Bestselling author Lee Child credits supermarket encounter for Jack Reacher inspiration

Lee Child has revealed that his bestselling character Jack Reacher was inspired by a trip to Asda.

The author was a frequent visitor to the supermarket’s branch in Cumbria before he found fame with the crime thriller series.

Standing at 6ft 4ins, he was often asked to reach up to the top shelf for other shoppers – and one such encounter sparked the idea for the name of the series.

During an interview with Breakfast, when asked if the story was ‘true’, he confirmed: “Yes, Asda in Kendal.”

He continued: “I went with my wife shopping, I’d just lost my job and we were very nervous about what we were going to do and every time I go in a supermarket, there’s a little old lady that says ‘oh you’re a nice tall gentlemen, will you reach me that can?'”

His wife then made a joke which led to the creation of the character’s name: “She said, ‘You know if the writing gig doesn’t work, you could be a Reacher in a supermarket’ and I thought ‘great name’ – lightbulb moment.”

In tribute to this revelation, Asda Kendal has unveiled a ‘Green Plaque’ which has been placed on top of the shelves the ‘real’ Jack Reacher once used to reach for.

An Asda spokesperson expressed their delight, stating: “Lee Child is one the UK’s finest writing exports and has been thrilling readers for decades.

We’re honoured the inspiration for his most famous character came from one of our stores, and there’s always a green fleece with his name on it here if he ever fancies a shift.”

Child, whose real name is Jim Grant, has since sold over 100 million Jack Reacher books since the first, Killing Floor, was published in 1997.

He started writing the series after losing his job in TV production and has written around 30 books in total.

The series has been adapted for the screen, with Jack Reacher being portrayed by Tom Cruise and most recently Alan Ritchson in an Amazon series.