Tesco defends £315m dividend plan despite business rates holiday

Booming food sales and £249m tax breaks helps supermarket post £1.2bn in half-year profitsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTesco has defended plans to pay a £315m dividend to shareholders at a time when the the supermarket chain is benefiting from a business rates holiday worth £249m.The UK’s biggest retailer reported a 4% increase in operating profits to £1.2bn in the six months to 29 August, as booming food sales coupled with