Re: Result!

[:Jerry:]

Why ever not?!

[Steve Firth]

I don't shop there either.

I know exactly what I'm talking about, the fact that you are apparently too stupid to understand is your problem, not mine.

[:Jerry:]

But customer expectation is different, so talking about how things are done in Germany is pointless, you might as well try comparing chalk and cheese. If you are correct, M&S should not have nicely shacked shelves on the retail floor but ruddy great Euro-pallets stacked high with tins of Baked Beans!

[Fran]

Not the first time for that, either. Weren't Tesco done for collusion? I think Waitrose are about the only major who've not had some scandal or other.

[Fran]

Lack of signage, yes - although it's straightforward to find things, BECAUSE the buggers don't keep moving them! Ours has quite decent displays.

The other interesting thing is that in some ways they are more eco-friendly. You don't get vast reams of unneeded packaging, and you either bring your own bag or you pay for one.

[Fran]

You've not, you know. Tesco don't build mock-ups of Sainsbury.

[Fran]

I think you'll find that the industry is rather different from the 1950s these days. As I said, you are using - and losing - the last resort argument. Supplying - or buying from - Tesco does not mean you know how they build their business models. It gives you an excellent perspective on how they screw over their suppliers, of course. I said I worked with them, not as a supplier or for a supplier. Now, if your family run a supermarket chain, then you may have more knowledge. But you aren't exactly demonstrating it right now.

[:Jerry:]

That's not what some British farmers are suggesting, perhaps not back-handers but something that is actually far worse, deception!

[Fran]

They have built a complete mock up of a Lidl/Aldi/Netto type store to evaluate how *their* retail model works, and why it works. They also did the same thing before they moved into Fresh and Easy, of course. Although it would seem that they may have dropped a bollock over there: I did suspect that they might.

The discounter model is alien to Tesco's current model - they understand how the other big boys operate, or think they do. The US market was alien as well, hence the use of model stores.

This makes interesting reading:

[Fran]

Presumably because there are no branches in Abruzzo, eh?

[Fran]

Who, Tesco? Wouldn't surprise me a whit.

[The Older Gentleman]

Actually, yes, that's a very good point and one I hadn't considered.

[The Older Gentleman]

Er, Andy Hall says Tesco isn't concerned about Aldi and Lidl.

I say he's wrong.

You say Tesco is concerned about all its competitors.

Now, that reads to me like you're agreeing with what I said.

[The Older Gentleman]

I remember when the West Midlands Co-Op got done, oh, maybe 15 years ago.

Fresh fruit and veg. IIRC, the then chief executive of the WMCO and the fresh produce buying director, as well as the chief executive of the fruit and veg supplier who was paying a bung of 5p per tray of fruit and veg sold to every West Midlands Co-Op store[1], all wound up in jail.

The supplier said in court, and this I believed, that the buyer waited until he'd got all set up for the new supply contract, bought new vehicles, hired new staff, etc and then put on the bite. And he had no choice but to comply.

The scheme unravelled because the Inland Revenue found that the buyer had a nice villa in Spain, and wondered how he'd been able to afford it on his salary.

[1] And that soon adds up, even at 5p a time, believe me.

[The Older Gentleman]

One word: demographics.

[Fran]

It's quite noticeable when you unpack shopping.

I do like the fact that M&S tell you which bits of packing are recyclable - and Asda are now using brown card for veggie trays rather than plastic or polystyrene. So, Asda's brown card bits go straight in the organic waste. Still better to have loose veggies, though.

[Steve Firth]

You are trying to confound the fact that Lidl and Aldi were discovered to be selling food that was adulterated and misdescribed with a store accepting bungs to display particular products.

[Steve Firth]

It could be worse, indeed it will be worse if the likes fo EuroSpin move into the UK. That's a supermarket chain that makes Aldi and Lidl look upmarket. In truth all any of these discounters are doing is to fight for the market share formerly represented by Kwik Save and currently held by Iceland.

[:Jerry:]

Indeed, what do you not understand about the word 'since', I didn't say 'in the'...

As I said, you are using - and losing - the last resort

No, that was you, "I worked in the industry / for XYZ" argument, all I did was respond in a similar vain whilst pointing out that your 'expertise' is not unique.

Supplying - or buying from - Tesco does not mean you know how they

Err, just it does, probably more so that a mere 'number cruncher' sitting in an office some where on the second floor. Clue, I didn't use the word supplying, I used the word business...

It gives you an excellent perspective on how

Stop talking about yourself!

[:Jerry:]

You're a Lidl employee and I claim my five quid!