SUPERMARKET giant Tesco is strengthening its presence in Plymouth by opening another store and creating 22 jobs.

The supermarket giant is opening a Tesco Express outlet in Wolseley Road and has recruited staff from "the local area".

The branch will be the 11th Tesco outlet in the Plymouth area and is due to open on February 13.

Last August, the chain opened an Express store on Mutley Plain creating 13 jobs.

The Tesco empire already encompassed its large store at Transit Way, in Honicknowle, Tesco Extras at Roborough and Lee Mill, a Tesco Metro in the city centre's New George Street, and Tesco Express stores in Beaumont Road, Cobourg Street, Eggbuckland Road, and two in Plympton.

Wolseley Road store manager Paul Rossiter and his team worked with other city Express stores to fill the job vacancies.

Mr Rossiter said: "I was thrilled by the huge response we received to our recruitment drive. In this time of economic uncertainty, it is great that we are able to create jobs for our local community and help get people back into work.

"I am pleased with my new team and looking forward to working with them.

"We are delighted to be opening a Tesco Express store on Wolseley Road and look forward to playing an active role in the local community."

The Plymouth expansion comes as Tesco saw its share of the grocery market dip below 30 per cent for the first time in nearly seven years as it struggled to compete with low-cost rivals, new figures showed.

Tesco's drop in market share, to its lowest level since May 2005, came as Sainsbury's took its strongest hold on the market since March 2003 and Iceland soared to its best share of the market in 10 years

Tesco, still the UK's biggest supermarket, saw its share fall to 29.9 per cent in the 12 weeks to January 12, as it slashed prices in a failed bid to attract more customers.

The group admitted it had messed up its pricing strategy over a disappointing Christmas – triggering an unprecedented slump in its share price, wiping billions of pounds from its market value.

The UK's top four supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons – were embroiled in an aggressive war during the period, started by Tesco when it launched its £500 million Big Price Drop campaign in early October.

Iceland saw its market share grow from 1.9 per cent to 2.1 per cent in the period.

The supermarket's founder, Malcolm Walker, is reportedly facing a battle with two private equity firms, BC Partners and Bain Capital, for the grocer in a £1billion auction.

Meanwhile, low-cost chains saw their share of the market grow as well, with Lidl up from 2.4 per cent to 2.5 per cent and Aldi up from 3.1 per cent to 3.5 per cent.