Supermarket Sales Hit By Economy Fears

[South Lorne]

"Confidence" is an essential part of economic activity.

Camoron's whingeing and dire predictions are self-fulfilling. No-one will want to spend when thay are told that they face cuts, cuts, cuts.

As spending, personal spending, falls, so do VAT receipts and employment and its tax revenues.

Recession is being engineered by Libcon for its political ends.

....are you living in some parallel universe ..?...Brown and Labour trashed the economy driven by political gain ....we watched them do it....they got off with it because the financial illiterates continue to beat their drum ....however they will feel the pain like the rest of us and blame it on the Libcon....these people will never learn ....their only problem will be next time they will not inherit a strong economy like they did in '97 and be able to glory in it during their honeymoon years as if they were the architects ....no....they were the bulldozers and wreckers .......

[pathfinder]

3 years ago I used Sainsbury's a lot, it was on the way home from work.

Now its

Sainbury's :- Fizzy water/lime cordial, Camembert cheese and the odd random item.

Lidl / Aldi :- Super 6, Lidl Veg and the odd Ice cream. I like really like Aldi cereal.

Iceland:- Bizarrely for Cheese, couple of curries (No rice included in the price, and I bulk the meals out to feed 2 people), whitefish to make fish in batter.

Indian Supermarket:- Fresh indian herbs and the odd bit of Veg I am short of.

Asda:- Flour, Biscuits, and their brilliant Italian cafe coffee.

I have gone from 90-95% shopping in one store too 6 stores. So they should be worried.

[okaycuckoo]

I think the distribution is closer to like debt, I have no debt so some other so and so must have my portion of debt. And similarly I don't waste food (people find it gross when I boil carcasses to make stock)

Stock is the only use I have for my slow cooker. Disintegrates the carcass!

[Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

There's something seriously wrong at the moment - strangely enough I remarked on this likelihood to a colleague on Friday - couldn't believe the amount of half price stuff at my local supermarket - 50p bread, etc. - a real sign of desperation.

And they'd run out of milk because of delivery problems (wtf???).

Something else I noticed was loads of stuff approaching sell by date - from cheap offcuts of smoked salmon to cheese and meat - they'd obviously had problems shifting stuff throughout the store.

Call me an anorak, but I frequently scan what's going on in the supermarkets coz of my farming background - it's almost second nature - loads of my relatives supply the bestards!

I continue to buy most of my food from ethical wholesalers - Infinity Foods, Suma, etc., and local suppliers of organic cheese, milk and grass fed organic meat - and save 30-40% on a typical family's shopping bill despite eating healthy high quality (60-80% organic) food.

Edited June 13, 2010 by gruffydd

[libspero]

There's something seriously wrong at the moment - strangely enough I remarked on this likelihood to a colleague on Friday - couldn't believe the amount of half price stuff at my local supermarket - 50p bread, etc. - a real sign of desperation.

I expect they have taken a hit on their margins too since a lot of the produce will be coming in from abroad.

No more easy growth.. time for anyone approaching pension age to take a back seat and let the young/enthusiastic/naive slog it through the next few years LINKY

[Tiger Woods?]

I expect they have taken a hit on their margins too since a lot of the produce will be coming in from abroad.

No more easy growth.. time for anyone approaching pension age to take a back seat and let the young/enthusiastic/naive slog it through the next few years LINKY

I figure Terry wants to sell those shares while they are still worth something...

[betterToDo]

Very cynical this, but seems to me (and its very hard to quantify), that fresh stuff from places like Tesco seems to go off quicker and quicker.

Now, my fridge isn't exactly a wonder of modern technology, and I'm not very good at keeping track of time...

.. But I was thinking, we've all heard of food companies playing all sorts of tricks to make stocks last longer. But, is it also in the supermarket's interests to find/breed varieties of fresh stuff that go off sooner, meaning you waste more and therefore buy more, or at least have to visit much more frequently (which I'm too lazy to do)? Is a polarisation taking place, with some food being doctored ever further to last longer, whilst with fresh stuff its the opposite?

My girlfriend's dad is a farmer, mostly grows potatoes. His potatoes last seemingly forever. Rarely though do I get through a bag from Tescos before they've gone orrible.

In fact, we've stopped buying any fresh stuff from the Tescos of this world at all, and certainly not things like meat which has totally gone beyond a joke (although I do miss laughing at the shrinking bacon). We go to a couple of local/independent shops instead which we're lucky enough to still have round here. The real bacon may cost a little more, but blimey, only need about a third as much. Now hardly anything seems to go off. I'm not quite Fearnley-Whittingstall yet but theres more to real food than just taste. Its cheaper too.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Fraccy

[GordonBrownSpentMyFuture]

Very cynical this, but seems to me (and its very hard to quantify), that fresh stuff from places like Tesco seems to go off quicker and quicker.

Now, my fridge isn't exactly a wonder of modern technology, and I'm not very good at keeping track of time...

.. But I was thinking, we've all heard of food companies playing all sorts of tricks to make stocks last longer. But, is it also in the supermarket's interests to find/breed varieties of fresh stuff that go off sooner, meaning you waste more and therefore buy more, or at least have to visit much more frequently (which I'm too lazy to do)? Is a polarisation taking place, with some food being doctored ever further to last longer, whilst with fresh stuff its the opposite?

My girlfriend's dad is a farmer, mostly grows potatoes. His potatoes last seemingly forever. Rarely though do I get through a bag from Tescos before they've gone orrible.

In fact, we've stopped buying any fresh stuff from the Tescos of this world at all, and certainly not things like meat which has totally gone beyond a joke (although I do miss laughing at the shrinking bacon). We go to a couple of local/independent shops instead which we're lucky enough to still have round here. The real bacon may cost a little more, but blimey, only need about a third as much. Now hardly anything seems to go off. I'm not quite Fearnley-Whittingstall yet but theres more to real food than just taste. Its cheaper too.

+1

Over the last 18 months I've made a conscious effort to boycott the supermarkets wherever I can. Now, whenever possible, I'll buy meat from the local butchers and fresh fruit and veg from the local grocers. Usually it's cheaper, lasts longer and tastes better. It's also my way of supporting local businesses on my disintegrating high street over the constantly expanding and all-too-powerful oligopolies.

I hope to see an increasing public backlash against mass consumerism and big business over the coming years with a return to independence, interdependence and social co-operation. Maybe when food isn't cheap and in abundance at the supermarket people will start to consume less, grow more and turn their garden into an allotment rather than a driveway for that second car they can ill afford.

We shall see.

[Bloo Loo]

Very cynical this, but seems to me (and its very hard to quantify), that fresh stuff from places like Tesco seems to go off quicker and quicker.

Now, my fridge isn't exactly a wonder of modern technology, and I'm not very good at keeping track of time...

.. But I was thinking, we've all heard of food companies playing all sorts of tricks to make stocks last longer. But, is it also in the supermarket's interests to find/breed varieties of fresh stuff that go off sooner, meaning you waste more and therefore buy more, or at least have to visit much more frequently (which I'm too lazy to do)? Is a polarisation taking place, with some food being doctored ever further to last longer, whilst with fresh stuff its the opposite?

My girlfriend's dad is a farmer, mostly grows potatoes. His potatoes last seemingly forever. Rarely though do I get through a bag from Tescos before they've gone orrible.

In fact, we've stopped buying any fresh stuff from the Tescos of this world at all, and certainly not things like meat which has totally gone beyond a joke (although I do miss laughing at the shrinking bacon). We go to a couple of local/independent shops instead which we're lucky enough to still have round here. The real bacon may cost a little more, but blimey, only need about a third as much. Now hardly anything seems to go off. I'm not quite Fearnley-Whittingstall yet but theres more to real food than just taste. Its cheaper too.

yep. Mrs Loo Shopped Thursday evening.

Saturday morning and the fruit (peaches) was covered in mould.

I went to local farm butchers....very much cheaper...maintains its size and 100% tasty meat..even plain fried.

Tomatoes from the Supermarket have no taste...even the vine ones are poor...luckily its back to France this week for some flavours.

[Mr 0.01%]

Very cynical this, but seems to me (and its very hard to quantify), that fresh stuff from places like Tesco seems to go off quicker and quicker.

Now, my fridge isn't exactly a wonder of modern technology, and I'm not very good at keeping track of time...

.. But I was thinking, we've all heard of food companies playing all sorts of tricks to make stocks last longer. But, is it also in the supermarket's interests to find/breed varieties of fresh stuff that go off sooner, meaning you waste more and therefore buy more, or at least have to visit much more frequently (which I'm too lazy to do)? Is a polarisation taking place, with some food being doctored ever further to last longer, whilst with fresh stuff its the opposite?

My girlfriend's dad is a farmer, mostly grows potatoes. His potatoes last seemingly forever. Rarely though do I get through a bag from Tescos before they've gone orrible.

In fact, we've stopped buying any fresh stuff from the Tescos of this world at all, and certainly not things like meat which has totally gone beyond a joke (although I do miss laughing at the shrinking bacon). We go to a couple of local/independent shops instead which we're lucky enough to still have round here. The real bacon may cost a little more, but blimey, only need about a third as much. Now hardly anything seems to go off. I'm not quite Fearnley-Whittingstall yet but theres more to real food than just taste. Its cheaper too.

Personally it's never been too bad for me with Tescos - stuff doesn't seem to go off too soon (but then I never have much in these days) but when I used to shop at Morrisson's the fresh food I bought there was almost rotten by the time I got it home. Used to last a day or two max before it was a goner.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Not really supermaket but a retail anecdotal, was in Selfridges (Manchester) this morning as they started their summer sale. Observations,

1) a week earlier than usual

2) not as busy as usual

3) not so many bargains

make of that what you will.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

Not really supermaket but a retail anecdotal, was in Selfridges (Manchester) this morning as they started their summer sale. Observations,

1) a week earlier than usual

2) not as busy as usual

3) not so many bargains

make of that what you will.

another observation

went to Migros this morning,It was as sh!t as ever

[SarahBell]

Has their growth come from moving into sectors that will now go into decline (have you ever seen anyone buy a TV at tesco?)

Morrisons have stayed fairly close to the normal supermarket stuff (missing out maybe on the profits from the clothing that asda and tesco make) but the rest seem to want to eliminate every other shop in the town.

Will food sales stay the same (maybe decline from the posh stuff to cheaper own brand stuff) - but sales of the tat cease,.,,?

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

Has their growth come from moving into sectors that will now go into decline (have you ever seen anyone buy a TV at tesco?)

Morrisons have stayed fairly close to the normal supermarket stuff (missing out maybe on the profits from the clothing that asda and tesco make) but the rest seem to want to eliminate every other shop in the town.

Will food sales stay the same (maybe decline from the posh stuff to cheaper own brand stuff) - but sales of the tat cease,.,,?

If they want to get ahead of the curve they want to be turning all their Metros into Pawn brokers

Theyll make a mint over the next five years

Edited June 14, 2010 by Tamara De Lempicka

[SarahBell]

If they want to get ahead of the curve they want to be turning all there Metros into Pawn brokers

Theyll make a mint over the next five years

trashconverters - turn your expensive crap into cans of beans.

I like it.

[Democorruptcy]

Milk and Brown Bread (2 Hovis for £1 at Farmfoods) is definitely cheaper this year but what's happened to my 4 fish fingers? The pack of 14 is now a pack of 10 and the price has gone up. Washing powder sizes have changed from a medium size to a large and small, yet the small is the same price the medium used to be.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

another observation

went to Migros this morning,It was as sh!t as ever

I can only speak for Migros at Geneva airport but yes I can quite understand.

[R K]

I had a wkly shop at tesco a couple of weeks ago where every single item was either discounted, bogof or on special offer. On top of which I used a 15% off voucher.

* Beer (world cup excuse)

* loo rolls

* hobnobs

* Pringles

* razors

* cheese

* Milk

* cereal

* pasta

* tinned tuna

* toiletries (toothpaste/brushes)

In fact, the only stuff not discounted was fresh fruit and veg and I buy meat at M&S not tesco.

Hyperinflation my ar5e.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

* tinned tuna

You mean you've eaten all your TFH/TSHTF stash? Already?

[dissident junk]

We've stopped shopping at Tesco.

We stopped about two/three months ago. We both just got sick of the poor quality of the food, and the ever decreasing range of products. It got to the point where I would go in to our local Tesco and struggle to find anything to buy to put a decent meal together. It was just rows upon rows of ready meals, crisps, biscuits, clothing and alcohol. We now shop at our local butchers and buy the rest from Ocado and it actually works out a lot cheaper.