New Delhi

Barclays has struck a deal to acquire Tesco's retail banking operations for £600 million ($757 million), a move set to reshape the landscape of the banking sector.

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Under the agreement, Barclays will take over Tesco Bank's credit cards, loans, and savings accounts, while also gaining the rights to market Tesco-branded banking services.

Approximately 2,800 Tesco banking staff members are slated to transition to Barclays as part of the acquisition.

Tesco assured its customers that the transition would be seamless, with no immediate action required on their part. The supermarket giant plans to retain certain banking services, such as insurance, ATMs, travel money, and gift cards.

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Additionally, a partnership between Tesco and Barclays has been established, wherein Barclays will market and distribute credit cards, personal loans, and deposits under the Tesco brand for an initial term of 10 years.

As per BBC, Ken Murphy, Tesco's chief executive, expressed optimism about the deal, highlighting its potential to bolster Tesco's financial position and facilitate growth in its core retail business.

He emphasised that the majority of the proceeds from the transaction would be returned to shareholders, including an approximately $315 million special dividend paid by Tesco Bank last year. Furthermore, the deal enables Tesco to release $126 million tied up for regulatory purposes, enhancing the shareholder return.

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According to a report by BBC, Barclays Group CEO C.S. Venkatakrishnan underscored the strategic significance of the partnership with Tesco, emphasising the opportunities it presents for expanding Barclays' unsecured lending and deposit businesses. He noted the potential to leverage Barclays' expertise in partnership cards to enhance the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme.

Both companies expressed commitment to ensuring a smooth integration process and providing support for transferring staff.

Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, contextualised Tesco's decision within the broader retail landscape, highlighting a trend of grocers streamlining their operations and focusing on core business activities. She noted that Tesco's divestment of banking operations aligns with its strategy to concentrate on its food business amid intensifying competition in the retail sector.