Tesco Coming to Sydenham Road

[dickp]

Don't get me wrong, I spend half my weekends wandering round food markets, stuffing my face with free-range, organic fair. I love Broadway Market in Norf London (it's a quick hop up the East London line folks, and then along the canal for a bit).

But, as far as I'm concerned, milk and bog roll are milk and bog roll. Which Tescos does just fine.

[stuart]

There is milk and milk. AFAIR much of the milk and meat comes from the co-op's own farms in the UK with your actual cows. Compare this with a retailer who goes to the lowest bidder wherever and then cuts his prices and is apparently astounded when corners have been cut. Oh and the Co-op generates its own green power. Meanwhile yesterday I enjoyed a birthday day out in the Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery. I also admire Waitrose's pro-active policy towards disabled people. Meanwhile Lidl (and Aldi) business model brings good and interesting products to market at prices that shame the rest.

So what has Tesco done for us? Apart from upsetting my gut and hiding the true awfulness of its products from the consumer (cf vetoing the traffic light warning scheme).

Hence while one can be critical of all retailers I would argue Tesco occupies a special place.

Stuart

[Eagle]

Stuart
I have refused to but Lidl Milk ever since I read that it was one of the stores not paying a fair price to UK farmers.

Since then purchased all milk at Waitrose. Hopefully farmers in UK benefiting.

[stuart]

Eagle - Why not buy it direct from the milk man like me?
Supporting British Cows AND British Workers
http://milkandmore.co.uk/

Stuart

[dickp]

When supermarkets tried to increase the amount they paid to dairy farmers in the early noughties, they got hammered by the OFT for acting as a cartel.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/ ... STUJkJFDcs

Pfft. Sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong.

[Eagle]

Many thanks Stuart for useful info.
I suppose into todays world could be milklady.

[leenewham]

Or that could read, "when supermarkets and their tried to fix the price consumers paid for dairy products by acting in their own interests"

[Eagle]

Rod
Excellent suggestion. Local specialist shops deserve support.

You can always find a convenient place to secure Bog Roles

[dickp]

No, I won't.

I'll use Tescos as a top up shop, carrying items that I can carry while also walking the dog.

I will do my big shop at Sainsburys, driving. Like most of the population of this country do their shopping.

Because that's how the modern world works.

[dickp]

Kinda. Unless someone kicks up a fuss, and tries to use the planning laws to stop Tescos coming. Which isn't very free world, or free market.

*wonders what the Sydenham Society position will be on this issue*

[Eagle]

I am not sure dragging the Society into it would assist. For what legal reason could they be refused , I wonder?

I think only option is for those objectors to not shop there. Not sure what % of the populace that would be though.

[Eagle]

Rod
I agree 100% with you. Much better to shop locally , little and often , so things remain fresh.

I despair of The Weekly Shop mentality that drives people to the warehouse shed that is The Savacentre.

How can shopping be a pleasure in such a place.

I doubt if I will use the new Tesco .

[Nigel]

Rod
I think you have been consistently right throughout this thread .
The key points , which I cannot see any repudiation of are :
1 If we have to use a supermarket use the CoOp as they are ethical.
2 Tescos arrival WILL harm shops that we treasure
3 The free-market argument is a ludicrous one to apply to Tesco - they use every legal trick to bully obfuscate and attack any objector
4 adults at least should be able to manage ther lives without recourse to the alleged convenience of Tesco
5 for all of those "choice " advocates out there , Tesco would not have set out on this course unless they felt confident that they could reduce our choice to use other outlets
6 anything they sell is better bought elsewhere - your examples of Billings for meat and fish to give but one example.

If I might allow myself one gratuitous snipe ( particularly as I understand I am now a troll) my pet hate is that lily-livered type that regales us about all the quaint boulangeries and chartuteries they sought out whilst on holiday in Provence but can't drag their effete derrières as far as Fresh and Fruity to buy some tomatoes , preferring no doubt the choice and convenience of Tescos.

Good evening
Nigel

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[G-Man]

No, I won't.

I'll use Tescos as a top up shop, carrying items that I can carry while also walking the dog.

I will do my big shop at Sainsburys, driving. Like most of the population of this country do their shopping.

Because that's how the modern world works.

No. That's how you choose to shop. Lots of us choose to buy quality products from quality local retailers rather than the supermarket. Or if we do go to a supermarket it certainly wouldn't be Tesco.

And here here Nigel. Wonderful post.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Manwithaview1]

I expect the Tesco legal team may be looking at one or two of the comments.

Anything is an improvement on the so called pub . This was not an historic pub so can claim not rights to remain a Pub .

Not sure what this will do to the rest of the High Street. Time will tell I guess.
Used to be a grocer at that spot ( or close to ) in the 50's, run by a Mr Finch.

The Tesco legal team still can't shut down

www.tescopoly.org

[dickp]

I'll wager there are more people in sainsburys savacentre right now than have ever, ever, posted on this forum.

You can either address the world as it is, or live in the fanatsy world that isn't Tescos on the high street wil do a roaring trade, much as the naysayer hate it.

So ner!

Ner ner ner ner ner, in fact.

I confess, i may have been drinking tonight. But i'm still right.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[stuart]

I'll wager there are more people in sainsburys savacentre right now than have ever, ever, posted on this forum.

That's over 2,600? Yep I'll wager you

I confess, i may have been drinking tonight. But i'm still right.

Really?

Trouble is Dick - we are both so last century. The world you see and enjoy is in decline. Our young are taking another direction. That's why Tesco are so desperate to get back into the High Street. So wake up and taste the coffee while reading last Saturday's FT. Its not so much that I'm grasping at straws as BMW fear that a whopping big haystack is being stuck up their tailpipe!

Stuart

[dickp]

Erm, OK, I take that back. How about the last 12 months?

The problem is that like-minded people tend to reassure each other that their world view is correct, when the facts state that it patently isn't. According to good old Wikepedia, Tescos has 31% of the entire grocery market. And its capacity in both its supermarket and Express format increased between 2011 and 2012.

Maybe Tesco's 31% market share comprises stupid idiots, who really can't be trusted to make their own food buying decisions? Maybe if we "educate" enough, they'll see the "error" of their ways, and return to only shopping at local independent shops.

And maybe pigs will fly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_su ... ed_Kingdom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco

[stuart]

That's a slur Dick. I came to my conclusion through stats not the Guardian. And I will stick to them until someone can undermine them successfully.

Yes the 31% figure scares me albeit it is facing decline. Tesco in the High Street are formidable competition. Their people and systems are brilliant. They can deliver convenience and price that local independents cannot match. Add on their arguably deceitful/appalling ethics and they are, I would argue, a threat to us all. That's why I will be boycotting them. Some people don't care about the consequences, some don't have the time, money and information to do so.

Whereas people posting here do know the issues involved. And while you say you will shop there Dick - are you really happy about the way they do business? Or are you just being cumugenly?

Sad to say there are too many independents fighting the last war. Hoping people will drive to them rather than Savacentre. They know their trade but when it comes to change - many (with spectacular exceptions) are clueless. That's not because they are thick.

I always smile when the perennial discussion on council aid inevitably ends up with grants for signage/frontages. Better it spent delivering expertise in training schemes that Tesco and the other multiples do routinely. I wonder how many or how long local shopkeepers have been on a basic marketing course?

It isn't until you can critically analyse your own business and can create a practical plan to change and offer some USPs that you can even think about the image you need to project. As Lee keeps reminding us- it isn't the amount you spend on frontages that counts. Its getting your offer right.

Remember Tesco Express would die in the streets of a country that called us a nation of shopkeepers. Getting there is hard, maybe impossible. The best us as individuals can do practically is to walk past Tesco ... Its not hard. Your gut will thank you.

So will I.

Stuart

[dickp]

Fair point. I worked for a supermarket for several years. The money I earned got me through my A-levels and first degree.

My tenant is a (recently) ex-Tesco assistant store manager. She was worked super-hard, but was always under pressure to deliver more. Nevertheless, the systems and metrics Tesco used to wring every ounce of productivity out of her and her team were flawless. And the training was extensive.

It really is a battle the independent traders can't win, unless they try to rig the market. And I don't want them to win, either. I go into Tesco with my eyes wide open about how they treat their staff, their suppliers, their competitors. And, ooh look, I get clubcard points too!