Advertising messages 1915-1950s

In the early years of Sainsbury's advertising, Sainsbury's had no in-house designers or writers.

Early claims that Sainsbury's cocoa was 'nutritive, sustaining and of high food value' or that Nuts & Milk margarine was recommended by doctors, would not be permitted today!

Archive highlights from the late 1920s include the booklets 'Food for thought (or Song of Sainsbury)' and "The Careful Choice of Food" which were given away to customers. They were written and illustrated by 'Pin' which was a pseudonym of Lady Sybil Grant, the eldest daughter of politician Lord Roseberry and married to Major General Charles Grant.

During the Second World War Sainsbury's introduced a 'Fair Shares' scheme to ensure that goods in short supply were distributed evenly, using a system of points. The scheme encouraged customers to register for all rationed goods at Sainsbury's.

Sainsbury's advertising agents Mather & Crowther, under the supervision of Francis Meynell (who also produced the government's 'Food facts' advertisements), created a series of press advertisements for Sainsbury's, suggesting meal ideas using 'points' foods.

Advertising for Sainsbury's self-service stores used a comic strip format to introduce customers to the new self-service methods. The advantages of self-service were promoted with slogans such as 'Help yourself' and 'Q-less shopping' but Sainsbury's traditional values were still emphasised:

'In 89 years of service to the public, the name of Sainsbury's has come to mean pure, clean, fresh foods, at the lowest possible prices' (Advertisement for new Drury Lane store, November )1958