09 Apr 2020 --- In Tesco’s recently released COVID-19 update, the retailer flags significant extra costs incurred as a result of 45,000 new staff hires, among other pandemic-related actions. According to the supermarket, UK panic buying is “stabilizing” with “more normal” sales volumes being observed. A recent point of contention is the company’s £635 million (US$789.2 million) dividend payout, which was delivered after Tesco accepted a similarly valued tax break from the UK government’s emergency pandemic fund.