilities
Current
Foreign exchange forward contract – cash flow hedge
Interest rate swaps – fair value through profit or loss

Non-current
Interest rate swaps – fair value hedge

Group
2012
£m

Group
2011
£m

Company	
2012
£m

Company
2011
£m

3
33
1

37

4
65

69

(4)
(84)

(88)

(1)

(1)

4
25
–

29

9
43

52

(8)
(51)

(59)

–

–

–
33
–

33

–
65

65

–
(84)

(84)

(1)

(1)

–
25
–

25

–
43

43

–
(51)

(51)

–

–

Foreign exchange forward contracts – cash flow hedges
At 17 March 2012, the Group held a portfolio of foreign exchange forward contracts with a fair value loss of £3 million (2011: £6 million) to hedge its 
future foreign currency denominated trade purchases. The Group had purchased €103 million (2010: €83 million) and sold sterling at rates ranging 
from 1.14 to 1.21 (2011: 1.13 to 1.21) with maturities from March 2012 to April 2013 (2011: March 2011 to April 2013) and purchased US$457 million (2011: 
US$463 million) and sold sterling at rates ranging from 1.52 to 1.67 (2011: 1.45 to 1.67) with maturities from March 2012 to April 2015 (2011: March 
2011 to June 2012).

At 17 March 2012, an unrealised loss of £3 million (2011: loss of £5 million) is included in other comprehensive income in respect of the forward 
contracts. This loss will be transferred to the income statement over the next 38 months. During the year a debit to the income statement of  
£3 million was transferred from the cash flow hedge equity reserve and included in cost of sales (2011: debit of £8 million).

Commodity contracts – cash flow hedges
At 17 March 2012, the Group held a portfolio of commodity forward contracts with a fair value gain of £3 million (2011: £5 million) to hedge its future 
own use fuel consumption over the next 13 months.

At 17 March 2012, an unrealised gain of £3 million (2011: gain of £5 million) is included in other comprehensive income in respect of these contracts. 
This gain will be transferred to the income statement over the next 12 months.

104	J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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29	Financial	instruments	continued

Interest rate swaps – fair value hedge
The Group holds a portfolio of £424 million of interest rate swaps (2011: £401 million) to hedge a portion of the £1,036 million fixed rate secured 
loan due in 2018, the £190 million convertible bond due 2014, and the other loans due 2015. Under the terms of the swaps, the Group receives fixed 
interest and pays floating rate interest at a fixed spread above three-month LIBOR. The notional principal amount of one of the interest rate swaps 
amortises from £211 million to £111 million from April 2016 to April 2018. 

Derivative financial instruments – fair value through profit and loss
At 17 March 2012, the Group held a portfolio of interest rate swaps at fair value through profit or loss which convert £331 million of the Group’s 
floating rate obligations into fixed rates (2011: £331 million). Under the terms of these swaps the Group pays fixed rates of interest and receives 
three-month LIBOR for periods expiring from 19 April 2018 to 19 April 2031. Included in this portfolio is a £150 million swap under which the 
counterparty has a recurring option to cancel the swap on quarterly payment dates through to January 2031 at zero cost. 

The Group holds a portfolio of non-designated interest rate swaps which convert £391 million of fixed rate borrowings into floating rates 
(2011: £391 million). Under the terms of the swap the Group receives fixed rates of interest and pays floating rates of interest at various spreads 
above three-month LIBOR until 19 April 2018. 

Interest rate risk
Financial instruments where interest is re-priced at intervals of one year or less are classified as floating rate. Interest on financial instruments 
classified as fixed rate is fixed until maturity of the instrument. 

Foreign	currency	risk
The Group has net euro denominated trade payables of £12 million (2011: £11 million) and US dollar denominated trade payables of £11 million 
(2011: £14 million). 

Fair	value	
Set out below is a comparison by category of carrying amounts and fair values of all financial instruments that are carried in the financial 
statements at other than fair values. The fair value of financial assets and liabilities are based on prices that are available from the market on which 
the instruments are traded where available. The fair values of all other financial assets and liabilities have been calculated by discounting expected 
future cash flows at prevailing interest rates. The fair values of short-term deposits, trade receivables, overdrafts and payables are assumed to 
approximate to their book values, and are excluded from the analysis below. 

2012
Financial	assets
Amounts due from Group entities
Other receivables

Financial	liabilities
Amounts due to Group entities
Loans due 20181
Loans due 2031
Bank loan due 2012
Bank loans due 2014
Bank loans due 2015
Bank loans due 2016
Bank loans due 2017
Convertible bond due 20142
Other loans due 20153
Obligations under finance leases

2011
Financial	assets
Amounts due from Group entities
Other receivables

Financial	liabilities
Amounts due to Group entities
Loans due 20181
Loans due 2031
Convertible bond due 20142
Bank loans due 2015
Bank loan due 2012
Obligations under finance leases

1  Includes £211 million accounted for as a fair value hedge (2011: £211 million). 
2 Includes £190 million accounted for as a fair value hedge (2011: £190 million).
3 Includes £23 million accounted for as a fair value hedge (2011: £nil).

Group
Carrying 
amount
£m 

Group
Fair value
£m 

Company
Carrying 
amount
£m 

Company
Fair value
£m 

–
58

–
58

1,277
55

1,494
55

–
(1,069)
(874)
(50)
(25)
(253)
(43)
(108)
(179)
(23)
(143)

–
(1,201)
(1,068)
(50)
(25)
(261)
(43)
(108)
(214)
(23)
(143)

(874)
–
–
(50)
(25)
(209)
(43)
(108)
(179)
(23)
–

(973)
–
–
(50)
(25)
(210)
(43)
(108)
(214)
(23)
–

–
56

–
56

1,146
55

1,260
55

–
(1,087)
(870)
(176)
(172)
(50)
(57)

–
(1,172)
(1,032)
(227)
(186)
(51)
(57)

(861)
–
–
(176)
(129)
(50)
–

(923)
–
–
(227)
(133)
(51)
–

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29	Financial	instruments	continued

Fair	value	measurements	recognised	in	the	Balance	sheets
The following table provides an analysis of financial instruments that are recognised subsequent to initial recognition at fair value,  
grouped into Levels 1 to 3 based on the degree to which the fair value is observable:

• Level 1 fair value measurements are those derived from quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
• Level 2 fair value measurements are those derived from inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the  

asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices); and

• Level 3 fair value measurements are those derived from valuation techniques that include inputs for the asset or liability that are not based  

on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

Group	

2012
Available-for-sale	financial	assets
Interest bearing financial assets
Other financial assets

Financial	assets	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial assets

Financial	liabilities	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial liabilities

Group	

2011
Available-for-sale	financial	assets
Interest bearing financial assets
Other financial assets

Financial	assets	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial assets

Financial	liabilities	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial liabilities

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Company	

2012
Available-for-sale	financial	assets
Interest bearing financial assets

Financial	assets	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial assets

Financial	liabilities	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial liabilities

Company	

2011
Available-for-sale	financial	assets
Interest bearing financial assets

Financial	assets	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial assets

Financial	liabilities	at	FVTPL
Derivative financial liabilities

There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year.

106	J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Level	1
£m

Level	2
£m

Level	3
£m

Total
£m

–
–

–

–

31
–

103

(89)

–
146

3

–

31
146

106

(89)

Level	1
£m

Level	2
£m

Level	3
£m

Total
£m

–
–

–

–

36
–

81

(59)

–
140

–

–

36
140

81

(59)

Level	1
£m

Level	2
£m

Level	3
£m

Total
£m

–

–

–

31

98

(85)

–

–

–

31

98

(85)

Level	1
£m

Level	2
£m

Level	3
£m

Total
£m

–

–

–

36

68

(51)

–

–

–

36

68

(51)

 
Notes to the financial statements continued

29	Financial	instruments	continued

Reconciliation	of	Level	3	fair	value	measurements	of	financial	assets:

Opening balance
Transfer to Level 3
In other comprehensive income

Closing	balance

2012
£m

140
3
6

149

2011
£m

126
–
14

140

Financial	assets	and	liabilities	by	category
Set out below are the accounting classification of each class of financial assets and liabilities as at 17 March 2012 and 19 March 2011.

Group	

2012
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade and other receivables
Available-for-sale financial assets
Trade and other payables
Current borrowings
Non-current borrowings
Derivative financial instruments:

Cash flow hedges1
Interest rate swaps2
Commodity contract

2011
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade and other receivables
Available-for-sale financial assets
Trade and other payables
Current borrowings
Non-current borrowings
Derivative financial instruments:

Cash flow hedges1
Interest rate swaps2
Commodity contract

1  Cash flow hedges are deferred through other comprehensive income. 
2 Interest rate swaps used for hedging are at fair value through profit or loss. 

Loans and 
receivables
£m 

Available-
for-sale
£m 

Fair value 
through profit 
or loss
£m 

Derivatives 
 used for 
hedging 
£m 

739
263
–
–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
178
–
–
–

–
–
–

1,002

178

501
317
–
–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
176
–
–
–

–
–
–

818

176

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
(19)
3

(16)

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
(8)
4

(4)

–
–
–
–
–
–

1
32
–

33

–
–
–
–
–
–

1
25
–

26

Other 
financial 
liabilities 
£m

–
–
–
(2,719)
(150)
(2,617)

–
–
–

Total
£m 

739
263
178
(2,719)
(150)
(2,617)

1
13
3

(5,486)

(4,289)

–
–
–
(2,571)
(74)
(2,339)

–
–
–

501
317
176
(2,571)
(74)
(2,339)

1
17
4

(4,984)

(3,968)

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Notes to the financial statements continued

29	Financial	instruments	continued

Company	

2012
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade and other receivables
Available-for-sale financial assets
Trade and other payables
Current borrowings
Non-current borrowings
Derivative financial instruments:

Interest rate swaps1

2011
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade and other receivables
Available-for-sale financial assets
Trade and other payables
Current borrowings
Non-current borrowings
Derivative financial instruments:

Interest rate swaps1

1 Interest rate swaps used for hedging are at fair value through profit or loss. 

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receivables
£m 

Available-
for-sale
£m 

Fair value 
through profit 
or loss
£m 

Derivatives 
used for 
hedging
£m 

408
2,408
–
–
–
–

–

2,816

169
2,246
–
–
–
–

–

2,415

–
–
31
–
–
–

–

31

–
–
36
–
–
–

–

36

–
–
–
–
–
–

(19)

(19)

–
–
–
–
–
–

(8)

(8)

–
–
–
–
–
–

32

32

–
–
–
–
–
–

25

25

Other 
financial 
liabilities 
£m

–
–
–
(5,368)
(72)
(565)

Total
£m 

408
2,408
31
(5,368)
(72)
(565)

–

13

(6,005)

(3,145)

–
–
–
(5,304)
(17)
(338)

169
2,246
36
(5,304)
(17)
(338)

–

17

(5,659)

(3,191)

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Notes to the financial statements continued

30	Retirement	benefit	obligations
Retirement benefit obligations relate to a defined benefit scheme, the Sainsbury’s Pension Scheme, (the ‘Scheme’) and an unfunded pension liability 
relating to senior employees. The Scheme was closed to new employees on 31 January 2002. The assets of this scheme are held separately from the 
Group’s assets.

The Scheme was subject to a triennial actuarial valuation carried out by Towers Watson, the scheme’s independent actuaries, at March 2009  
on the projected unit basis. The results of this valuation were approved by the Scheme’s Trustees in June 2010. The retirement benefit obligations  
at 17 March 2012 have been calculated, where appropriate, on a basis consistent with this valuation. 

A triennial valuation will be carried out at March 2012 by Towers Watson, the Scheme’s independent actuaries on the projected unit basis with  
a statutory completion date of June 2013.

The unfunded pension liability is unwound when each employee reaches retirement and takes their pension from the Group payroll or is crystallised 
in the event of an employee leaving or retiring and choosing to take the provision as a one-off cash payment.

Sainsbury’s	Property	Scottish	Limited	Partnership
Further to the funding plan agreed with the Scheme’s Trustees, on 17 June 2010 Sainsbury’s established the Sainsbury’s Property Scottish 
Partnership (the ‘Partnership’) with the Scheme. Under this arrangement, properties to a fair value of £256 million were transferred to the 
Partnership. On 25 March 2011, further properties to a fair value of £501 million were transferred to the Partnership. Both transfers were effected 
via a 30 year sale and leaseback arrangement.

The Scheme’s interest in the Partnership entitles it to an annual distribution of approximately £35 million for 20 years. These contributions will  
be in addition to the Group’s normal cash contributions paid to the Scheme annually. The properties transferred to the Partnership will revert  
to Sainsbury’s ownership in 2030 in return for a cash payment equal to the amount of any remaining funding deficit on the Scheme at that time,  
up to a maximum of £600 million. 

The Partnership is controlled by Sainsbury’s and its results are consolidated by the Group. The Group’s balance sheet, IAS 19 deficit and income 
statement are unchanged by the establishment of the Partnership. The investment held by the Scheme in the Partnership does not qualify as  
a plan asset for the purposes of the Group’s consolidated financial statements and is therefore not included within the fair value of plan assets.  
The value of the properties transferred to the Partnership remains included within the Group’s property, plant and equipment on the balance sheet. 
In addition, the Group retains full operational flexibility to extend, develop and substitute the properties within the Partnership.

The amounts recognised in the balance sheet are as follows:

Present value of funded obligations
Fair value of plan assets

Present value of unfunded obligations

Retirement	benefit	obligations
Deferred income tax asset

Net retirement benefit obligations

2012
£m

2011
£m

(5,654)
5,192

(4,945)
4,614

(462)
(9)

(471)
16

(455)

(331)
(9)

(340)
99

(241)

The retirement benefit obligations and the associated deferred income tax balance are shown within different line items on the face of the balance 
sheet.

a)	Income	statement
The amounts recognised in the income statement are as follows:

Current service cost – funded scheme 
Past service cost

Included in employee costs (note 7)

Interest cost on pension scheme liabilities
Expected return on plan assets

Total included in finance income (note 6)

Total income statement expense

2012
£m

(59)
(1)

(60)

(268)
285

17

(43)

2011
£m

(55)
(1)

(56)

(265)
268

3

(53)

Of the expense recognised in operating profit, £50 million (2011: £54 million) is included in cost of sales and £10 million (2011: £2 million) is included 
in administrative expenses.

The actual return on pension scheme assets net of expenses was a gain of £582 million (2011: a gain of £389 million).

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Notes to the financial statements continued

30	Retirement	benefit	obligations	continued

b)	Other	comprehensive	income
The amounts recognised in the statement of other comprehensive income are as follows:

Net actuarial (losses)/gains recognised during the year
Cumulative actuarial losses recognised

c)	Valuations
The movements in the funded retirement benefit obligations are as follows:

Beginning of year
Current service cost
Past service cost
Interest cost
Contributions by plan participants
Actuarial losses
Benefits paid

End of year

The movements in the fair value of plan assets are as follows:

Beginning of year
Expected return on plan assets
Actuarial gains
Contributions by employer
Contributions by plan participants
Benefits paid

End of year

The major categories of plan assets as a percentage of total plan assets are as follows:

Equities
Bonds
Property
Other

d)	Assumptions
The principal actuarial assumptions used at the balance sheet date are as follows:

Discount rate
Inflation rate
Future salary increases
Future pension increases

2012
£m

(222)
(675)

2011
£m

29
(453)

2012
£m

(4,945)
(59)
(1)
(268)
(6)
(519)
144

(5,654)

2012
£m

4,614
285
297
134
6
(144)

5,192

2012
%

36
48
3
13

100

2011
£m

(4,649)
(55)
(1) 
(265)
(7)
(92)
124

(4,945)

2011
£m

4,237
268
121
105
7
(124)

4,614

2011
%

39
49
3
9

100

2012
%

5.0
3.3
2.4	–	3.3
2.0	–	3.1

2011
%

5.5
3.3
2.5 – 3.3
2.1 – 3.2

The discount rate is based on the annualised yield on an AA-rated sterling corporate bond index adjusted for the difference in term between the 
index and the scheme’s liabilities.

110	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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30	Retirement	benefit	obligations	continued

The expected return on assets has been derived as the weighted average of the expected returns from each of the main asset classes. The expected 
return for each asset class reflects a combination of historical performance analysis, the forward looking view of the financial markets (as suggested 
by the yield available) and the views of investment organisations.

Equities
Government Bonds
Corporate Bonds
Property
Other 

2012
Fair	value
£m

1,881
259
2,204
174
674

5,192

2012
Expected	
return
%

7.3
3.3
4.3
6.3
3.3	–	6.3

2011
Fair value
£m

1,812
726
1,551
146
379

2011
Expected 
return
%

7.7
4.2
5.2
6.7
4.2 – 6.7

5.3

4,614

6.2

The life expectancy for the scheme operated at the balance sheet date for a pensioner at normal retirement age (now 65 years for men and women), 
is as follows: 

Male pensioner
Female pensioner

2012
years

23.1
25.6

2011
years

22.3
23.9

The base mortality tables were derived by projecting forward the latest standard mortality tables (PA00 tables) in line with the base 1992 series 
improvements up to 2006, and then in line with medium cohort improvements from 2006 onwards, subject to a minimum rate of improvement  
from 2010 onwards of one per cent per annum. 

e)	Sensitivities
An increase of 0.5 per cent in the discount rate would decrease the retirement benefit obligations by £548 million. A decrease of 0.5 per cent  
in the discount rate would increase the retirement benefit obligations by £614 million. 

An increase of 0.5 per cent in the inflation rate would increase the retirement benefit obligations by £408 million. A decrease of 0.5 per cent  
in the inflation rate would decrease the retirement benefit obligations by £389 million.

An increase of one year to the life expectancy would increase the retirement benefit obligations by £138 million.

The sensitivities are based on management’s best estimate of a reasonably anticipated change.

f)	Experience	gains	and	losses
The history of experience adjustments on the plans for the current and previous financial years is as follows:

Present value of retirement benefit obligations
Fair value of plan assets
Retirement benefit (obligations)/assets

Experience (loss)/gain on plan liabilities
Experience gain/(loss) on plan assets

2012
£m

(5,663)
5,192
(471)

(106)
297

2011
£m

(4,954)
4,614
(340)

(79)
121

2010
£m

(4,658)
4,237
(421)

116
715

2009
£m

(3,619)
3,310
(309)

171
(1,149)

2008
£m

(3,676)
4,171 
495

(79)
(380) 

The Group’s expected contributions to the defined benefit scheme for the next financial year beginning 18 March 2012 are £133 million 
(2011: £135 million). 

31	Share-based	payments
The Group recognised £27 million (2011: £35 million) of employee costs (note 7) related to share-based payment transactions made during the 
financial year. Of these, £nil (2011: £nil) were cash-settled.

National insurance contributions are payable in respect of certain share-based payments transactions and are treated as cash-settled transactions. 
At 17 March 2012, the carrying amount of national insurance contributions payable was £6 million (2011: £7 million) of which £nil (2011: £1 million) 
was in respect of vested grants.

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Notes to the financial statements continued

31	Share-based	payments	continued

The Group operates a number of share-based payment schemes as set out below:

a)	Savings-Related	Share	Option	Scheme	(‘SAYE’)
The Group operates a Savings-Related Share Option Scheme, which is open to all UK employees with more than three months’ continuous service. 
This is an approved HMRC Scheme and was established in 1980. Under the SAYE scheme, participants remaining in the Group’s employment at 
the end of the three-year or five-year savings period are entitled to use their savings to purchase shares in the Company at a stated exercise price. 
Employees leaving for certain reasons are able to use their savings to purchase shares within six months of their leaving.

At 17 March 2012, UK employees held 22,976 five-year savings contracts (2011: 21,315) in respect of options over 22.8 million shares (2011: 20.6 
million) and 33,993 three-year savings contracts (2011: 31,420) in respect of options over 22.9 million shares (2011: 19.9 million). A reconciliation  
of option movements is shown below:

Outstanding at beginning of year
Granted 
Forfeited 
Exercised
Expired

Outstanding at end of year

Exercisable at end of year

2012	
Number	of	
options
million

2012	
Weighted	
average	
exercise	price
pence

2011
Number of 
options
million

2011
Weighted 
average 
exercise price
pence

40.5
17.5
(6.2)
(6.1)
–

45.7

273
238
282
235
–

263

41.4
10.8
(5.8)
(5.8)
(0.1)

40.5

4.2

281

2.7

268
297
284
272
247

273

282

The weighted average share price during the period for options exercised over the year was 303 pence (2011: 364 pence). Details of options  
at 17 March 2012 are set out below:

Date of grant 

15 December 2005 (5 year period)
15 December 2006 (5 year period)
20 December 2007 (3 year period)
20 December 2007 (5 year period)
17 December 2008 (3 year period)
17 December 2008 (5 year period)
10 December 2009 (3 year period)
10 December 2009 (5 year period)
10 December 2010 (3 year period)
10 December 2010 (5 year period)
9 December 2011 (3 year period)
9 December 2011 (5 year period)

Date of expiry 

31 August 2011
31 August 2012
31 August 2011
31 August 2013
31 August 2012
31 August 2014
31 August 2013
31 August 2015
31 August 2014
31 August 2016
31 August 2015
31 August 2017

Exercise price
pence

Options	
outstanding
2012
million

Options 
outstanding
2011
million

231
328 
 331
331
224
224
273
273
297
297
238
238

–
2.3
–
2.4
1.9
4.8
4.8
3.6
4.7
4.0
11.5
5.7

1.3
2.6
1.4
2.7
6.9
5.2
5.6
4.1
6.0
4.7
–
–

45.7

40.5

Options granted during the year were valued using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. No performance conditions were included in the fair 
value calculations. The fair value per option granted during the year and the assumptions used in the calculation are as follows:

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Exercise price (pence)
Expected volatility

Option life

– 3 year period (%)
– 5 year period (%)
– 3 year period (years)
– 5 year period (years)

Expected dividends (expressed as dividend yield %) 
Risk–free interest rate – 3 year period (%)
– 5 year period (%)
– 3 year period (pence)
– 5 year period (pence)

Fair value per option

2012

298
238
22.4
32.2
3.2
5.2
3.6
1.3
2.5
60
85

2011

371
297
34.3
29.5
3.2
5.2
3.5
3.2
4.4
109
114

The expected volatility is based on the standard deviation of the Group’s share price for the period immediately prior to the date of grant of award, 
over the period identical to the vesting period of the award, adjusted for management’s view of future volatility of the share price.

The resulting fair value is expensed over the service period of three or five years, as appropriate, on the assumption that 25 per cent of options  
will be cancelled over the service period as employees leave the SAYE scheme.

112	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

31	Share-based	payments	continued

b)	Executive	Share	Option	Plan	(‘ESOP’)
Under the Executive Share Option Plan, participants were granted options to purchase shares in the Company at a stated exercise price.  
The maximum annual option award was two times basic salary and the grants were agreed by the Remuneration Committee according  
to the assessed performance and potential of participants.

The exercise of options is conditional upon a performance target based on the growth in the Company’s underlying earnings per share (‘EPS’) 
relative to inflation over a three-year period. EPS is measured against a fixed starting point over the performance period beginning with the year  
in which the option was granted. To the extent that the condition is not satisfied in full after three years, it will be retested on a fixed-point basis  
over four and then five financial years. To the extent the condition is not met after five financial years, the option will lapse.

Once the options vest, participants remaining in the Group’s employment or leaving for certain reasons, are entitled to exercise the options between 
vesting date (normally at the end of the three-year performance period) and the option expiry date, which is ten years from date of grant.

It is intended that there will be no further options granted under this plan.

A reconciliation of option movements is shown below:

Outstanding at beginning of year
Forfeited
Exercised 
Expired

Outstanding at end of year

Exercisable at end of year

2012	
Number	of	
options
million

2012	
Weighted	
average	
exercise	
price
pence

2011 
Number of 
options
million

1.1
–
–
(1.1)

–

–

417
–
–
–

–

–

1.5
(0.2)
(0.2)
–

1.1

1.1

2011 
Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price
pence

397
416
272
–

417

417

The weighted average exercise price during the period for options exercised over the year was nil (2011: 323 pence).

Details of options at 17 March 2012 are set out below:

Date of grant 

2 June 2000
7 June 2001
26 July 2001

Date of expiry 

1 June 2010
6 June 2011
25 July 2011

Exercise price
pence

272 
427 
407 

Options	
outstanding
2012
million

Options 
outstanding
2011
million

–
–
–

–

–
0.5
0.6

1.1

c)	All-Employee	Share	Ownership	Plan
(i) In June 2003, under the All-Employee Share Ownership Plan, free shares were awarded to UK employees with more than 12 months’ continuous 
service. 0.3 million free shares (2011: 0.4 million) are being held in a trust on behalf of participants unless they are released to participants upon 
cessation of employment with the Group.

(ii) From 18 September 2008, under the Sainsbury’s share purchase plan, all employees were offered the opportunity to receive one free matching 
share for every four shares purchased through the Sainsbury’s share purchase plan. This arrangement ceased in August 2011. Under this scheme, 
232,603 matching shares are outstanding at 17 March 2012 (2011: 275,071 were outstanding). The charge under IFRS for this scheme was not 
material.

d)	Long-Term	Incentive	Plan	2006
Under the Long-Term Incentive Plan 2006, shares are conditionally awarded to the top managers in the Company. The core awards are calculated  
as a percentage of the participants’ salaries and scaled according to grades. 

The awards will vest if the threshold levels of two co-dependent performance conditions – Return on Capital Employed (‘ROCE’) and growth  
in cash flow per share, are achieved over the three-year performance period. The core award can grow by up to four times, dependent on the  
level of performance. Straight-line vesting will apply if performance falls between two points.

Performance will be measured at the end of the three-year performance period. If the required level of performance has been reached, the awards 
vest and 50 per cent of the award will be released. Subject to participants remaining in employment for a further year, the balance will then be 
released no later than on the fourth anniversary of the date of award. Options granted to acquire the award of shares will expire two years from  
the vesting date. Dividends will accrue on the shares that vest in the form of additional shares.  

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31	Share-based	payments	continued

To achieve the maximum multiplier of four, the following criteria are required to be met.

Date of conditional award

13 July 2006
20 June 2007
28 May 2008
24 June 2009
21 June 2010
19 May 2011

A reconciliation of the number of shares conditionally allocated is shown below:

Outstanding at beginning of year
Conditionally allocated
Forfeited
Released to participants

Outstanding at end of year

Details of shares conditionally allocated at 17 March 2012 are set out below: 

13 July 2006
20 June 2007
28 May 2008
24 June 2009
21 June 2010
19 May 2011

Percentage increase to achieve maximum multiplier

Cash flow 
per share %

Return on capital 
employed %

18
18
15
15
15
12

14
14
15
15
15
15

2011
million

8.5
4.2
(0.7)
(1.3)

10.7

2012
million 

10.7
1.8
(0.8)
(2.1)

9.6

2012
million

2011
million

–
0.1
1.5
3.0
3.3
1.7

9.6

0.1
1.0
2.8
3.2
3.6
–

10.7

Options to acquire the award of shares were valued using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. No performance conditions were included in the 
fair value calculations. The fair value per option granted during the year and the assumptions used in the calculation are as follows:

Share price at grant date (pence)
Expected volatility (%)
Option life (years)
Risk-free interest rate (%) 
Fair value per option (pence)

2012

355
18.4
4.2
3.3
355

2011 

324
22.8
4.2
3.7
324

The expected volatility is based on the standard deviation of the Group’s share price for the period immediately prior to the date of grant of award, 
over the period identical to the vesting period of the award, adjusted for management’s view of future volatility of the share price.

In March 2011, the three year accelerated performance targets were met achieving a multiplier of 1.9 (2010: 3.2). During the year, a total number of 
6.3 million shares were granted to employees as a result of achieving the performance target and 6.2 million options were exercised. The weighted 
average share price during the year for options exercised was 326 pence (2011: 333 pence).

e)	Deferred	Annual	Bonus	Plan
The Deferred Annual Bonus Plan, applied to the top levels of management including Executive Directors and comprised around 40 participants in 
total. The first deferral took place in June 2007, in respect of the bonus awards for the financial year ended 24 March 2007. The second deferral 
took place in June 2008, in respect of the bonus awards for the financial year ended 22 March 2008. The third and final deferral took place in June 
2009, in respect to bonus awards for the financial year ended 21 March 2009.

The Plan measured the Company’s total shareholder return (‘TSR’) performance over a three-year period against a bespoke UK and European retail 
comparator group comprising: Tesco, Morrisons, DSG International, Kingfisher, Home Retail Group, Marks & Spencer, Next, Ahold, Carrefour, Casino, 
Delhaize and Metro. Alliance Boots was removed from the comparator group following its de-listing.

Up to two matched shares could be awarded for each share deferred depending on the extent to which the TSR measure was achieved. No shares 
were awarded for below median performance, and the full match only applied where the Company achieved first place within the comparator group. 
At median position the match was 0.5 shares for each deferred bonus share and the share match was pro-rated at every position between median 
and first place.

114	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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Notes to the financial statements continued

31	Share-based	payments	continued

To the extent that the performance condition was met at the end of the three-year performance period, the matched shares would be added to the 
deferred bonus shares. The deferred bonus shares and half of the matched shares could be accessed immediately, while the remainder were held 
over for a further year. Dividends or their equivalents accrued on shares that vested.

A reconciliation of the number of shares conditionally allocated is shown below:

Outstanding at beginning of year
Granted
Lapsed

Outstanding at end of year

Details of shares conditionally allocated at 17 March 2012 are set out below:

20 June 2008
24 June 2009

2012
million 

0.9
–
(0.4)

0.5

2012
million

0.1
0.4

0.5

2011
million

1.5
–
(0.6)

0.9

 2011
million 
0.5
0.4

0.9

f)	Deferred	Share	Award
The Deferred Share Award targets a diverse range of business critical financial and non-financial scorecard measures. These are intended to reward 
the top 40 managers in the Company, including Executive Directors for driving the short-term objectives that will directly lead to building the 
sustainable, long-term growth of the Company.

Share-based awards will be made to participants subject to performance against a basket of key strategic measures. At least 50 per cent of the 
award will be based on the delivery of financial performance and returns to shareholders. The balance will be based on measures which will assess 
the Company’s performance relative to its competitors as well as key strategic goals.

Performance against the target is measured over one financial year, but any shares awarded are deferred for a further two years to ensure  
that management’s interests continue to be aligned with those of shareholders. The shares are subject to forfeiture if the participant resigns  
or is dismissed for cause prior to their release date. Dividends accrue on the shares that vest in the form of additional shares.

A reconciliation of the number of shares granted over the year is shown below:

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Outstanding at beginning of year
Granted
Lapsed

Outstanding at end of year

The number of shares conditionally allocated at the end of the year is set out below:

20 May 2010
19 May 2011

2012
million

1.3
1.2
(0.1)

2.4

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–
1.3
–

1.3

Share	conditionally	
allocated
2012
million

Share conditionally 
allocated
2011
million

1.2
1.2

2.4

1.3
–

1.3

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 115

 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements continued

32	Related	party	transactions

Group
a)	Key	management	personnel
The key management personnel of the Group comprise members of the J Sainsbury plc Board of Directors and the Operating Board.  
The key management personnel compensation is as follows:

Short-term employee benefits
Post-employment employee benefits
Share-based payments

2012
£m

9
1
9

19

2011
£m

8
1
10

19

Six key management personnel had credit card balances with Sainsbury’s Bank plc (2011: six). These arose in the normal course of business and  
were immaterial to the Group and the individuals. Six key management personnel held saving deposit accounts with Sainsbury’s Bank plc (2011: four). 
These balances arose in the normal course of business and were immaterial to the Group and the individuals.

b)	Joint	ventures
Transactions with joint ventures
For the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012, the Group entered into various transactions with joint ventures as set out below. 

Management services provided 
Interest income received in respect of interest bearing loans
Dividend income received
Sale of assets
Purchase of assets
Acquisition of companies
Rental expenses paid

Year-end balances arising from transactions with joint ventures

Receivables
Other receivables
Loans due from joint ventures:

Floating rate subordinated undated loan capital1
Floating rate subordinated dated loan capital2
Other

Payables
Loans due to joint ventures

2012
£m

7
1
-
12
-
-
(75)

2012
£m

13

25
30
16

2011
£m

14
1
1
74
(16)
(58)
(72)

2011
£m

1

25
30
9

(48)

(48)

1   The undated subordinated loan capital shall be repaid on such date as the Financial Services Authority shall agree in writing for such repayment and in any event not less than five years and one day 

from the dates of draw down. In the event of a winding up of Sainsbury’s Bank plc, the loan is subordinated to ordinary unsecured liabilities. Interest is payable three months in arrears at LIBOR plus a 
margin of 1.0 per cent per annum for the duration of the loan. 

2  No repayment of dated subordinated debt prior to its stated maturity may be made without the consent of the Financial Services Authority. In the event of a winding up of Sainsbury’s Bank plc, the 

loan is subordinated to ordinary unsecured liabilities. Interest is payable three months in arrears at LIBOR plus a margin of 0.6 per cent per annum for the duration of the loan.

c)	Retirement	benefit	obligations
As discussed in note 30, the Group has entered into an arrangement with the Pension Scheme Trustee as part of the funding plan for the actuarial 
deficit in the Scheme. Full details of this arrangement are set out in note 30 to these financial statements.

116	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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Notes to the financial statements continued

32	Related	party	transactions	continued

Company
a)	Key	management	personnel
The key management personnel of the Company comprise members of the J Sainsbury plc Board of Directors. The Directors do not receive any 
remuneration from the Company (2011: £nil) as their emoluments are borne by subsidiaries. The Company did not have any transactions with the 
Directors during the financial year (2011: £nil).

b)	Subsidiaries
The Company enters into loans with its subsidiaries at both fixed and floating rates of interest on a commercial basis. Hence, the Company incurs 
interest expense and earns interest income on these loans and advances. The Company also received dividend income from its subsidiaries during 
the financial year.

Transactions with subsidiaries

Loans	and	advances	given	to,	and	dividend	income	received	from	subsidiaries	
Loans and advances given
Loans and advances repaid by subsidiaries
Interest income received in respect of interest bearing loans and advances
Dividend income received

Loans	and	advances	received	from	subsidiaries	
Loans and advances received
Loans and advances repaid
Interest expense paid in respect of interest bearing loans and advances

Year-end balances arising from transactions with subsidiaries

Receivables
Loans and advances due from subsidiaries

Payables
Loans and advances due to subsidiaries

c)	Joint	ventures
Transactions with joint ventures
For the 52 weeks to 17 March 2012, the Company entered into transactions with joint ventures as set out below. 

Services	and	loans	provided	to	joint	ventures	
Interest income received in respect of interest bearing loans
Dividend income received

Year-end balances arising from transactions with joint ventures

Receivables
Loans due from joint ventures:

Floating rate subordinated undated loan capital1
Floating rate subordinated dated loan capital2

Payables
Loans due to joint ventures 

2012
£m

341
(281)
146
276

(339)
61
(108)

2011
£m

702
(125)
135
250

(321)
64
(64)

2012
£m

2011
£m

2,352

2,191

(5,316)

(5,282)

2012
£m

1
–

2012
£m

25
30

2011
£m

1
1

2011
£m

25
30

(5)

(5)

1  The undated subordinated loan capital shall be repaid on such date as the Financial Services Authority shall agree in writing for such repayment and in any event not less than five years and one day 

from the dates of draw down. In the event of a winding up of Sainsbury’s Bank plc, the loan is subordinated to ordinary unsecured liabilities. Interest is payable three months in arrears at LIBOR plus a 
margin of 1.0 per cent per annum for the duration of the loan. 

2  No repayment of dated subordinated debt prior to its stated maturity may be made without the consent of the Financial Services Authority. In the event of a winding up of Sainsbury’s Bank plc, the 

loan is subordinated to ordinary unsecured liabilities. Interest is payable three months in arrears at LIBOR plus a margin of 0.6 per cent per annum for the duration of the loan.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 117

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Notes to the financial statements continued

33	Operating	lease	commitments
The Group leases various retail stores, offices, depots and equipment under non-cancellable operating leases. The leases have varying terms, 
escalation clauses and renewal rights.

Aggregate future minimum lease payments:
Within 1 year
Within 2 to 5 years inclusive
After 5 years

The Group sublets certain leased properties: 

Aggregate future minimum lease receipts:
Within 1 year
Within 2 to 5 years inclusive
After 5 years

2012
£m

2011
£m

471
1,741
6,042

8,254

463
1,675
5,957

8,095

2012
£m

31
98
151

280

2011
£m

31
102
144

277

34	Capital	commitments
The Group has entered into contracts totalling £345 million (2011: £265 million) for future capital expenditure not provided for in the financial 
statements. 

35	Financial	commitments
Sainsbury’s Bank plc, a 50 per cent joint venture of the Group, has off balance sheet financial instruments committing it to extend credit  
to customers of £40 million (2011: £46 million). 

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118	 J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Five year financial record

Financial	results	(£m)
Sales	(including	Value	Added	Tax,	including	fuel)

Underlying	operating	profit
Underlying net finance costs1,2
Underlying share of post-tax profit/(loss) from joint ventures

Underlying	profit	before	tax1,2,3

Increase on previous year (%)

Underlying	operating	profit	margin	(%)

Earnings	per	share	
Underlying basic (pence)1,3
Increase on previous year (%)
Proposed dividend per share (pence)4

Retail	statistics	for	UK	food	retailing
Number	of	outlets	at	financial	year	end	

over 55,000 sq ft sales area
40,001 - 55,000 sq ft sales area
25,001 - 40,000 sq ft sales area
15,000 - 25,000 sq ft sales area
under 15,000 sq ft sales area

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

24,511

22,943

21,421

20,383

19,287 

789
(109)
32

712

738
(97)
24

665

7.1

9.0

3.54

3.50

28.1
6.0
16.10

81
123
152
115
541

1,012

26.5
10.9
15.10

64
124
155
113
478

934

671
(79)
18

610

17.5

3.36

23.9
12.7
14.20

45
125
156
115
431

872

616
(113)
16

519

19.6

3.26

21.2
21.8
13.20

34
130
153
108
367

792

535 
(99)
(2)

434

28.0 

3.00

17.4
33.8 
12.00

24
130
161
100
408

823

Sales	area	(000	sq	ft) 

20,347

19,108

17,750

16,703

16,191

Net increase on previous year (%)5

New stores5

Sales	intensity	(including	Value	Added	Tax)5,6
Per square foot (£ per week)

6.5

92

7.7

68

6.3

89

3.2

29

3.0

35

19.47

20.04

20.42

20.01

19.69

1   2008/09 and prior periods are restated for the change in the definition of underlying profit before tax (‘UPBT’). As communicated at the time of the 2008/09 year end announcement, the financing 

element of IAS 19 ‘Employee Benefits’ pensions accounting has been excluded from UPBT. 

2  Net finance costs pre-financing fair value movements, IAS 19 pension financing (charge)/credit and one-off items that are material and infrequent in nature.
3  Profit before tax from continuing operations before any gain or loss on the sale of properties, investment property fair value movements, impairment of goodwill, financing fair value movements,  

IAS 19 pension financing (charge)/credit and one-off items that are material and infrequent in nature. 

4 Total proposed dividend in relation to the financial year.
5 Includes all convenience stores and convenience acquisitions. 
6 2008/09 and 2009/10 adjusted for comparative purposes to remove the dilutive effect of the temporary VAT reduction to 15 per cent between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 119

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Additional shareholder information

End	of	year	information	at	17	March	2012

Number of shareholders: 

Number of shares in issue: 

By	size	of	holding

500 and under
501 to 1,000
1,001 to 10,000
10,001 to 100,000
100,001 to 1,000,000
Over 1,000,000

By	category	of	shareholder

Individual and other shareholders
Insurance companies
Banks and Nominees
Investment Trusts
Pension Funds
Other Corporate Bodies

118,950 (2011: 116,974)

1,883,086,486 (2011: 1,870,802,529)

Shareholders 
% 
2011

64.13
12.95
21.16
1.28
0.32
0.16

2012

62.85
12.88
22.38
1.43
0.32
0.14

2012

0.46
0.61
3.83
2.21
6.84
86.05

Shares  
%
2011

0.46
0.60
3.47
2.01
7.00
86.45

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

Shareholders 
% 
2011

93.93
0.05
5.64
0.03
0.01
0.34

2012

92.80
0.07
6.74
0.04
0.01
0.34

2012

8.93
0.04
85.24
0.05
0.00
5.74

Shares  
%
2011

10.25
0.03
83.70
0.16
0.07
5.79

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

Consolidated	Tax	Vouchers
The Company has adopted the Consolidated Tax Voucher (‘CTV’) process 
in relation to dividend payments. This means that those shareholders 
receiving their dividend direct into their bank account will receive  
a CTV once a year detailing all payments made throughout that year.

Dividend	Reinvestment	Plan	(‘DRIP’)
The Company has a DRIP, which allows shareholders to reinvest their 
cash dividends in the Company’s shares bought in the market through 
a specially arranged share dealing service. No new shares are allotted 
under this DRIP and 29,930 shareholders participate in it. Full details  
of the DRIP and its charges, together with mandate forms, are available 
from the Registrars. Alternatively, you can elect to join the DRIP by 
registering for Investor Centre at www.investorcentre.co.uk.

Key dates for the final dividend are as follows:

Last date for return of revocation of DRIP mandates 

22 June 2012

DRIP shares purchased for participants

DRIP share certificates issued

13 July 2012

25 July 2012

Individual	Savings	Account	(‘ISA’)
A corporate ISA is available from The Share Centre Ltd and offers a tax 
efficient way of holding shares in the Company. For further information 
contact: The Share Centre, PO Box 2000, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, 
Buckinghamshire HP21 8ZB. Telephone: 01296 414141 or freephone 
08000 282812 and quote ‘Sainsbury’s’.

Electronic	Shareholder	Communications
The Company encourages all shareholders to receive their shareholder 
communications electronically in order to reduce our impact on  
the environment. Shareholders can register their email address at  
www.etreeuk.com/jsainsbury and for each new shareholder that does 
so we will make a donation to the Tree for All campaign run by the 
Woodland Trust.

Annual	Report	and	Financial	Statements
The Annual Report and Financial Statements is published on our 
website at www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/ar12 and has only been sent to those 
shareholders who have asked for a paper copy. Shareholders who have 
not requested a paper copy of the Annual Report have been notified  
of its availability on the website. 

A paper copy of the Annual Report is available by writing to the 
Company Secretary, J Sainsbury plc, Store Support Centre, 33 Holborn, 
London EC1N 2HT or you can email your request to investor.relations2@
sainsburys.co.uk.

Annual	General	Meeting	(‘AGM’)
The AGM will be held at 11.00am on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 at The 
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, 
London SW1P 3EE. The Notice of the Meeting and the proxy card for the 
meeting are enclosed with this report.

Company	website
J Sainsbury plc Interim and Annual Reports and results announcements 
are available via the internet on our website at www.j-sainsbury.co.uk. 
As well as providing share price data and financial history, the site 
also provides background information about the Company, regulatory 
and news releases and current issues. Shareholders can receive email 
notification of results and press announcements as they are released by 
registering on the page called Email news service in the Investor section 
of the website.

Registrars	
For information about the AGM, shareholdings, dividends and to 
report changes to personal details, shareholders should contact: 
Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, 
Bristol BS99 6ZZ. 
Telephone: 0870 702 0106

You can view and manage your shareholding online at  
www.investorcentre.co.uk. You will require your 11 character 
Shareholder Reference Number (‘SRN’) to log in. Your SRN starts  
with the letter C or G and is followed by 10 numbers. It can be  
found on share certificates and dividend tax vouchers.

120	J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

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Share	dealing	services
To buy or sell your J Sainsbury plc ordinary shares, please visit your 
stockbroker or a high street bank who will usually be able to assist you. 
Alternatively, you may consider using:

Investor	Relations
For investor enquiries please contact: Adam Wilson Katsibas, Head of 
Investor Relations, J Sainsbury plc, Store Support Centre, 33 Holborn, 
London EC1N 2HT. 

American	Depository	Receipts	(‘ADRs’)
The Company has a sponsored Level I ADR programme for which  
The Bank of New York Mellon acts as depositary. 

The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter (‘OTC’) market in  
the US under the symbol JSYNSY, where one ADR is equal to four 
ordinary shares. 

All enquiries relating to ADRs should be addressed to: 

BNY Mellon 
Shareowner Services 
PO Box 358516 
Pittsburgh 
PA 15252-8516 
Toll Free Telephone # for domestic callers: 1-888-BNY-ADRS 
International callers can call: +1-201-680-6825 
Email: shrrelations@bnymellon.com 

General	contact	details
Share price information is available on the Company’s website, in the 
financial press and the Cityline service operated by the Financial Times 
(Telephone: 0906 003 3904).

For general enquiries about Sainsbury’s Finance call: 0500 405 060.

For any customer enquiries please contact our Customer Careline by 
calling: 0800 636 262.

• The Share Centre Ltd who offer a postal dealing service and they 
can be contacted at The Share Centre, PO Box 2000, Oxford Road, 
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP21 8ZB. Telephone: 01296 414141 or 
freephone 08000 282812 and quote ‘Sainsbury’s’; or

• Computershare who offer a telephone and internet facility which 
gives shareholders the opportunity to trade at a known price. The 
telephone service is available from 8.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to 
Friday, excluding bank holidays, on telephone number 0870 703 
0084. The internet share dealing service gives shareholders the 
option to submit instructions to trade online and more information 
can be found by visiting www.computershare.com/dealing/uk.

Further information and detailed terms and conditions are available  
on request by calling either provider.

ShareGift
If you have only a small number of shares which would cost more for you 
to sell than they are worth, you may wish to consider donating them to 
the charity ShareGift (Registered Charity 1052686) which specialises 
in accepting such shares as donations. The relevant stock transfer form 
may be obtained from Computershare Investor Services PLC. There are 
no implications for Capital Gains Tax purposes (no gain or loss) on gifts 
of shares to charity and it is also possible to obtain income tax relief. 
Further information about ShareGift may be obtained on 020 7930 
3737 or from www.sharegift.org. 

Tax	information	–	Capital	Gains	Tax	(‘CGT’)
For CGT purposes, the market value of ordinary shares on 31 March  
1982 adjusted for all capital adjustments was 91.99 pence and B shares 
10.941 pence.

Share	capital	consolidation
The original base cost of shares apportioned between ordinary shares 
of 28 4/7 pence and B shares is made by reference to the market value of 
each class of shares on the first day for which a market value is quoted 
after the new holding comes into existence. The market value  
for CGT purposes of any share or security quoted on the Stock 
Exchange Daily Official List is generally the lower of the two quotations 
on any day plus one quarter of the difference between the values.

On Monday, 19 July 2004 the values were determined as follows:

New ordinary shares 257.5 pence
B shares 35 pence

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 121

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Additional shareholder information continued

Financial	calendar	2012/13
Dividend	payments
Ordinary	dividend:

Ex-dividend date
Record date
Final dividend payable
Ex-dividend date
Record date
Interim dividend payable

Other	dates

Annual General Meeting - London

Interim results announced

Interim report available at j-sainsbury.co.uk

Preliminary Results announced

Annual General Meeting - London

Registered	office	and	advisers

Registered	office
J Sainsbury plc
33 Holborn
London EC1N 2HT
Registered number 185647

Auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
1 Embankment Place
London WC2N 6RH

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Solicitors
Linklaters
One Silk Street
London EC2Y 8HQ

Stockbrokers
UBS
1 Finsbury Avenue
London EC2M 2PP

Morgan Stanley
25 Cabot Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 4QA

16 May 2012
18 May 2012
13 July 2012
21 November 2012
23 November 2012
4 January 2013

11 July 2012

14 November 2012

14 November 2012

8 May 2013

10 July 2013

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Electronic	communications	for	shareholders
The Company has set up a facility for shareholders to take advantage of electronic communications. 

The	service	allows	you	to:

• view the Annual Report and Financial Statements on the day it is published;
• receive electronic notification of the availability of future shareholder information (you must register your email for this service);
• check the balance and current value of your shareholding and view your dividend history; and
• submit your vote online prior to a general meeting.

For more information, to view the terms and conditions and to register for the service, log on to www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/investors,  
click on ‘Shareholder Services’ and then follow the instructions on screen.

Alternatively, register by visiting www-uk.computershare.com/investor. For both methods, you will require your 11 character Shareholder  
Reference Number which can be found on your share certificate or latest tax voucher.

122	J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

 
 
Glossary

Active	Kids — Our nationwide scheme to help 
inspire school children to take more exercise 
and to eat more healthily. Launched in 2005, 
Active Kids is open to all nursery, primary and 
secondary schools as well as Scouts and Girl 
Guides in the UK. 
www.sainsburys.co.uk/activekids	

AGM	—	Annual	General	Meeting — This year 
the AGM will be held on Wednesday, 11 July 
2012 at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference 
Centre, Broad Sanctuary, London SW1P 3EE  
at 11.00am.

B	shares — Preference B shares issued on 
12 July 2004 as part of the Return of Capital 
scheme in 2004/05.

basics — Sainsbury’s entry level sub-brand 
range of products.

bps — basis points.

Brand	Match — Unique initiative using market-
leading technology guaranteeing price match 
on the basket of comparable grocery branded 
goods with Asda and Tesco. Over 14,000 
branded grocery lines are included and the 
initiative works by offering customers who 
spend over £20 and buy at least one branded 
product coupons at the till, there and then  
for use at their next shop. We even include 
promotions provided the same number  
of products are bought. Maximum value  
of coupons £10.

by	Sainsbury’s — core own label brand.

CMBS — Commercial Mortgage Backed 
Securities.

EPS — Earnings per share — Earnings 
attributable to ordinary shareholders divided 
by the weighted average number of ordinary 
shares in issue during the year, excluding  
those held by ESOP trusts, which are treated 
as cancelled.

ESOP	trusts — Employee Share Ownership 
Plan trusts.

Fairtrade — The Fairtrade label is an 
independent consumer label that guarantees  
a fair deal for marginalised workers and small 
scale farmers in developing countries. 
Producers receive a minimum price that covers 
the cost of production and an extra premium 
that is invested in the local community. 
www.fairtrade.org.uk

Fair	value — The amount for which an asset 
could be exchanged, or a liability settled, 
between knowledgeable, willing parties in 
an arm’s length transaction.

FSA — Food Standards Agency.
www.food.gov.uk

FTSE4Good — The FTSE Group, an indexing 
company, runs the FTSE4Good index series  
to measure the performance of companies 
that meet CR standards, and to facilitate 
investment in those companies. 
www.ftse.com/ftse4good

FVTPL — Fair value through profit or loss. 
Method of valuing a financial instrument where 
changes in fair value are recognised directly  
in the income statement.

GDAs — Guideline Daily Amounts.

Company — J Sainsbury plc.

Gearing — Net debt divided by net assets.

Click	&	Collect — service which allows 
customers to place general merchandise 
orders online for collection from over  
900 stores.

CPI — Consumer Price Index.

Corporate	responsibility — The need  
to act responsibly in managing the impact  
on a range of stakeholders: customers, 
colleagues, investors, suppliers,  
he community and the environment.

Dividend	cover — Underlying profit after tax 
from continuing operations attributable to 
equity shareholders divided by total value  
of dividends declared during the year.

DRIP	—	Dividend	Reinvestment	Plan — Allows 
shareholders to reinvest their cash dividend  
in shares of the Company through  
a specially arranged share dealing service.

EBITDAR — Earnings before interest, tax, 
depreciation, amortisation and rent.

Group — The Company and its subsidiaries.

IFRIC — International Financial Reporting 
Interpretations Committee.

IFRSs — International Financial Reporting 
Standard(s).

Income	statement — Formerly known as  
the profit and loss account under UK GAAP.

JV — Joint venture — A business jointly owned 
by two or more parties.

Kantar	Worldpanel — an independent third 
party providing data on the UK Grocery Market.

Like-for-like	sales — The measure of year-on-
year same store sales growth.

Live	Well	for	Less — Sainsbury’s customer 
commitment to continue to help people live  
the life they want to live, with quality products 
at fair prices.

LTIP — Long-Term Incentive Plan.

MSC — Marine Stewardship Council.

Multiple	traffic	lights — Nutritional labels 
which provide effective ‘at-a-glance’ 
information customers need to make healthier 
choices when shopping.

Nectar — The most popular loyalty scheme  
in the UK, of which Sainsbury’s is a partner.

OFT — Office of Fair Trading.

Real	discount	rate — Discount rate less 
inflation rate.

ROCE — Return on capital employed.

RPI — Retail Price Index.

TSR — Total Shareholder Return — The growth 
in value of a shareholding over a specified 
period, assuming that dividends are reinvested 
to purchase additional units of the stock.

Taste	the	Difference — Sainsbury’s premium 
sub-brand range of products.

TU — Sainsbury’s own label clothing range.

Underlying	basic	earnings	per	share —  
Profit after tax from continuing operations 
attributable to equity holders before any  
profit or loss on the disposal of properties, 
investment property fair value movements, 
impairment of goodwill, financing fair value 
movements, IAS 19 pension financing element 
and one-off items that are material and 
infrequent in nature, divided by the weighted 
average number of ordinary shares in issue 
during the year, excluding those held by the 
ESOP trusts, which are treated as cancelled.

Underlying	profit	before	tax — Profit before 
tax from continuing operations before any 
profit or loss on the disposal of properties, 
investment property fair value movements, 
impairment of goodwill, financing fair value 
movements, IAS 19 pension financing element 
and one-off items that are material and 
infrequent in nature.

Underlying	operating	profit	— Underlying 
profit before tax from continuing operations 
before underlying net finance costs and 
underlying share of post-tax profit or loss  
from joint ventures.

Underlying	cash	flow	from	operations	— 
the underlying cash generated from 
operations for net rent and cash payments 
to the pension scheme.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012 J	Sainsbury	plc	 123

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124	J	Sainsbury	plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012

Further insight
Want to know more  
about our year?  
Visit j-sainsbury.co.uk

This report is printed on  
Revive 75 White Silk, a  
recycled paper containing  
75% post consumer waste.

The paper is FSC accredited  
as a recycled grade.

The printer is certified to the 
environmental management 
system ISO 14001 and is also 
CarbonNeutralTM.

The FSC logo identifies products which 
contain wood from well managed forests 
certified in accordance with the rules of the 
Forest Stewardship Council. FSC Trademark 
© 1996 Forest Stewardship Council, A.C.

Cert no. XXX-XXX-000Cert no. XXX-XXX-000Achievements

WINNER

Supermarket  
of the Year

WINNER

Convenience 
Chain
 of the Year

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Supermarket of the year 
We won the top award in the Retail Industry Awards 2011 for the second 
time in three years, with the judges praising us for being true to our 
brand in a difficult trading period, while championing family values 
and investing for the future.

Best convenience retailer
For a second year running Sainsbury’s won Convenience Chain of the 
Year. Our stores impressed the judges with their combination of strong 
results and excellent growth in a hard fought market.

Embedding sustainability 
Sainsbury’s achieved Gold class status and was rated as a global  
sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. This Index is one  
of the leading ways that sustainability is measured in the international 
business community.

Leading retailer for sustainability 
We were the top retailer for sustainability in the independent, highly 
regarded FTSE4Good Index, which evaluates businesses from around 
the world against key social, environmental and governance practices.

Investing in our people 
We are the first ever food retailer to receive a Gold accreditation from 
Investors in People for our commitment to improve our business by 
investing in our colleagues. 

Committed to animal welfare standards 
For the third year running we won the Best Volume Supermarket  
in the Compassion in World Farming Awards. The award recognised  
our responsible, sustainable business approach to our supply chain,  
and consistent commitment to farm animal welfare. 

Focus on customer health
This award recognises companies that have made a real impact  
on helping people make healthier choices in their food and drink. For 
Sainsbury’s, the accolade reflects the work of our in-store pharmacies.  

Official partner of the London  
2012 Paralympic Games 
We are proud to be the first ever Paralympics-only sponsor. Our 
sponsorship is helping us to promote a healthier, more active lifestyle 
across all ages and abilities.

Celebrating Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee
Sainsbury’s is celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 
through our support of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant,  
Diamond Jubilee Beacons, Jubilee Family Festival and Woodland 
Trust Jubilee Woods Project.