The Tesco & other non-Morrisons supermarket thread

[TG]

Shame, then, that Jack's wife was Sarah Fox.

My only defence is that the "Tessa" version was parroted to a good seventy or eighty of us by our store manager at the time I started.

Clearly, the myth gets passed down within the company as well... :roll:

[Alexia]

On the subject of company acro-names, how's about IP communications company Mitel (http://www.mitel.com/)? That originated from "Mike and Terry's Electric Lawnmowers".

Superb.

[cdd]

Also while we're on the subject what do those little *'s to the left of some products on receipts mean? I don't know if they only appear on the self-checkout machines, I never actually use the human checkouts so I wouldn't know - but I have seen them there definitely.

[nidave]

I believe its if the product is subject to VAT - luxury goods are.

[all new Phil]

It was inspired by this the Tesco outside of Ilfracombe in North Devon, were I was a couple of weeks ago, the Tesco was unlike any I had been into before it had an all Glass front so felt very light inside, infact it had a very shed like quality to it, it must have been the smallest out of town Tesco I'd been to as it didnt have a petrol station or even a cafe bizarrely.

I was in that store last year - quite possibly the smallest out of town Tesco I've ever been to. Do they still have the CDs and DVDs on the same aisle as the nappies?

[wells]

It was inspired by this the Tesco outside of Ilfracombe in North Devon, were I was a couple of weeks ago, the Tesco was unlike any I had been into before it had an all Glass front so felt very light inside, infact it had a very shed like quality to it, it must have been the smallest out of town Tesco I'd been to as it didnt have a petrol station or even a cafe bizarrely.

I was in that store last year - quite possibly the smallest out of town Tesco I've ever been to. Do they still have the CDs and DVDs on the same aisle as the nappies?

Yes, they do indeed.

[rdobbie]

I believe its if the product is subject to VAT - luxury goods are.

Yep, and it's surprising to note the kinds of things HMRC consider to be "luxury" goods.

Pet food. Toothpastes and toothbrushes (not wanting to look like Shane McGowan is a "luxury" according to our government). Bog roll (yes, wiping your arse is a "luxury").

And the one which I reckon most people are unaware of is all soft drinks except milk. That includes water, pure fruit juices and squash. I'd love a politician to explain to me why the government should take 8p out of the 58p price of a litre carton of Tesco Value pure orange juice.

And there's some weird rule that biscuits with chocolate inside them (e.g. cookies) are not luxuries and hence not VATable, but if they're coated in chocolate they're VATable.

[Gavin Scott]

I believe its if the product is subject to VAT - luxury goods are.

Yep, and it's surprising to note the kinds of things HMRC consider to be "luxury" goods.

Pet food. Toothpastes and toothbrushes (not wanting to look like Shane McGowan is a "luxury" according to our government). Bog roll (yes, wiping your arse is a "luxury").

And the one which I reckon most people are unaware of is all soft drinks except milk. That includes water, pure fruit juices and squash. I'd love a politician to explain to me why the government should take 8p out of the 58p price of a litre carton of Tesco Value pure orange juice.

And there's some weird rule that biscuits with chocolate inside them (e.g. cookies) are not luxuries and hence not VATable, but if they're coated in chocolate they're VATable.

Yes its a bit nutty really. Something about ice cream being luxury but not frozen yogurt.

Craziness.

Didn't know about toothpaste. Fankly that's outrageous.

[rdobbie]

Yes, the VAT rules are completely bonkers, but like you say it's a case of the government burying their heads in the sand and deciding that an overhaul would cause too many impossible arguments about what should/shouldn't have VAT, so the status quo is the easiest option.

Innocent Smoothies have been campaigning to have the rules changed, as they point out it's ludicrous that a 100% pure fruit drink (which comprises one of the government's recommended "5 a day") should be taxed whereas cream cakes and microwave cheeseburgers are tax free.

[Sput]

I consider all of those untaxed items essential.

[Gavin Scott]

I could really use one of those microwave cheeseburgers right now. Mmm. Yes.

I'm going to the shops.