Decimalisation

In February 1971 Britain and Ireland changed over to a decimal currency. The old and new systems were not easily comparable and manypeople, especially the elderly, found it hard to understand at first.

In February 1970, a year before 'D-Day' when decimalisation came in to force, the store at  9/11 London Road, Croydon, became a 'decimal shop'. Sainsbury's 25,000 workforce was trained with plastic coins, and then returned to train staff at their own branches.

To prepare customers for the changeover, Sainsbury's invited groups such as the Women's Institute to view a video entitled 'Quick Change' and to try the new currency. Over 30,000 customers visited the shop in the months before 'D-Day'. On the last day local pensioners were given a new pound to spend in the store, with the help of pupils from Croydon High School.

Numerous leaflets and conversion tools were issued by Sainsbury's to help with the changeover. Large decimal conversion charts were also displayed in stores. Products were dual-priced, with decimal prices rounded down rather than up. The process of decimalisation ran smoothly and JD Sainsbury branded it 'the biggest non-event of the year'. The operation to ensure this cost Sainsbury's an estimated £325,000.