Tesco, a big British supermarket chain, is planning

Tesco, a big British supermarket chain, is planning to open at least 21 Fresh & Easy stores — most of them about 10,000 sq. ft. — in the Phoenix area, and to establish additional stores in Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles, according to The Economist. The magazine says most of the shops will be about one-sixth the size of a typical American supermarket and will reflect the company’s belief that “there is demand for smaller stores closer to home with fewer products, making it easier to find things.” Fresh & Easy outlets will aim to offer high-quality products, such as a wide array of preservative-free “ready meals,” rather than copying existing convenience stores’ emphasis on snack foods, the magazine says.