The Tesco & other non-Morrisons supermarket thread

SirKen · Fri 04 Nov, 2011 15.41

You're not far wrong with Pringles Will, they've definitely increased massively, their pack size is now (bigger sharing) 190g - which sees a further rise to £2.49

The usual size is 165g - £1.99 - Expensive. Still it's on deal more often than not.

Anyway - www.uk-retailers.co.uk continues to expand it's reach with a visit to the new Extra in Bradford, it's been extended and had a few new things added in. Check the blog for that and a visit to Booths too which is going up shortly.

Pete · Fri 04 Nov, 2011 19.27

The New York Soup co is a Tesco brand? But it's really nice.

Although I see what you mean about staffing levels being tight, they're always bellowing for till staff at mine and I did actually find a tub of the aforementioned soup that was 8 days out of date on the shelf the other day.

Dundee Extra seemed to be some sort of lab for the new internal signage as it was done rather half-heartidy with various different purples and the thinner version of the font. Hopefully that store will get something amounting to a proper refit at some point as its fridges do appear to be on their last legs.

Interesting comments too about food in extras, I've often found that "proper" purpose built extras are often extremely poor with regard to food, both in layout and range. I really have no idea why this is but I suspect it is due to the attempt to focus too hard on the non-food side meaning the actual shape of the stores is poor.

What I mean by this, is compared to the standard size of a Morrisons, Sainsburys or older large Tesco, the new extras tent to be deeper and shorter rather than long and narrow. This means that the food is squashed into fewer but longer aisles which gives the impression of there being less of it and also means you often end up with aisles with bizarre combinations of stock in them (the notorious tea bags and bog rolls aisle). Obviously this is often dictated by the plot of land they have available to them but I think they should perhaps reconsider how they utilise their space.

Chris · Fri 04 Nov, 2011 23.36

My local Extra is getting a mini refit, and a few licks of paint here and there, nothing major I can see. The problem is, on some stuff is availability is pants, especially on the lines which are on special offer.

Twice this week I have been to the same store, at different times (first late in the afternoon, secondly, around 9ish evening) and on both occasions the shelves have been cleared out of this item I've been after (Kettle chips, 150 gram bag) on all varieties.

First time, they'd genuinely sold out as there was none to be seen but today, I decided to scout around for a bit and hey ho, a case of said chips on the really high shelves above the normal shelves. No staff appeared to be around to help in the surrounding aisles so it was a case of 'self service', and try not to get covered in the other boxes above it. Had the same problems as well, with 'core' items like eggs, one of the bestsellers according to the sel (the box of 15 value ones), not being available, trying to find a member of staff to bring out another cage of eggs was a pain as there weren't many on the floor. Must have been a few hours too, as the other surrounding boxes of eggs look like they'd been raided too.

Walked past a bunch of managers earlier and caught some mumblings of complaint of the large amount of stock cages which had to be put out and how there's not enough staff. Rather than complain, said managers should have just pitched in and helped put out stock rather than swanning about.

Alexia · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 13.02

SEL Amusement:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/gallery ... 26&index=0

all new Phil · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 13.38

Just out of interest - when there is one of these X for £X deals like in the link there, where it would end up actually being more expensive, what would the till do? Would it charge the lower price of just the single items, or would it charge the higher price of the 'special' offer?

lukey · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 14.41

all new Phil wrote:Just out of interest - when there is one of these X for £X deals like in the link there, where it would end up actually being more expensive, what would the till do? Would it charge the lower price of just the single items, or would it charge the higher price of the 'special' offer?

A couple of times with the Tesco self-service I've had a "price is too high" error - I don't know if that's been because of a crap offer or just a case of a SEL not being updated with a new offer though...

WillPS · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 15.46

all new Phil wrote:Just out of interest - when there is one of these X for £X deals like in the link there, where it would end up actually being more expensive, what would the till do? Would it charge the lower price of just the single items, or would it charge the higher price of the 'special' offer?

Trading standards law dictates the lowest price shown should be the highest price charged. There have been problems with the online systems Asda and Tesco use, but I've not heard of tills having a problem with that logic.

lukey wrote:
all new Phil wrote:Just out of interest - when there is one of these X for £X deals like in the link there, where it would end up actually being more expensive, what would the till do? Would it charge the lower price of just the single items, or would it charge the higher price of the 'special' offer?
A couple of times with the Tesco self-service I've had a "price is too high" error - I don't know if that's been because of a crap offer or just a case of a SEL not being updated with a new offer though...

If it's the error I've seen, it's caused by the price being set to flash up an "operator check". This is often the case with local newspapers and snacks which may come delivered with price marked packaging.

Gavin Scott · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 16.37

WillPS wrote:Trading standards law dictates the lowest price shown should be the highest price charged. There have been problems with the online systems Asda and Tesco use, but I've not heard of tills having a problem with that logic.

Just yesterday I made a £15 gain on that basis, for - believe it or not - a white tooth filling.

My dentist (a very charismatic and chatty man) quoted me a price whilst I was in the chair, and when he came to write up the bill he realised his error, but honourably suggested he'd go with with what he said.

But I digress.

I answered an email questionnaire from Sainsbury's yesterday (in consideration of 50 bonus points); and the thrust of it seemed to be around whether changing rooms are an essential part of selling clothing. More than half of the questions were directly related to that (with others being about electrical/DVD/general good and the placement of dedicated customer service desks).

I'd never thought of Sainsbury's as a clothing retailer. I do think of Asda as one and, to a lesser extent, Tesco. Not five minutes ago I saw a tv ad for clothing at Sainsbury's, so I'm wondering if this is a new(ish) thing for their larger stores.

Not sure how I feel about clothing at supermarkets - although that's not to say I haven't picked up the odd £25 Asda suit for work (and other low-priority life events). On the one hand you can't argue with the pricing - they don't have the same margin to achieve like high street fashion retailers simply because they've got the built in turnover-per-square-foot of the groceries.

On the other hand its another step towards the big 5 having a giant monopoly on everything, squeezing out speciality trade - which is never a good thing. And I do tend to think if I buy a top from a supermarket I'm likely to see it everywhere, and whilst I'm no clothing snob I'd rather not be seen in something many people are wearing. If nothing else I think I wouldn't benefit from the comparison.

That said, the questionnaire wasn't asking whether I approved of clothes retailing - it only sought to discover whether a changing room facility is essential. And in essence I answered that it wasn't - unless it was a high value item or formal-wear.

Presumably this will please them, as it reduces further their overheads and allows them to *really* screw over clothing shops. Against my better judgement I told the truth.

I'd like my 50 points and a shower now please. Don't look at me.

Gavin Scott · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 16.42

Shite, this is the Tesco thread. Oh well, I'll copy and paste and you can read it twice.

all new Phil · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 16.46

I think of the supermarkets, Sainsbury's have the best (if not the most limited) range. Asda tends to be clothes for old people, and Tesco has clothes for the thickos that shop there, so Sainsbury's tend to be quite nice and better quality. I've had 2 suits from there and they were fantastic quality.

I believe Morrisons are to venture into clothing too aren't they? Read ages back about them having a mini Peacocks in-store, although not seen anything of it since.

Gavin Scott · Sat 05 Nov, 2011 17.06

Blimey, Peacocks? Their stuff is very hit n' miss. I bought a bunch of checky-shirts to enhance my gayness, but while some are good quality, others wash like a piece of tissue, and the hems go all wonky. You can never tell with their stuff.

Although I'm currently lounging around the house with their "urban spirit" sweat pants and vest.

So I'm gayer than ever.