tesco is taking over the world.

[dutch25]

why do we continue to support them when they are destroying local businesses?

Why do local councils give them planning permission, when you or I have difficulty with putting up a fence?

[pastafreak]

I do wonder-especially when their fresh food is such absolute rubish. My daughter had at least 3 items from them this week-including chicken-that was verging on 'off'. We are too easily seduced by anything that is cheap and they rake the money in.

[hammerman]

However, local authorities just seem to make it so much harder to shop in the town centre these days.

Take my local town of Lewes, East Sussex...a twee county town that has absolutely nothing to offer anyone except antique collectors and people who want their hair cut. The local council encourage these shops that only the rich or non follically challenged can enjoy. There is no decent market, no decent fruit and veg shops etc which offer competition to Tesco.

And then they go and charge you �2 an hour to park in the town with a 2 hour max stay.

Tesco is free parking for 3 hours, sells everything you want and fits in with most people's budgets. I would happily go to the local butcher, greengrocer and fish monger in the town centre but their prices is just silly compared to Tesco....and i'm afraid that i have to watch the pennies like a lot of us do.

[theonlyone]

I am anti Tesco as where I live the council are letting them build in the town center which will kill off the small shops . We do have a butcher , greengrocer , etc and if people want to go to Tesco it's only 10 minutes on the bus . I do agree with you Hammerman about Lewes as I Iive about 15 minutes from there .

[Robinia]

I'm anti Tesco too.
We have a Tesco Express where I live (glorified village, not many shops). To me many of their own brand products are rubbish - except for the strawberry cheesecakes :o) - but I did walk up there as their fresh fruit & veg is often better than the alternatives around here.
Shortly after hearing them spout about their 2 & half billion pound profits or whatever it was I go there to find they've replaced 2 of the 3 tills with self service ones! And they expect you to queue for that privilege.....grrrr. Invariably there's a problem with them & so a staff member - sometimes two - has to come & sort it out anyway.
I did once tell the only member of staff that I preferred to be served & she grudgingly rolled her eyes & did so....but last time I went I took one look at the self serve queue, put my basket down & walked out.
I know several people who no longer go there.

Rant over! haha - feel better now, thanks.

[ethandron]

i like tesco, think they give value for money, and offer a decent choice of brands.
if you think any product on their shelves is on the way to being 'off', don't buy it. or take it back. it's the same with any large supermarket chain, sometimes things go wrong.
does anyone like asda or morrisons or somerfield any better? they're all much of a muchness in my opinion.

[theonlyone]

Another reason I dislike Tesco is the way they treat there suppliers if a lettuce is too big (feeds 3 people ) they reject them as they want the customer to buy 2 . This true as I know someone who supplied them . He ended up ploughing his crop in to the ground , and wouldn't deal with them anymore . They use cheap labour in the Far East ,so they are paid peanuts , and the staff here are only on the wages set by the government .To get cheap goods and food someone has to suffer .

[funnygirl]

I am with Ethandron on this one.
I like Tescos and have a big Tesco Extra where I do my weekly shop. There is everything under one roof and everything is reasonably priced.
People keep complaining about Tesco taking over the world, but you don't have to shop there!! You are not being frogmarched into your local Tesco, so why do you all let Tesco get on with it and you all go elsewhere!!!!

[alijangra]

I think Asda are far worse. In my home town of Aberdeen there are no less than 5 Asdas, two of them are huge superstores. There was only 1 Tesco until very recently, then they built a small one on the outskirts but it was definitely needed as that village only had M+S Food (overpriced) and Aldi (unknown brands). I have never had problems with them, and as has already been stated, nobody is forced to shop there.

As a matter of interest, I went to a local farm that sells fresh veg and chickens etc. My bill for a small chicken and some potatoes was �20. Apparently the chicken had had a private education or something like that to warrant the inflated price ;)

[BrummieGaz]

Tescos has been the only company to offer free goods to the people of Gloucester during the loss of water to us, there support and service has been first class as it has always been. They are no1 for a reason, they must be doing something right.

[emaleigh]

In my opinion if Tesco provide what people want. If they didn't like it they wouldn't shop there. also theonlyone you are wrong Tesco staff in this country get paid above the minimum wage. I should know I work for them and actually Tesco is the best company I have ever worked for.

[Dave G]

Value for money
If the farmers markets "with no overheads " undercut the supermarkets they would get the greater share of the market

[theonlyone]

Dave G , farmers markets can't compete against Tesco as there produce is seasonal , the supermarkets sell runner beans in December which have been flown across the world .
If people bought only seasonal fruit and veg , it would be better for world . There is nothing better than an English apple
and strawberries !! Emaleigh , glad you enjoy your job ,but you are working for the shareholders ,and they are making mega bucks .

[ethandron]

about 60% of employed people (if not more) work for a company who has shareholders, which includes virtually every high street brand, all banks, all utuility companies, etc., etc.

[emaleigh]

Yes and actually we are working for our selfs as staff are shareholders too. What other company gives staff free shares and mega benefits on top of that. Also the vast majority of people who work for a company must also work for the shareholders too.

[Oneeyedvic]

We continue to support them as they offer a very convenient service.

The councils give planning permissions as they bring a lot of jobs to an area. A large Tescos store will employ around 200 people (part / full time). That is the equivalent to around 100 high street independent shops.

They also generally offer better working conditions to staff (they comply with the law where as a lot of independents do not) as well as being versed in Health & Safety etc.

Finally they give planning permission as when Tescos apply for the permission they have done everything correctly - when you apply to put a fence up (if it rejected) it is probably because you have not complied with the law.

[lovejoy]

Two or three years ago there was a documentary on T.V. about Tesco's boast that their meat was the best quality in Europe which is why it is 50% more expensive than any other store in Britain.

If you saw the programme you are now a confirmed vegetarian