Sainsbury's attacks Tesco in TV ad war over value

Argos is coming to a Sainsbury's near you (Getty Images)

Sainsbury’s will tonight launch the first of a series of attack ads against Tesco, set to coincide with the first anniversary of the horsemeat scandal.

Bosses are keen to increase the pressure on its larger rival and the Advertising Standards Authority over the watchdog’s decision to throw out an appeal by Sainsbury’s against Tesco’s price promise, which it called unfair.

The campaign will start with a commercial during Coronation Street with Sainsbury’s pointedly showing that its basics eggs range cost the same as Tesco’s value eggs but come from non-caged hens.

Later ads are expected to point out the difference in meat between the two supermarkets, in a direct nod to the horsemeat scandal, which left Sainsbury’s unscathed while Tesco was forced to issue grovelling apologies after horse DNA was found in its own-brand burgers.

Sainsbury’s has felt aggrieved by Tesco’s price promise, which match prices on all products including own-brand, and claimed its Taste the Difference and basics ranges were not comparable with Tesco’s equivalent and complained to the ASA. However, the complaint and subsequent appeal were thrown out.

The company is taking the ASA to court for a judicial review into the decision.

Sarah Warby, Sainsbury’s marketing director, said: “Our new campaign aims to reassure customers that when they buy Sainsbury’s basics they don’t need to sacrifice their values, something that many of our major competitors aren’t able to say.”