Charles Allen and Dr Harald Einsmann are both to retire as non-executive directors of Tesco from the end of this year's agm on Friday 2 July.

The process of recruiting replacements is under way and the company expects to announce new appointments in the next few weeks. Both Allen and Einsmann have served on the Tesco board since February 1999.

"I would like to thank both Charles and Harald for their excellent advice and for their important contribution to Tesco's success over the past 11 years," said Tesco chairman David Reid.