Tesco rakes in £1.1bn in six months

[Hollis]

I find it bizzare that Hollis and PO are both so in favour of these supermarkets. No-one is arguing against the convenience of buying all your food in the same place - they are arguing that the supermarkets have become immensely powerful and wealthy at the cost of many valuable things in our economy and society. Once again it seems to be the cry of give me convienience or give me death.

Well the thread would be rather dull if we just all agreed with the OP and the cry of how evil the supermarkets are??

I think some of the benefits of supermarkets have rather been addressed don't you?

 

[Errol's son]

Slightly off topic, but when I worked in New York I only came across a few supermarkets. They were called D'Agostino I think and to be frank were utter crap. I went once and couldn't find anything I wanted so I did all my shopping in local stores as did everyone else I know. I never saw a Wal-Mart or anything on Manhatten or in the parts of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx that I visited (fairly sure there must be some in the outer reaches of the city tho). Of course, when I went up to Connecticut or out to Jersey I would see big malls with supermarkets and stuff.

How come large supermarkets have never made inroads into a large city like NYC but are everywhere in London?

 

[PacificOcean]

I'd be interested to read your reply to him because it very much looks like you're indifferent to monopoly domination by mega-powerful corporates.

With regard to mega corps, I take it you are using Windows to access this site and watch the BBC or ITV of an evening?

Maybe I am being selfish on this one, but there are hundreds of industries that have been decimated. Why should I care about rich farmers or multi-million pound suppliers/wholesalers?

Like I said, I like the fact that I can get Heinz Ketchup at four in the morning if I wished.

I'd like to see local shops supply 70,000 different products in one store.

 

[William of Walworth]

With regard to mega corps, I take it you are using Windows to access this site and watch the BBC or ITV of an evening?

Maybe I am being selfish on this one, but there are hundreds of industries that have been decimated. Why should I care about rich farmers or multi-million pound suppliers/wholesalers?

Like I said, I like the fact that I can get Heinz Ketchup at four in the morning if I wished.

I'd like to see local shops supply 70,000 different products in one store.

Perhaps my use of Windows is exactly down to their dominance of the market, and down to institutions like my employers going for it because of the price advantage or whatever. (At home I have a freeware version )

But if you'd rather go down the route of calling me a hypocrite (which you;re hinting) because I'm pressured to collaborate with some of the bad aspects of capitalism generally, feel free.

Hypocrisy hunting and consistency insisting is a tired and cliched right wing route to go down though, especially when it makes you look like you're backing out of any specific, targetted, relevant criticisms of Tescos just becuase there are other institutions open to criticism (I'm not denying this) in other contexts.


So much easier to call me a hypocrite than respond to Spandex's points properly

 

[Giles]

Aye, if I wanted to buy a book or CD, the last place I'd look would be a supermarket. They simply don't have the range of choice. They're great if you're a fan of Robert Ludlum or Jilly Cooper and like to listen to the Kaiser Chiefs but if you're tastes fall outside of Tesco's selection, then you're knackered.

No, you are not "knackered".

You don't HAVE to buy your books, CDs etc from Tesco. You can go to all sorts of shops, or increasingly, buy online.

Online places tend to be able to carry a bigger range of titles than even the biggest specialist shops. That is the way it is going. Online shopping for stuff like books, movies, CDs is better also, because:

you can read reviews

listen to bits of music

its often cheaper, even given the P&P

its greener

Giles..

 

[nino_savatte]

No, you are not "knackered".

You don't HAVE to buy your books, CDs etc from Tesco. You can go to all sorts of shops, or increasingly, buy online.

Online places tend to be able to carry a bigger range of titles than even the biggest specialist shops. That is the way it is going. Online shopping for stuff like books, movies, CDs is better also, because:

you can read reviews

listen to bits of music

its often cheaper, even given the P&P

its greener

Giles..

You are knackered if you have no other retal outlets nearby - other than Tesco - who sell music, DVDs etc.

To give an example (although it is ASDA), in Hyde, there is only ASDA and Morrison's. Both places sell books, music and DVDs but the selection is limited to Top 40/Bestselling potboilers. There is no record shop in Hyde and as far as bookshops are concerned, there's fuck all. You have to travel into Stockport, Manchester or - dare I say it - Ashton-under-Lyne.

Oh and some folk don't have access to the Internet - for whatever reason. In Hyde, there are no Internet cafes but there are more curry houses than you can shake a stick at.

 

[Hollis]

Oh forget it.

 

[Giles]

You are knackered if you have no other retal outlets nearby - other than Tesco - who sell music, DVDs etc.

To give an example (although it is ASDA), in Hyde, there is only ASDA and Morrison's. Both places sell books, music and DVDs but the selection is limited to Top 40/Bestselling potboilers. There is no record shop in Hyde and as far as bookshops are concerned, there's fuck all. You have to travel into Stockport, Manchester or - dare I say it - Ashton-under-Lyne.

Are you suggesting that if only Asda did not sell any books or films, then there would be a large, well-stocked book or record shop in every small to medium sized town? Really? More than maybe a reasonably-sized WH Smith or Woolies that also only sell the bestselling CDs and films?

Oh and some folk don't have access to the Internet - for whatever reason. In Hyde, there are no Internet cafes but there are more curry houses than you can shake a stick at.

Pretty soon they will pretty much HAVE to get basic net access.

It will be as essential as having electricity, or a phone. Its pretty bloody cheap these days, especially if a few neighbours get together and share the cost.

Re no internet cafes and loads of curry houses: Well, there's a business opportunity going begging if ever I saw one!

Giles..

 

[Hollis]

I can't help feeling there's some romanticisation of the High St going on here - HMV & Waterstones didn't exactly give much of a toss about independent bookshops/record sellers when they came on the scene.

Similarly when i was growing up in the 70s/80s there was 1 rather crap bookshop in the town and no record shop. I'd imagine most were bought from WHSmiths or Boots: err, not the 'independent retailer'.

 

[nino_savatte]

Are you suggesting that if only Asda did not sell any books or films, then there would be a large, well-stocked book or record shop in every small to medium sized town? Really? More than maybe a reasonably-sized WH Smith or Woolies that also only sell the bestselling CDs and films?



Pretty soon they will pretty much HAVE to get basic net access.

It will be as essential as having electricity, or a phone. Its pretty bloody cheap these days, especially if a few neighbours get together and share the cost.

Re no internet cafes and loads of curry houses: Well, there's a business opportunity going begging if ever I saw one!

Giles..

Thanks for deliberately missing the point. You and I live in London, the situation is rather different.

As for "everyone" having access to high speed Internet, that may happen in the future but it isn't happening now - is it? If you want to open an Internet cafe in Hyde, be my guest.

 

[Giles]

Thanks for deliberately missing the point. You and I live in London, the situation is rather different.

As for "everyone" having access to high speed Internet, that may happen in the future but it isn't happening now - is it? If you want to open an Internet cafe in Hyde, be my guest.

I'm not missing the point.

As Hollis also pointed out, before Tesco sold books, the only place to get em in most smaller places was WH Smith, or Our Price for records and CDs. Most towns have not had a decent independent bookshop for years, if they ever did. And supermarkets have been selling books and records for years - its not new. I remember working in a Hillards (subsequently taken over by Tesco!) as a schoolkid in 1982, and they used to sell chart records and tapes even then.

I read somewhere that there are more books sold and published in the UK than ever before, so it is not generally a picture of decline.

For real choice of books, films etc - online is the way to go, though. Definitely. No shop can match Amazon, especially when you take into account the secondhand sales which allow you to easily find out-of-print stuff as well.

Giles..

 

[Idaho]

With regard to mega corps, I take it you are using Windows to access this site and watch the BBC or ITV of an evening?

Maybe I am being selfish on this one, but there are hundreds of industries that have been decimated. Why should I care about rich farmers or multi-million pound suppliers/wholesalers?

Like I said, I like the fact that I can get Heinz Ketchup at four in the morning if I wished.

I'd like to see local shops supply 70,000 different products in one store.

So basically you don't give a toss as long as your immediate needs are sated? You should deal crack - think of all the money you can make!

 

[nino_savatte]

I'm not missing the point.

As Hollis also pointed out, before Tesco sold books, the only place to get em in most smaller places was WH Smith, or Our Price for records and CDs. Most towns have not had a decent independent bookshop for years, if they ever did. And supermarkets have been selling books and records for years - its not new. I remember working in a Hillards (subsequently taken over by Tesco!) as a schoolkid in 1982, and they used to sell chart records and tapes even then.

I read somewhere that there are more books sold and published in the UK than ever before, so it is not generally a picture of decline.

For real choice of books, films etc - online is the way to go, though. Definitely. No shop can match Amazon, especially when you take into account the secondhand sales which allow you to easily find out-of-print stuff as well.

Giles..

No, all you are doing is defending the power of the supermarkets. Choice has little to do with this.

 

[Giles]

Most people like shopping in supermarkets. If they did not, the big chains wouldn't be doing so well.

If you don't like it, shop elsewhere. If enough people don't like it, there will always be other choices. In fact, given the movement towards organic food, farmers markets etc, I am confident that these alternative will grow.

They will if people support them, anyway.

Giles..

 

[nino_savatte]

Most people like shopping in supermarkets. If they did not, the big chains wouldn't be doing so well.

If you don't like it, shop elsewhere. If enough people don't like it, there will always be other choices. In fact, given the movement towards organic food, farmers markets etc, I am confident that these alternative will grow.

They will if people support them, anyway.

Giles..

"Most people"...have you study that supports this assertion? I hate shopping in supermarkets; I hate being patronised by them.

I do shop elsewhere when possible, but as Hammersmith has neither a proper market nor greengrocer's shops then I'm stuck with shitty Tesco Metro and the even shittier Sainsburys. There is a farmer's market here on Thursdays but it's not what I would call a real farmer's market.

 

[Hollis]

There is a farmer's market here on Thursdays but it's not what I would call a real farmer's market.

Well I'm afraid the days of farmers bringing their cattle to market are long gone - especially in Hammersmith.

 

[Giles]

"Most people"...have you study that supports this assertion? I hate shopping in supermarkets; I hate being patronised by them.

I do shop elsewhere when possible, but as Hammersmith has neither a proper market nor greengrocer's shops then I'm stuck with shitty Tesco Metro and the even shittier Sainsburys. There is a farmer's market here on Thursdays but it's not what I would call a real farmer's market.

I don't need a study. I just look around at all the supermarkets, and all the people shopping in them, and I know that most people shop in supermarkets, even in areas where there are lots of small independent shops, markets, etc etc.

Surely there must be lots of shops other than supermarkets to buy food in in Hammersmith? I'm in Kilburn, and we have positively loads!

Giles..

 

[nino_savatte]

I don't need a study. I just look around at all the supermarkets, and all the people shopping in them, and I know that most people shop in supermarkets, even in areas where there are lots of small independent shops, markets, etc etc.

Surely there must be lots of shops other than supermarkets to buy food in in Hammersmith? I'm in Kilburn, and we have positively loads!

Giles..

What and you think that they're "happy" shopping there? This is no better than Bernays rubbish about how consumerism would make people 'happy' and would never start wars. Most people shop in supermarkets because they have little choice.

You don't know Hammersmith, do you? It's just a one way system surrounded by office blocks. The shops that are here exist to cater to the workforce and are smaller and carry fewer items than their counterparts elsewhere. A potbrush, for example, cannot be bought in either of the two supermarkets here. It's a fairly common piece of kitchen equipment, yet there are none to be seen.

 

[PacificOcean]

So basically you don't give a toss as long as your immediate needs are sated? You should deal crack - think of all the money you can make!

I'm sorry. I fail to see how shopping in a supermarket equates with dealing crack?

 

[Idaho]

It doesn't. I was merely pointing out that the moral mindset that refuses to see any criteria other than personal gain and convienience is compatible with a range of other lucrative professions and opportunities.

 

[Hollis]

Why should I care about rich farmers or multi-million pound suppliers/wholesalers?

But in fairness to PO they did give this as a specific point of reference.

Its not like saying why should I give a fuck about the kidz on crack is it?

 

[Roadkill]

I don't need a study. I just look around at all the supermarkets, and all the people shopping in them, and I know that most people shop in supermarkets, even in areas where there are lots of small independent shops, markets, etc etc.

Surely there must be lots of shops other than supermarkets to buy food in in Hammersmith? I'm in Kilburn, and we have positively loads!

Giles..

How often do you try and shop in places outside London?

Above I gave the example of where my Dad lives. There literally is nowhere there now except Tesco and Somerfield. Well, except a two-day-a-week fish stall.

People liked Tesco in the first place. it was more convenient than the high street, better than Somerfield, and it did offer some things you either couldn't get before or were more expensive. Now, there's a lot of resentment that tesco have killed off the alternatives. There was a storm of protest when Tesco wanted to expand further by buying up part of the green space in the middle of town. I'm sure a lot of the people you see traipsing around tesco would patronise another venue, but I doubt anyone's going to start one up. Not when Tesco could just squash it in days with some well-targeted price cuts.

In all too many places IMO it's a case of 'you don't know what you've got til its gone.'

 

[Giles]

If people really do resent the supermarkets enough to actually put their money where their mouths are, then there would be room for a competitor.

Giles..

 

[nino_savatte]

If people really do resent the supermarkets enough to actually put their money where their mouths are, then there would be room for a competitor.

Giles..

In this climate, competitors get swallowed up by Tesco. Competition is a mirage and the Competition Commission are the biggest load of self-serving twats next to the PCC (Press Complaints Commission).

 

[PacificOcean]

In this climate, competitors get swallowed up by Tesco. Competition is a mirage and the Competition Commission are the biggest load of self-serving twats next to the PCC (Press Complaints Commission).

But no one is forced at gunpoint to shop at Tescos. It's about choice and in today's society; people prefer to do all their shopping in one go.

Times change. We don't all have the luxury of spending our free time going from stall to stall or shop to shop. I'd rather pay the premium and get it all in one go. I can't be the only one or Tesco wouldn't be so popular.

 

[nino_savatte]

But no one is forced at gunpoint to shop at Tescos. It's about choice and in today's society; people prefer to do all their shopping in one go.

Times change. We don't all have the luxury of spending our free time going from stall to stall or shop to shop. I'd rather pay the premium and get it all in one go. I can't be the only one or Tesco wouldn't be so popular.

You're having a laugh. "Choice"? There is no choice, that is a myth.

Odd how you ignored my remark about competition in your haste to defend Tesco.

 

[Giles]

Within a walk of my house, I can go to most of the chain supermarkets, an actual streetmarket, loads of small independent shops, etc. Most of London has shopping streets like this - look around. And not just London either. Most towns I have been to have a fair choice of shops.

Name a town that ONLY has a Tesco and has nowhere else to buy food.

Giles..

 

[Idaho]

But no one is forced at gunpoint to shop at Tescos. It's about choice and in today's society; people prefer to do all their shopping in one go.

Times change. We don't all have the luxury of spending our free time going from stall to stall or shop to shop. I'd rather pay the premium and get it all in one go. I can't be the only one or Tesco wouldn't be so popular.

You aren't the only one. Alas those who thing a bit less about their own convienience and about the long term issues of food supply and retailing are basically tied to the same sinking ship as the rest of you drones

 

[nino_savatte]

Within a walk of my house, I can go to most of the chain supermarkets, an actual streetmarket, loads of small independent shops, etc. Most of London has shopping streets like this - look around. And not just London either. Most towns I have been to have a fair choice of shops.

Name a town that ONLY has a Tesco and has nowhere else to buy food.

Giles..

I could name several. In fact, I can point you to towns where there is no choice. Ever been to Baldock? How about Royston?

 

[PacificOcean]

I could name several. In fact, I can point you to towns where there is no choice. Ever been to Baldock? How about Royston?

This is a local shop for local people.............