Mary Portas is to meet Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King as part of her high street review.

Retail Week has learnt that a meeting between the two has been arranged for the final week in August. It follows a meeting with Tesco UK CEO Richard Brasher last month.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills confirmed that the meeting was scheduled to take place saying “As part of her independent review into the high street Mary will meet the CEO of Sainsbury’s in August.”

Portas has been criticised for being slow to get out and meet major retailers as part of her high street review, but the meeting with King shows that the process is now gathering pace. She is also planning to host a round table lunch for other multiple retailer bosses so she can hear their views on the reasons for the problems of the high street, and is also touring some of the towns worst affected by high street closures.

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