J Sainsbury, the UK retailer that has drawn bid interest from a private equity consortium, has a ready-made defence plan on its shelves after appointing financial advisers more than two years ago to fend off a potential bid.

CVC Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Blackstone Group said last week in a statement to the London Stock Exchange they were in "the preliminary stages of assessing Sainsbury". They have appointed Goldman Sachs and Lazard to advise them.