Tesco shopping at Christmas

Jeanette - Why complain about everybody else leaving shopping until Xmas eve, when you did it yourself? Obviously, if everyone leaves there shopping until the last day, the shelves cant get replenished with the stock quick enough because all the "locusts" have had it all - you being one.
Why are women so obsessed with supermarkets anyway?

I haven't shopped in Tesco for over a year now. Summer a year ago, I was looking for goods in the kosher fridge section and found to my horror an obviously anti-semitic customer had deliberately tried to offend Jewish customers by throwing in a bag of fresh prawns; salami and other offensive food items into the kosher section. I spoke to a member of staff who wasn't prepared to move the offending items as he was working on another section and pointed me in the direction of the manager. The manager was verbally abusive, raised his voice and told me he would remove the items when he had time (he wasn't actually doing anything when I approached him) and told me if I thought he was going to have someone manning the kosher section 24/7, I was wrong. My daughter and I returned to the fridge and removed the items ourselves. Forty minutes later when we had finished our shopping, we found them where we had left them - on the floor!

Can't you see what TESCO is?

It's a quasi-fascist state just waiting to completely take over Britain.

Even it's colours are Red, White and Blue.

Janette - I appreciate we all have busy lives, but it does seem a little naive to leave your shopping until two days before Christmas and expect a perfect shopping experience! However, to some extent I do sympathise - Tesco is Evil Incarnate, after all.

Nathan - count yourself lucky that your branch of Tesco opens another till!

This is complete myth at the nearest branch to where I work. It is consistently busy with office workers at lunchtimes, and yet 50% of the "ten items or less" checkouts are closed during this period, the remaining ones have been known to close when there has been half-a-dozen people waiting, the self-service checkouts seem unable to cope with 'unexpected items in bagging area" - ie. a bag with shopping in it, how outrageous - and queueing time at worst can be ten to fifteen minutes. Despite "all available staff to checkouts" calls over the PA, extra staff do not appear and customer service managers are a thing of pure fantasy.
Yes I do know the checkout staff are human too, and do need feeding, watering and the occasional comfort stop. Some of them are actually very pleasant. My issue is with the management, who seem to lack the common sense to stagger staff lunchbreaks in order to cope with demand.

But then again the management at this store seem to have lost direction of any area in the running of a supermarket. With the rudest customer service assistant in the world, broken chiller cabinets full of rotting produce, questionable BOGOF offers (2-for-1 on fatty-salty- sugary combinations, anyone?) is it any wonder the expectations of the customer feature so far down their priority list.

I will name and shame this store: Tesco Ballards Lane, in Finchley, North London

Sorry to go on, but I do really, really hate Tesco.

Your comments on how many tills tesco has open is rubbish. If there is more than one person in front of ypu they open another till. Sainsburys do not do that. I have been in my local sainsburys (closer than corner shop) if I run out of milk and queues are always down the aisles.

As for going into tesco on xmas eve on a sunday how stupid. Could of done your shopping on saturday when contracted staff were in. You do realise people don't have to work sundays don't you.!!

Supermarkets exist because they fit in with the new 24hr culture. Years ago you went to the butcher one day, the baker the next day etc. Now you can do all your shopping in 30 minutes and you don't have to pay for the car park either. As our country moves in to the 24hr culture people want to do their shopping in the quickest and easiest way - supermarkets. I'm not defending them because they have a negative side as well but they are certainly easier than going into the town centre. As for the comments on supermarket goods being fresher, dream on. Ever noticed how quickly your fruit goes off when you buy it from a supermarket? This is because it is picked about 3 weeks previously and then kept chilled. Similarly with meat, it sits in a warehouse for weeks before getting on to the shelves. I speak from experience because I worked in logistics for Tesco for 10 years. Its true what is said, if you knew what went on behind the scenes you wouldn't buy it. We would get loads of fresh goods sent back from stores because it arrived at the store out of temperature (chilled goods have to be transported chilled). It would sit in the lorry back at out depot while the fridge on the lorry was fixed and then sent out again. Some stores are 6 hours away, work it out - 6hours+6hours+however long it stays at the depot. If only you knew!!!

Looks like it.

you must have money to throw away.

When you have two lots of the same cut of meat, one from local butcher, the other from supermarket, one cost £6.50 per kg, the other £4.50 per kg, I know which MOST shoppers will go for.

Brenda,

Im pretty sure he wouldnt have been in business for 20 years if he had been selling unfit meat - you wont convince me to shop at Tesco or any other supermarket for my food - you have wasted your time.

Sammy H

Supermarkets have a faster turn around in food stuffs,so they ALWAYS have to buy in fresh.Can you say that of a local butcher???he won't throw away his profits will he. Think about it dear, what does he do with his UNFRESH meat.

Yes, I to like fresh foods, and support local suppliers,but when they charge 50%-100% MORE,I know where my money is spent.They cannot compete with supermarkets,sorry, but we are in the 21st century. I shop, even with MY local farmer,to get the best deal.

At one time, you could buy meats, pork, lamb, etc, straight from the farmer, with him slaughtering and butchering it himself for you, but those days have long gone since joining the EU.

Brenda, you seem to know a lot about food I assume you have a good relationship with it. What Im talking about is the service you get at your local grocer/butcher etc far outweighs the service you get in supermarkets. Maybe its because I live in Cornwall and can get produce fresh that I prefer it. Inner city dwellers dont get the same choice. For example I can go to my local farm and buy fresh eggs and seasonal vegtables? Can I do that in tescos? No. You can shop for your food in those overcrowded hell holes and I will support my local community. Lot to learn about supply and demand? I demand fresh food, the local shops provide it? You want crap food, Tescos supplies it. Not every one lives out of their freezer or on canned food or didnt you know that. Maybe instead of having a go at me you should look at your own choices.

Sammy,

get real.

Tesco's own brand of goods are just RE-LABELLED products.They are made in the SAME factories as BRANDED goods.How do I know,My husband is the manager of such a factory.So, when you buy say,beans, their not made by TESCO,their made by the same factory that make the higher priced beans. Look at the label, it will say," MADE for Tesco by" or " Produced in UK for Tesco".

Don't think there's a factory for EVERY food do you,Even Sainsbury's will buy the SAME beans you buy at Tesco's, but the label will be Sainsbury's.

Another example, Cornflakes,Kellogs higher priced in cardboard box, Tesco's cornflakes half the price, in plastic bag,, MADE at SAME factory, look at label, "Produced in UK for Tesco".

As for your meats, all comes from SAME abatoir "UK MEATS".

Don't get brainwashed into thinking different supermarket,or small shop,different supplier,better quality. NO WAY.

If you work in the food industry, as my husband does, you get to know the in's and out's of Mass production.

Same with fresh fruit and veg,HOME growers can't supply enough for this country,so most is imported,again, look at label,"Packed in UK".

Sammy, you've a lot to learn about "Supply and Demand".

Oh, one last thing, did you know MOST home grown produce won't PASS European Standards,so it's sold as ORGANIC.

Thanks for reading my comment Brenda, shows you paid attention! However the reason I buy my household goods from Sainsburys is because you have to buy the bloody stuff from somewhere! Yes Iam aware Sainsbury is a supermarket but its less hassle than my local Tescos as they actually put staff on every checkout as opposed to 1 in 2 at Tescos. The Rubbish mass produced garbage in question is their own brand food. I dont care if Tescos meat is cheaper!! I can assure you that the produce purchased from my local shops is of better quality then Tescos. I support local business men/women in my area and try to buy locally where I can. Unfortunatly I have to travel to a supermarket for such things as washing powder, toliet roll etc. When the supermarkets have killed off small businesses and all the farmers in this country, where will you get your fresh produce from? Abroad thats the answer. So buy Locally where you can and support your own community and in the long term your country.
It would be a welcome change if people who post on here would comment on the actual grip rather than try to rip apart other peoples comments.
So we will know who to thank wont we Brenda, when we are up to our knees in plastic bags and all living in areas where local shops dont exist and the supermarkets are in full control of all your consumer needs.
1984 anyone?