Sainsbury: The Instant Access Savings Account, which can be opened with a deposit of £1. A three-tier system of interest rates is applied to savings: on deposits of £1£2,499, the gross interest rate per annum is 5.75 per cent; £2,500£24,999, gross interest rate per annum is 6 per cent; £25,000-plus, the gross interest rate p.a. is 6.5 per cent.

Sainsbury's Bank also offers personal loans, home and pet insurance, a Christmas Saver Account and mortgages. In Northern Ireland, Sainsbury's Bank customers can avail of the financial services offered elsewhere, but cannot take out a mortgage. The supermarket does not operate in the Republic and there are "no plans yet" to do so.

Safeway: The Direct Savings Account offers one of the most competitive interest rates. The top rate is 7.55 per cent gross per annum on savings of £2,500 plus. On savings of £1,000 and above the gross interest rate per annum is 7.50 per cent; 6.75 per cent gross per annum on £500 and above; and 4 per cent gross per annum on £50 and over. No other financial services are offered. The store operates in Northern Ireland where the savings account is offered to its customers, but there are no stores in the Republic.

Tesco: The Tesco Personal Finance package offers a wide range of services including the Instant Access Savings Account, travel insurance, loans, pensions and home insurance. The top rate of interest on the Instant Access Savings Account is 7 per cent gross per annum on savings over £15,000; 6.6 per cent gross per annum on £5,000 to £14,999; and 6.4 per cent gross per annum on savings between £3,000 and £4,999. The lowest rate is 6.25 per cent on savings between £1 and £2,999. The supermarket operates in the Republic and Northern Ireland; it is looking at the possibility of introducing financial services in the North next year.