Beyond food

Non-food products were first sold at Sainsbury's Chichester branch in 1961.

The range, which was only available at larger stores, included washing powder, toilet paper, soaps, shampoos and cleaning products. Household items such as buckets, brushes and cooking utensils were added from 1963.

Sainsbury's first own brand washing powder was launched in 1966. In 1989, Sainsbury's added 'Greencare' phosphate-free detergents to its range of cleaning products. The Novon range was launched in 1992 as a rival to established brands and by 1994 was the fifth largest detergent brand in the UK.

Clothing was first sold at Telford in 1973 and included flared jeans, knitwear and children's clothes. Basics items such as underwear and socks proved most popular. By 1977, 25 stores sold Sainsbury's clothing, but the range was discontinued in the 1980s, as the number of food lines increased. Clothes were re-introduced in 1991 and the Tu label was launched in 2004. The range now includes a selection of items made from Fairtrade cotton.

Sainsbury's first self-service off-license opened in Bristol in 1962. It offered 24 different beers, three ciders and 47 wines and spirits. The first own-brand BWS products were 4 Spanish sherries, British cherry and ginger wines and Spanish table wine. These were followed in later years by French, German & Portuguese wines. 1966 vintage Beaujolais was promoted as 'an agreeably fruity wine' and cost 10s 6d a bottle.

From the 1970s, the development of new edge of town superstores and the Savacentre hypermarkets provided space for more kitchenware and electrical goods, books and newspapers. Sainsbury's also diversified into the DIY market with the creation the Homebase house and garden chain in 1981. In November 1978 Sainsbury's introduced its own range of cookery books, designed to encourage customers to experiment with new foods. A series of competitively priced children's books was added in 1985.