Supermarkets in Shetland - prices, ethics and experiences

[Pleepsie]

Trout wrote:

 

"Cummon now. Look this "Dandiest_Guitarman" man has had, what two posts, on Shetlink at this present time and comes out with a comment like so."

 

 

It should not matter how many posts a person has made on Shetlink. Pick on the guy for what he said by all means, but not for on the short time he has been a shetlinker or for how many posts he has made.

[trout]

Point taken. That however was not what I was addressing by my post.

 

Lets move on and try and keep this thread on topic again.

[crofter]

Channel 4 is broadcasting an hour long “Dispatches†investigation into Tesco called “The Supermarket that’s eating Britain†on Monday 19 February at 8.00pm.

[Seahorse]

I had to think aboot dis wan.

I used to byde sooth (Abz) n loved the choice o supermarkets. However, things change...

I agree, about the little Scottish toons being carbon copies of each other with no competition.

To be honest, I don't think much of the two supermarkets we have as it is; half the time there is little on the shelves (might be da Northboat) and there is very little variety (canna blame da Northboat).

I always take the chance to shop at the mainland shop if I'm going to sumburgh and the Voe/Brae shops when going up nord. (No often further nord).

What ever happens I'll still go elsewhar (Bolts, Scallowa shops, Butcher, fishmungers, Scoop and oxfam (for fair trade)). Before I go for a trolley shop.

[Judge]

I would like to see Tesco come to Shetland, Somerfields range is very poor and not a British vegetable in sight. Co-op not really much better.

[Roxy71]

I personally would love a Tesco.

I find the other two supermarkets very frustrating, poor fruit & veg from the Co Op rotten within two days of buying it. Sommerfield veg is better that's why if you leave it too late in the day there's none left.

Tesco would have to really out do these two, but it really wouldn't be that hard.

Some customer service would be good something the Co Op & Sommerfield lacks.

[trout]

Most people have made note that the Co-op and Somerfields range of fresh fruit/veg and other products are of poor quality and quantity over time.

 

What conclusions have people made that they believe Tesco will be any different? Have I missed something?

[Fjool]

I think there's a formula like this:

 

Supermarket Quality = (Maximum quality / number of supermarkets in area)

 

i.e. Adding another supermarket is just going to result in three, lower quality services being run.

 

Shetland can only support so many.

[breeksy]

Interesting that there is an assertion that having a Tesco may mean fresher fruit and veg.

 

The only way to get fresher fruit and veg is to not buy from supermarkets. Even (say) scottish produce that is sold to supermarkets has to go to a central warehouse before being despatched to the various shops. Chances are that isn't in the North of Scotland...

 

So there is most of a day lost to get it there (assumingit is British, more if it is from abroad, which much supermarket produce is) and back to Aberdeen, then another day on the boat till it finally gets to us.

 

I really can't see how Tesco will be able to succeed in getting it here quicker than the other two.

 

The biggest problem is that a decent range of fresh fruit and veg is not really readily available anywhere in shetland other than the supermarkets. Of course, the main reason for that is that the supermarkets dominate the market so much that shops like don leslies which had cracking fruit and veg - their peaches were sublime compared to the rubbish you get at the supermarkets - don't have enough business to keep it going to anything but a small degree. Shame.

 

What I would love to see is a "shetland shop" which has under one roof shetland fruit and veg and meat and dairy and biscuits and honey etc etc, and what it can't source locally it gets from scotland or (for things like bananas and oranges) a scottish veg market (maybe the place FAVE gets their fruit and veg from).

[Fjool]

Seems that Tesco might have been selling dodgy ethanol-laced fuel. Tesco and Morrisons both claim not, but lots of people have been reporting problems.

 

Any one have an idea of how likely to be true this is?

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6406801.stm

[shetlandcars]

 

Look at the poll - it seems that Shetland folk DO want Tesco.

 

Currently 29 people have voted in support of Tesco, possibly from anywhere in the world. Assuming they are all from Shetland, that is approx 0.1% of the population - 49.9% to go before there is a majority in favour!

 

i see you have a wonderful understanding of statistics and cross samples

[BigMouth]

Yes please.

 

I want more variety. Sometimes the woeful lack of variety almost draws me to tears

[Fjool]

^^ With Tesco you'll just get another brand of 'lack of variety'. Same stuff, just with different labels.

[BigMouth]

Surely they will stock a more diverse range. When did you last see a star fruit, a kumquat or a fresh fig in Somerfield or Co-op?

[McFly]

^^

 

The range stocked seems to be very much dependant on the area BigMouth. In Glasgow, for instance, the Somerfield in Cardonald (not the most salubrious of areas) stocks mountains of frozen, processed gunk and next to no fresh fruit or vegetables, while the very same company, in their swanky Byres Road store (a mere two miles away), are positively overflowing with tropical delights.

 

I think the range of stock in the Lerwick Co-op and Somerfield will give you a very good idea of what a Tesco in Lerwick would stock, i.e. as Fjool said, the same crap