Tesco will shift the focus of its marketing from price to quality after replacing its famous blue-and-white-striped value own-label range with the new Everyday Value, industry watchers predicted.

The new and improved 550-strong range, unveiled this week, features much brighter, more colourful packaging. It will include more fruit and will be free of MSG, hydrogenated fats, artificial flavours, colours or GM.

“This is long overdue. The range has been left behind by the competition and has looked very jaded for a long time,” said Kantar Retail analyst Bryan Roberts.

“They need to switch the focus to quality because they can’t possibly argue that the Big Price Drop has worked.”

Natalie Berg at Planet Retail added: “This will help to improve both price and quality perception, but I imagine there will be an element of self-cannibalisation as shoppers trade down from the standard Tesco range,”

Rivals claimed Tesco was just following their lead. “This definitely feels like a reaction to what we have done,” said Stephen Bell, creative director at Coley Porter Bell, the design agency behind Morrisons’ new M Savers range.

“Quality is absolutely the number one priority for us,” said Tesco brands development director Sidonie Kingsmill. “Each product has an individual identity, sending a message to customers that we care about each one.”

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