Published on 12, July, 2020
When I started shopping in Tesco as a child all of those decades ago (long before the turn of this century), it was stacked high with 'the cheapest' produce on grubby pallets instead of clinical white shelving, this kept the cost down for the beginnings of the large scale 'discount retailer'. Anyone who used Tesco in those days was commented on to be "poor". Often insultingly from youngsters but matter of fact by so called grown ups. I always refer to it in those long passed days as 'The Poor Shop'.
In the 1990s whilst investing in more outlets Tesco started to become cleaner and more streamlined. Of course their ever increasing buying power enabled higher margins to turn it into the investor behemoth that it is today.
So it was with confusion that a person said to me in the 2000s
"I bet you shop in Tesco don't you?" I answered that I do and they said that it was
"The Posh shop".
However much I tried to explain that Tesco was always the poor shop, they would have it only that this pristine store in their locality was the posh shop and therefore the whole organisation was 'the posh shop'
In the 2020s Tesco is no longer the poor shop, they have lost their competitive edge as German supermarkets make their presence felt with 'adequate produce' manufactured to just within the confines of food safety regulations where, incidentally, I do most of my shopping along with other equally good value retailers, happy that the difference between now and then (decades ago) is colossal in favour of quality and hygiene.
Millions of families have been raised on this produce, my own included, and it has served a large part of our nation (UK). Today though, and for years, I've seen scalping practices employed at Tesco to push prices as far as possible through the ceiling of inflation for the sole purpose of generating profit for those gamblers who risk their own and others finances on the stock market. They are responsible for keeping your food expensive. Tesco have lost billions to the newcomers though and the trend continues shown by the amount of new German originating stores opening and due to be built.
The point though is this, Tesco is now testing out the 'no till' shop where you can walk in, pick up your goods and walk straight out again. In that store you will find only the very best of the best produce designed to be twice the price whilst the majority of the rest of the produce (bendy, slightly soiled and misshapen and all) can be filtered out to the masses in not so urban areas which will maintain the discounted food for us masses.
This to me is reminiscent of the glaring disparity between societies in Demolition Man (Stallone, Bullock, Hawthorne, Leary). Sure it is fiction. It is also the continuation of a creeping privilege servicing and promoting those with more surplus income where they can trade without concern for price whilst the majority continue the battle of balance between income and outgoings, oblivious to what 'surplus income' is.
However much social engineering goes on over the years by grandiose shop keepers the masses (including me) continue to wash their veg, grow their own where they can and search out value over convenience. At least we are now being accommodated for in the larger stores with low stimulus hour. Before the current pandemic though the best time for me to shop was in the 24 hours opening store at night, it was wonderful.
LINK to news story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58951984
Mullberry, though some of their stores still display same signboard
I've been thinking about the supermarkets that are no more, either closed down, taken over or changed their names.
Co-op sell the same things as the average Asda, but at a higher cost.
But a bit noisy for me.
Yes Booths, I liked them from the first time I came across one in Clitheroe, since then I've shopped in them in Ripon and Ilkley.
Nobody as mentioned Co op. High price, average quality.
We have a local Lidl, but will do a monthly visit to Aldi because they have certain items that are preferable, even though it's further away than the Lidl store.
I want to like Lidl, but Aldi seems better.
I do remember the plain Tesco packaging. Was it the 70s or early 80s. But we probably mainly shopped at Co-op.
At home, we shop at Tesco or Co-op because they're nearby. Out and about, I go to whatever is closest when I actually want something.
My favorite chain is probably Booths.
I think it's relatively high end. But I like the decor and lighting. The stores I've been in seem to use local building materials and have an attention to design. Lots of wood, exposed metal, and considered lighting design. A very nice experience, but probably pricey.
Unfortunately. they are mainly in the North West, and I live in the South East, so don't get to shop there often. Only when we're camping in the Lake District
Nice, back to my posh cousin, her opinion was M&S and Waitrose are preferred supermarkets, Sainsbury's is the bottom she will shop at, the rest are just trash that she wouldn't want to be seen in.
That was a good read. Here is my take.
Mark's and Spencer's - 4/10. Mostly overpriced and not all that healthy. A few products are really good and still worth going in for.
Aldi - 8/10. It's the best place to get most meat at a good quality and half of the veg sold there is really good but there isn't enough variety for someone who really likes cooking. If they had more organic meat I would give them another point but to be fair they have more tractor sign meat than many supermarkets, and at reasonable prices.
Morrisons - 6/10. They're a real mish-mash. If you don't care about health they've got a great sweets selection and lots of gluten free ready meals which are no good for you. Some of the meat is okay. The frozen section is alright. For fish they might be one of the better options.
Waitrose - 7/10. A really high quality supermarket but the prices are unrealistic for most people. They have more organic meats and they all taste wonderful but the cost is high. More organic veg too and these are a bit less of a price hike than the meat and in some cases worth the investment. If you need a more obscure kind of vegetable they're the supermarket likely to have it so it's good they are around.
Lidl - 6/10. Cheap but not run as well as Aldi and less of the food is high quality compared to Aldi.
ASDA - 6/10. Unreliable with quality and stock of vegetables. Also not quite enough variety often. Sweets aisle is good. Some bargains but it's not usually healthy food on offer.
Sainsbury's - 7/10. A bit too expensive sometimes but some good products as well. The vegetable quality is more reliable in my opinion than most the other big supermarkets but can cost more.
Tesco - 8/10. If I could only choose two supermarkets to shop in they would be Aldi and Tesco. Aldi for quality meats at reasonable prices and Tesco for variety at mostly cheaper prices than Sainsbury's and Waitrose. If you want to make Mexican, Chinese, Thai food or want a specific kind of cheese the variety in Tesco is great. So as someone who is really into cooking it's my favourite supermarket. But there's plenty of overpriced tat in there too that is aimed at grabbing people with flashy marketing, things like packaged omelettes for £3 - ridiculous!
open market 10/10 :P
My only consideration is whether I want to shop there. Does it sell the items I want to buy? Is it convenient? Is it noisy or busy? Is the lighting too bright. I don't pay any attention to what other people think about a supermarket. They are always changing their beliefs, views, opinions on what is and what is not popular based on what their favourite political party, newspaper editor or broadcaster tells them is popular or not. I can't remember ever hearing TESCO being described as The Poor Shop. I think ALDI and LIDL used to be viewed as that, but I can't be certain. Here is my opinion of supermarkets, with marks out of 10.SAINSBURY'S 0 / 10
My experience of Sainsbury Supermarkets is that they are too bright and hurt the eyes, sell bland, overpriced produce and employ rude, dis-interested staff. Don't buy clothing from a Sainsbury's. It's over-priced tat.ASDA 4 / 10My experience of Asda Supermarkets is that they are too bright and too noisy, and often dirty. Their presentation of produce and products is chaotic. The staff all look miserable and unhappy, but are usually helpful if approached. Don't buy clothing from Asda, it's cheaply made tat.
LIDL 4 / 10These stores are just jumble sales. There is little to know organisation, and it is pot luck what products are on sale when you go there. The quality of what they sell is very poor and the staff, whilst pleasant, are never around and generally dis-interested when you find one of them.
WAITROSE 5 / 10
Waitrose Stores are scruffy and old-fashioned, but they are not as as bright as other chains. Their produce and products are dramatically over-priced, and to my taste buds are a little better quality than the chains mentioned so far.
MORRISONS 6 / 10Not as bright as most chains, and usually not as noisy. You can always find what you need at Morrisons; they have a lot of choice. Don't buy clothes. Some stores can be scruffy, though. They sell the worst clothing (possibly even worse than Aldi). Just don't buy clothes form a supermarket. Period. Unless it's Marks & Spencer, but even then, only if you are 60 years or older.
ALDI 7 / 10Aldi stores are perfectly lit like M&S, making it much more pleasant for me. They are generally not noisy, either. They sell their products cheaply too, so you get a lot more for your money. Their products are not high quality, but they have the best cuts of meat out of all the supermarkets.
TESCO 8/10
Tesco Supermarkets, like the rest, are too bright and noisy, but they have more product and produce choice than most other chains. You can usually buy everything you need in Tesco and are not restricted to the same brands. Most of their stuff is over-priced, and the staff helpful if you do manage to find one. Their clothing is over-priced and bland, despite being a little better quality.
M&S 9 / 10
Marks & Spencer's have the best quality products in all departments, (especially fresh vegetables) and even though they are sometimes way over-priced, you know you are getting good quality food, and so you don't mind. Their stores (locally) are not well lit, and not usually too noisy, making them ideal for me. They are my favourite supermarket.
I am blood type O and couldn't be a vegan. But it's because my diet consists of vegetables, fish, meat, fruit, nuts. Some gluten free grains and the odd gluten free slices of bread.
I am tolerating fewer and fewer types of food as time goes by. It won't be long before I am running out of them...
either gypsy, or native american, or mongolian pre-osmanian empire,
no idea how it goes with Esquimau or Samoan, never met anybody fropm there to prob
I’d love to find out my blood type now! My family are Roma so I wonder if I would have B type!
yeah i got a pair of steel toe shoes 3 month ago at start of my job and they look knackered already and the laces already frayed and snapped in half on them lol plus a nail on a pallet i felt go through the bottom of and nearly reach my foot so they arnt protected from anything you stand on where as some better quality ones are.
it's more like my observations inspired by an article I read a decade ago about food tolerances and intolerances being related to blood groups, but it was written by a dietician so probably not a trustworthy source
by yeah my version:
O comes from cannibals, no way without meat
A from people that used to be farmers since begining of the civilization, born to be vegan, can go vegan without fuss :P
B from nomadic tribes, remaining remnants of those are gypsies, can go vegan or pescaterian for a long time, but before winter they need to build up protective fat layer, so they need meat once a year
AB is a mix
is this a proven fact? that's very interesting!
especially bloody meat eaters, they do not want to envision the life of a cow :P it's just a steak from a supermarket LOL
but if you are blood group O you do not have a choice, and only those with blood group A are born to be vegan
Yes, quality differs for and against both but prices seem to be reciprocal.
I think I mean in a price sense they're pretty similar