SAFEWAY STORES LIMITED
Originally a major UK supermarket chain, the company is now a subsidiary of WM Morrison Supermarkets Limited and operates as a wholesale grocery brand supplying independent retailers.
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Cash
—
Latest balance sheet
Net assets
£787m
Equity attributable
Employees
32,998
lowest in 3 filed years
Profit before tax
£59m
Period ending 2025-10-26
Net assets
3-year trend · vs Consumer Staples median
Accounts
3-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-10-26
| Metric | Trend | 2023-10-29 | 2024-10-27 | 2025-10-26 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £7,568,000,000 | £6,754,000,000 | £5,936,000,000 | — | |
| Operating profit | £175,000,000 | £322,000,000 | £61,000,000 | — | |
| Profit before tax | £176,000,000 | £364,000,000 | £59,000,000 | — | |
| Net profit | £146,000,000 | £356,000,000 | £55,000,000 | — | |
| Cash | — | — | — | — | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £1,654,000,000 | £1,612,000,000 | — | — | |
| Net assets | £946,000,000 | £748,000,000 | £787,000,000 | — | |
| Equity | £946,000,000 | £748,000,000 | £787,000,000 | — | |
| Average employees | 35,749 | 34,681 | 32,998 | — | |
| Wages | £599,000,000 | £620,000,000 | £587,000,000 | — | |
| Directors' remuneration | — | — | — | — |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. Year-on-year comparison hidden: this filing covers about 12 months versus 12 months prior. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-10-29 | 2024-10-27 | 2025-10-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 2.3% | 4.8% | 1.0% | |
| Net margin | 1.9% | 5.3% | 0.9% | |
| Return on capital employed | 10.6% | 20.0% | — | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 81.0% | 82.8% | 81.8% | |
| Current ratio | 0.49x | 0.49x | 0.54x | |
| Interest cover | 7.61x | 6.71x | 2.18x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 5 times since incorporation
- SAFEWAY STORES LIMITED 2004-05-18 → present
- SAFEWAY STORES PLC 1992-06-01 → 2004-05-18
- SAFEWAY PLC 1988-10-21 → 1992-06-01
- SAFEWAY PLC 1988-06-20 → 1988-10-21
- ARGYLL STORES LIMITED 1987-01-04 → 1988-06-20
- WOODS (GROCERS) LIMITED 1963-01-15 → 1987-01-04
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 101
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“The immediate parent of the Company is Stores Group Limited and the ultimate parent and controlling party of the Group is Market Topco Limited. The Company has obtained a letter of support from the ultimate parent, Market Topco Limited, that confirms financial support will be provided, where required, for the foreseeable future and at least twelve months from the date of signing the financial statements and, in particular, it will not demand repayment of any amounts currently outstanding (see note 1).”
Significant events
- “There were no significant developments during the 52 weeks ended 26 October 2025 requiring specific consideration of the long-term consequences on stakeholders, of decisions made.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
4 active · 62 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURKE, Jonathan James | Secretary | 2017-02-22 | — | — |
| BURKE, Jonathan James | Director | 2017-02-22 | Nov 1966 | British |
| CHARNOCK, Alison | Director | 2011-07-15 | Nov 1969 | British |
| GOFF, Joanna Louise | Director | 2022-04-22 | Sep 1978 | British |
Show 62 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMSDEN, Mark Rowan | Secretary | 2015-07-09 | 2017-02-22 |
| BURKE, Jonathan James | Secretary | 2004-03-09 | 2009-03-16 |
| JONES, Hazel | Secretary | 2009-11-18 | 2015-06-26 |
| KINCH, John Patrick | Secretary | — | 2001-09-17 |
| MCMAHON, Gregory Joseph | Secretary | 2009-03-16 | 2009-11-18 |
| WILSON, David, Dr | Secretary | 2001-09-18 | 2004-03-09 |
| ACKROYD, Martin | Director | 2004-03-09 | 2005-05-25 |
| ADDISON, Niall | Director | 2009-11-20 | 2015-04-01 |
| AMSDEN, Mark Rowan | Director | 2013-02-07 | 2017-02-22 |
| AYLWIN, Mark Terence | Director | 2002-05-31 | 2005-01-01 |
| BAILEY, Fiona Jane | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2004-01-09 |
| BOOTLE, David Bernard | Director | — | 1994-07-23 |
| BRAY, Karen | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2003-06-04 |
| BROWN, Sydney Herbert Marsden | Director | — | 1993-04-24 |
| CHARTERS, Robert George Beattie | Director | 1996-06-13 | 1998-03-27 |
| CHRISTENSEN, Lawrence | Director | — | 2004-06-18 |
| CRIADO PEREZ TREFAULT, Carlos Maria | Director | 1999-08-16 | 2004-03-08 |
| DAVIES, Jonathan Owen | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2004-06-11 |
| DURKAN, John Patrick | Director | 2002-05-31 | 2004-05-05 |
| FRANCIS, Richard Phillip | Director | 2001-09-03 | 2004-03-19 |
| FRASER, Ian Ellis | Director | 1996-02-29 | 1999-12-10 |
| FRENDO, Paul Anthony | Director | — | 1994-01-31 |
| GARTLAND, Thomas | Director | — | 1993-04-24 |
| GLEESON, Michael | Director | 2019-12-18 | 2022-04-22 |
| GLEN, Frederick Nairn | Director | — | 1994-10-13 |
| GRANT, Matthew Alistair, Sir | Director | — | 1993-12-07 |
| GUNTER, Mark | Director | 2004-03-09 | 2011-07-15 |
| HARRISON, Mark | Director | 2012-04-18 | 2016-02-18 |
| HARTWELL, Terrance | Director | 2009-11-20 | 2014-11-14 |
| HUBER, David John Howard, Dr | Director | — | 1997-03-27 |
| HUTCHINSON, David Robert | Director | 2004-03-09 | 2007-06-29 |
| JONES, Charles Martyn | Director | 2009-11-20 | 2010-09-09 |
| KIERAN, Patrick Oliver | Director | — | 1995-12-31 |
| KINCH, John Patrick | Director | — | 2001-10-13 |
| LAFFIN, Simon Timothy | Director | 1994-10-13 | 2004-03-08 |
| LANCASTER, Richard | Director | 2009-11-20 | 2012-04-13 |
| LAWRIE, Charles Sharpe | Director | — | 1994-03-31 |
| LEPLEY, David John | Director | 2020-01-30 | 2024-04-15 |
| MACLACHLAN, James | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2003-05-14 |
| MCMAHON, Gregory Joseph | Director | 2009-11-20 | 2013-01-11 |
| MELNYK, Marie Margaret | Director | 2004-03-09 | 2006-12-06 |
| MILLS, Gary William | Director | 2016-02-18 | 2020-01-30 |
| MORRIS, Andrew Richard | Director | 1994-03-03 | 1999-02-22 |
| MOWAT, Gordon Peter | Director | 2014-11-14 | 2015-04-01 |
| OWEN, Roger Anthony | Director | 2004-12-02 | 2009-02-01 |
| PARTINGTON, Roger Evans | Director | 1994-01-12 | 1999-07-22 |
| PENNYCOOK, Richard John | Director | 2006-05-01 | 2013-04-10 |
| RAMSDEN, Roger Charles | Director | 1997-10-14 | 2001-05-04 |
| SINCLAIR, Jack Loudon | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2004-03-08 |
| SMITH, Colin Deverell | Director | — | 1999-11-22 |
| STOTT, Robert Winston | Director | 2004-03-08 | 2006-09-29 |
| STRAIN, Trevor John | Director | 2009-12-04 | 2019-12-18 |
| TAYLOR, Matthew Logan | Director | — | 1995-06-14 |
| VALENCIA, Fernando Garcia | Director | 2002-03-11 | 2004-03-19 |
| WEBB, Stephen John | Director | 2001-08-20 | 2004-03-19 |
| WEBSTER, David Gordon Comyn | Director | 2000-01-10 | 2004-03-08 |
| WEBSTER, David Gordon Comyn | Director | — | 1993-12-07 |
| WHITE, James Alfred | Director | 2001-06-24 | 2004-06-25 |
| WILLIAMS, Richard Glynne | Director | 1994-04-28 | 2004-03-08 |
| WILSON, David, Dr | Director | 2001-09-18 | 2004-03-09 |
| WINCH, Michael | Director | — | 2000-02-09 |
| WOTHERSPOON, Gordon | Director | — | 2000-05-08 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stores Group Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
| Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited | Corporate entity | Significant influence | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 435 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-12 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-07-23 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2026-03-18 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-03-18 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-03-18 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-03-18 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-31 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-29 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-10-29 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 20
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 0
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.