tom thumb Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 damn I forgot to say how nice the drivers are it's true though) thanks for your nice comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie P Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 During a bout of insomnia I found myself scanning back through this old thread. It makes for interesting reading in places. I wonder if Tesco coming to Shetland worked out how everyone hoped, or dreaded? I read in the paper a month or two back that Tesco accounts for 80% of all retail spend in Shetland, so it has certainly had an impact. Personally I don't shop there for various ethical reasons and I prefer to support the local economy when I can (not trying to preach) so can't really comment on the overall experience of shopping at Tesco. However, as a Co-op regular I'm very pleased with their new layout and spruce-up (I didn't use the cafe so I won't find it a miss). Also, when I was in t'other day I found out they're running a promotion that give you a £5 voucher when you spend £20 or more. Pretty good, I thought. If you're doing a big shop it might be worth checking out a few times in £20 batches - http://news.co-operativefood.co.uk/latest-news/the-january-sales-for-the-best-food-deals-drink-deals-and-more.htmlAnd no, I don't work for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie P Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 And no, I don't work for them!Although technically, as a member, I part own them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I wonder if Tesco coming to Shetland worked out how everyone hoped, or dreaded? Yup, pretty much. Their "own brand" products are of a quality that IMHO "just" manage to fall within the Trade Descriptions act, and local independent outlets stock many comparable generic label products which are not excessively more expensive, but are of much better quality. The only two Tesco generics I've managed to locate so far which are of a quality and price that are both more favourable than elsewhere is cream crackers and toliet paper - which is a rather unfortunate combination, as if you eat many of the former, you have minimal need for the latter. For branded products they are not much cheaper than many local independents, and while its enough to probably persuade town dwellers using them is worth it, its certainly nowhere near enough to cover the cost of fuel to come in from yokel-land unless for a shop running in to several hundred pounds worth. Genuine bargains can be had with the reduced price short dated offers that appear most evenings, and anything you intended to buy anyway that's on a special, but that's it in my experience. CHUCK NORR1S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Bit unfair to Tesco. Quite a lot of their "finest" range are really rather good and their bananas are a third of the price in my local shop but the real reason I go there is choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 ^ Their "Finest" range is okay for taste, but tends to still suffer from quite small portion size, and is IMHO by no means VFM or "cheap". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Actually although the "finest" cheese I like most is perhaps not exactly cheap neither is it expensive for what it is. But I have to admit that my local shop can be cheaper for own brand cheese. Certainly Tesco make a chunk, perhaps even a big chunk, of their profits on things that are cheaper on the high street or on-line but of course people get it into their heads that Tesco (or Asda and so on) are cheap so are happy to put all sorts of things in their trolley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 its certainly nowhere near enough to cover the cost of fuel to come in from yokel-land unless for a shop running in to several hundred pounds worth. It is if you combine your shopping trip with other 'town-specific' events like dentist appointments, banking, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owre-weel Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 The difficulty I'm finding is that it's becoming more difficult to do a "big" shop nowadays as most of the dates on fresher produce are only a few days at best. I used to buy roasts on Thursday to cook on a Sunday, but it's very difficult to find a smallish bit with a date that long. Even if you do it's gone grey in the fridge by Sunday. Unfortunately I can't afford to buy local beef although I know that would be of much better quality. The result is I've had to change shopping day to Saturday and I hate shopping in such a busy shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 ^ I've noticed that too. I freeze a lot of produce (mainly fruit and meat) and we get our fresh veg delivered from Turriefield in Sandness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 not keen on the meat from tesco. i prefer scalloway meat company. if you have a large freezer it can work out a lot cheaper to bulk buy. there is also the slaughterhouse if you want a sheep ect. they even will cut it up for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 its certainly nowhere near enough to cover the cost of fuel to come in from yokel-land unless for a shop running in to several hundred pounds worth. It is if you combine your shopping trip with other 'town-specific' events like dentist appointments, banking, etc. I think most folk need to shop more than once a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 The difficulty I'm finding is that it's becoming more difficult to do a "big" shop nowadays as most of the dates on fresher produce are only a few days at best. I used to buy roasts on Thursday to cook on a Sunday, but it's very difficult to find a smallish bit with a date that long. Even if you do it's gone grey in the fridge by Sunday. Unfortunately I can't afford to buy local beef although I know that would be of much better quality. The result is I've had to change shopping day to Saturday and I hate shopping in such a busy shop. Agree about the ability to do a "big" shop, but for different reasons. I was just presuming that I had been "unlucky", but maybe there's more to it..... During the last year there appears to have been a "policy chance" concerning stock lines and stock control, as its been rare in that time to be able to find Tesco had in stock any more than 70-80% of what was on the old "Shopping list" which they'd had near constant stock of previously. In some cases it appears that the product has simply been discontinued as a stock item as they never had it, or a viable replacement product across several visits spanning a number of months, in others only a certain package size of a product is never to be found, and buying the alternative sizing(s) still available is the difference between getting a reasonable deal and being ripped off. Or, of course their stock control is total crap, and they still "stock" all of these products and package sizes as previously, but supply is so far short of demand they all vanish almost as soon as they hit the shelves. As for Tesco's meat..... I don't buy it, I won't buy it, the quality is so poor I really could not stomach eating it. Local butchers are appreciably dearer I know, and quality varies between them too, but I will admit to being a meat "snob" and will rather sacrifice quality on stuff like milk, tea, toilet paper etc and buy the cheapest rubbish so as to save enough to afford local meat, and even the worst you're likely to get from any local butcher is immensely superior in quality to Tesco's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 its certainly nowhere near enough to cover the cost of fuel to come in from yokel-land unless for a shop running in to several hundred pounds worth. It is if you combine your shopping trip with other 'town-specific' events like dentist appointments, banking, etc. That's all fine and good for those who have or choose to conduct business there, but not everyone has need to visit the town, it is very easy to live enjoying the same quality of life as anyone else and never set eyes on the place for years. Its so long since I had any "need" to be in the town for anything, I can't remember what is was or when it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 It is sad that Tesco is letting folk down, especially after all that money they spent flying in neeps and tatties last year. As a comparison, our local Supermarket supports local producers. After reading what Shetland beer producers had to go through to get their beer stocked locally to production, and Shetland produced meats, I would keep away. I do about half my shop at the supermarket and the rest from farmers markets. Folk should do their best to support local shops and producers all they can, in the long run, it works. CHUCK NORR1S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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