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"Tescopoly"

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British Aisles:
Hi there,

I'd really like to invite your members to please visit my anti-Tescopolisation forum:

http://www.attheforum.com/forums/index.php?mforum=tesco

Thanks,
'British Aisles'
:)

Robert_Brenchley:
There's a palaver going on locally because Asda have been planning a new superstore a mile and a half away, which is intended as part of a bigger development which will benefit the local community. Tesco's have now applied for permission to open a superstore opposite, which would kill it. they already have one just round the corner, which would be downgraded. As they already have one, which is long established and very successful, the plan can only be intended to kill the proposed Asda store. Their plan contains nothing for the local community.

This is classic Tesco; when I was a kid (this would be mid-1960's), ther was  a local supermarket down the road from where I lived in Oxford. Tesco's opened bang next door, put it out of business, and took over the space.

Melbourne12:

--- Quote from: British Aisles on July 05, 2005, 18:44:53 ---Hi there,

I'd really like to invite your members to please visit my anti-Tescopolisation forum:

http://www.attheforum.com/forums/index.php?mforum=tesco

Thanks,
'British Aisles'
:)

--- End quote ---

I looked at your forum, and I'm afraid that I'm not enthusiastic.  The problem that you have is that Tesco, and indeed the other large UK supermarkets, aren't actually bad neighbours, and neither do they offer bad value.

If they pursued socially unacceptable policies, you'd have a lever.  But they don't.    They have recycling facilities, and they're clean.  The buildings are well-designed and not offensive to the eye, with ample parking.  Everything is well-maintained.  The quality is at least average, and the prices not outrageous.  The range of goods is astonishing.  The conditions of employment for staff are usually far better than many local retailers.

And remember that Tesco started out as a market stall, literally.  It's a small business that got big, but they still think in terms of the old market stall philosophy.  That's why they're successful.

You've posted this thread on an allotment site, so people here respond to Tesco by growing their own veg and sometimes fruit.  The quality of what we grow is far beyond the capability of Tesco to provide, but many of us pay more financially for our veg than if we bought it in a supermarket, what with the cost of plants, fertilisers, tools etc etc.  (Of course we also get pleasure from our allotments, but I understand that people get pleasure from retail therapy too  ;D ).

return of the mac:
Social policies? Supermarkets have none, not just tesco. We owe the consistent failure of british agriculture and the handouts that farmers rely on because supermarkets want more profit- they control prices and irresponsibly too. Take milk for example- lots of hoohaa (quite rightly) because supermarkets give farmers a pittence for it- when they raise prices farmers see very unproportional increases in the money paid for their milk.

Supermarkets have destroyed british agriculture >:(

Melbourne12:

--- Quote from: return of the mac on July 08, 2005, 14:23:19 ---.... Supermarkets have destroyed british agriculture >:(

--- End quote ---

I'm not wanting to be overly contentious, but this is quite clearly untrue.  You give the example of milk prices.  If you look at what the Milk Development Council are forecasting, the real downward pressure comes from so-called "commodity milk", used for cheese making and other industrial use.  Retail milk, that is, liquid milk for drinking and pouring, pushes prices upwards.  "Value added" drinks, like those aimed at young people, are especially effective.

And who promotes these flavoured milks and branded milks?  The corner shop?  I don't think so.  It's the supermarkets.

Now may I make a suggestion?  If you want to support British agriculture most effectively, buy British produce from your local retailer, whether supermarket or momma and poppa shop.

Buy British meat; don't buy Australian beef or Danish bacon.  Buy British fruit and veg in season; refuse French apples or Spanish lettuces.  Buy British milk and cheese.  And if the shop doesn't stock them, complain to the manager.  If it's a chain, email their consumer department.

Just as an example, my (extremely friendly) local greengrocer won't stock English tomatoes.  He makes more margin on Dutch.  When I need to buy toms I don't buy from him.  Morrisons stock English tomatoes, so they get my business.

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