In Britain there are Tesco Superstores and then there is Tesco Extra. Incredible though it may be, the Tesco Extra store in Pitsea, Essex, has 92 checkouts where anything from "cute kids wear" to "gastronomic inspiration" is on offer, if you can find it.

With more than 500 stores ranging from the specialised Tesco Metro on the High Street to the 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week experience in Essex, Tesco is clearly investing in customer loyalty. In 1996 Tesco's group sales reached £14.98 billion, overtaking their nearest and fiercest rivals, Sainbury as the market leader in Britain.

Interim results for 1996/1997, including Ireland, have already passed the £7 billion mark.

The Tesco Extra store in Pitsea, Essex, was opened in June this year and is the only one of its kind in Britain.

"We spent a long time researching the possibility of opening Tesco Extra in Essex. I suppose you could call it a calculated risk, but we think the way forward is to push the boundaries in catering for shoppers who want the convenience of doing their shopping at any time of the day. With such a large store we can attract customers from miles around," said one Tesco manager.

With 92 checkouts, Tesco is underlining and extending its "One-in-Front" pledge whereby another checkout will be opened immediately if you find yourself standing behind another shopper in the queue to pay for your goods. At the Pitsea store there are also 16 petrol pumps so shoppers can fill up the tank while filling the boot with Tesco's own brands.

Inside Tesco Extra there are more than 1,300 convenience products, 30 types of apples, 59 blends of fresh-ground coffee and infotainment. Explaining the concept of infotainment, Tesco says it has created a department within its store that combines the latest CDs with a "diverse selection of videos". The plan seems to be the oldest marketing method known to shopkeepers. Keep the customer in the shop.

In Tesco's slightly smaller but, nevertheless, busy Superstore at Brent Cross, on the outskirts of London, I am a little disappointed to find only 24 checkouts.

"This store's been overtaken by the Tesco Extra, but then I don't suppose Tesco could build too many of them. The choice here is incredible but I don't think I would like to do my shopping in a store with 92 checkouts," said one man with few items in his basket.

Walking around the store with my basket I was so overwhelmed by the amount of cat and dog food, sleeping baskets and bells to hang around their necks that it made me almost sorry not to have a pet. So, bypassing the cat food, I headed for the gorgeous looking bottles filled with olive oil, looked at an advertisement for a 1-bedroom flat on the store's notice board and watched a demonstration of Mexican cooking.

By way of comparison, central London stores are geared towards lunch-time and single purchase sales. So as I walked around Tesco's Metro store situated halfway between Covent Garden and Leicester Square I prepared myself to sample Tesco's city experience. Standing beside the king prawns was none other than the self-styled supremo of London night clubs, Peter Stringfellow.

Tesco's stores of every description sell approximately 45 per cent own brand products, from car accessories and vitamin tablets to customised birthday cakes.

However, as I approached the checkout with my two almond croissants, I was surprised to find that not only was I third in the queue but no-one came by to open another checkout.

"We're very busy this morning," said one of the staff by way of apology, "and we've got the cameramen in."