Tesco store Poland

Tesco plans to double its returns from central and eastern Europe to 10 per cent in order to achieve its aim of improving company-wide returns from 12.9 per cent in 2010/11 to 14.6 per cent in 2014/15, according to Reuters.

The world's third-largest retailer hopes to increase sales in the region with a revamp of its hypermarkets that will see 5,500 new lines added and fresh service counters upgraded.

Tesco also said it will quickly expand its smaller-format stores and offer online grocery shopping across the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey.

More consistent store blueprints could apparently save the company £40m (€44.9m) in 2011/12.