Mike Coupe's total remuneration jumped to 3.43 million pounds ($4.59 million) from 2.35 million pounds in 2016-17.

Coupe, Sainsbury's CEO since 2014, made unwanted headlines when he burst into song hours after announcing that the supermarket he runs would buy rival Asda for 7.3 billion pounds. He apologised and explained he had been trying to settle his nerves before a television interview.

His increased package reflects a 1.5 percent increase in base salary to 943,000 pounds, an annual bonus of 427,000 pounds versus zero the previous year, and a long-term incentive plan payment of 1 million pounds, up 58 percent. Other parts of his pay package were broadly stable.

In April Sainsbury's reported its first rise in annual profit in four years.

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Keith Weir)