Tesco spends £28m flying bosses around the world on private jets

PA

Supermarket giant Tesco has spent a whopping £28m flying executives around the world on private jets since 2005.

According to the Guardian, Tesco spent £9m last year and £28.9m over the past seven years.

The supermarket chain, which styles itself as a store for budget-conscious shoppers, uses the famous motto 'Every little helps', but filings at Companies House show it has been less thrifty with its use of private jets.

The figures come from analysis of the accounts for Kansas Transportation, a jet-leasing business, which was set up by Tesco in 2005 and reveal that the bill has seen a steady increase under the management of Philip Clarke, with the highest this year in Clarke's first year as chief executive of the company.

The Daily Mail reports that Sir Terry Leahy, who stepped down as chief executive last year, said he preferred flights with easyJet than on private jets.

Under Sir Terry's management in 2009, the bill for private jets was just £2.3m, but this rose to £5.4m the following year, £7.8m in the year to February 2011 and £8.9m in the most recent year.

A Tesco spokesman said the firm uses private jets 'in common with many multinational companies' and that this helps executives 'make the most efficient use of their time as they travel in and between our markets.'

Related articles

Inside Donald Trump's gold-covered private jet

Kate and William spend £53k on one flight