Tesco's hugely influential music buyer Michael Mulligan is leaving his position at the retailer at the end of July, having held the position for nearly ten years, Music Week has learned.

Mulligan has played a key role in the development and management of the music strategy for over 750 Tesco stores around the UK.

He also headed up the introduction of vinyl at the retailer for the first time in its history in Summer 2015, seeing Iron Maiden's The Book Of Souls stocked in 55 of the supermarket's largest Tesco Extra stores on a trial basis.

Following the success of the trial, 20 other titles were introduced in December 2015.

Tesco is yet to comment on this report and Mulligan's replacement is yet to be announced.

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