by , 5:45 PM EDT, May 24th, 2005

UK consumers will be able to buy an iPod while shopping for their milk, bread, and curry, according to a report by the Scotsman. The Tesco supermarket chain, already known for its wide selection of goods, announced last week that it is branching out into the consumer electronics industry. The company will soon be selling iPods and other MP3 players, along with digital cameras and related goods.

"By stocking a wide range of the best known brands at their local Tesco store and providing easy-to-understand information and instructions, we expect new customers to be attracted to the digital trend, many for the first time," Matthew Finch, electronics buyer for Tesco, told the newspaper.

This isn't the first foray into the digital music market for Tesco, however; Tesco and UK music retailer HMV announced in December of 2004 that the two would partner in providing an online music store at Tesco.

"Our entry into the online music download industry has gone from strength to strength," Mr. Finch told the Scotsman, "and demonstrates how Tesco can enter such seemingly specialist markets and open them up."

One thing Tesco can not open up, however, is the iPod itself, and music downloads from the retailer's online music store will not be compatible with Apple's iPod. The service uses Microsoft's Windows Media format, which is not supported on the iPod.

The Scotsman reported that 69 of Tesco's 200 brick and mortar stores will carry digital media devices, including the iPod, with the remaining 131 locations carrying other consumer electronics devices. Consumers can expect to see these new products by the end of the week.

You can find more information in the Scotsman's article, which reader Simon Jones pointed us to via iPodNN.