Tesco's and the constant maths test

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 30 Dec 2008, 10:23

Thanks for the links Keela

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 30 Dec 2008, 10:30

I am aware of all these issues but we are still (reluctantly) choosing tesco as we're on a budget and its the cheapest in our area. I am surprised that several of the posts here report tesco being more expensive than other shops. Perhaps they have varying price policies in different areas. For us, its the cheap shop!

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 30 Dec 2008, 10:42

Tesco is not your friend.
It is a business, it exists to maximise shareholder wealth.

Co-Op may try to be friend, but I'm yet to see one thats cheaper than Tesco.

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 30 Dec 2008, 11:12

when you employ total accounting to tesco's prices as opposed to just looking at their price tags alone they are far more 'expensive' than the rest. Once you have factored in the externalised costs on the environment (we're paying for this now but what's worse is this cost is going to be presented in it's fullest to future generations), social costs (yes it actually costs money for the sorting out of a society gone awry due to the replacement of decent jobs with slave wage labour and the sustained attack on the local economy that people like tesco cause) etc etc the list just goes on and on.

We live in a 'price comparison' culture that allows those who externalise the highest amount of their costs for the tax payer to clean up (or just suffer) to prosper. If total accounting were employed then you'd realise just how much it is actually 'costing' to shop at tesco.

My grandma used to say that people knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. It wasn't until I was older and she'd passed away I really understood just what she meant by this.

Ultimately I could save money on my food bills by raiding allotments, and stealing food from my neighbours while they were out at work - that would seriously lower my cost of living but it would be a somewhat unjust, immoral and antisocial way of living. I consider shopping at the large supermarket chains to be just a diluted version of the above.

Every little hurts.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 30 Dec 2008, 11:23

Care to break down these total accounting costs, or should we just accept that Tesco is rated worst by them...

I simply refuse to believe that a tin of heinz beans that costs 40p in Tesco and 45p in Co-Op is any worse for the environment if bought in Tesco

Its hardly Tescos fault if the government is willing to pick up these unspecified externalised costs.

Keela · Post by **Keela** » 30 Dec 2008, 11:33

MisterE wrote:Thanks for the links Keela

If you get inspired to try brewing for yourself, just send me a pm and I'll share a bit of culture with you!

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:06

DominicJ wrote:Care to break down these total accounting costs, or should we just accept that Tesco is rated worst by them....

No. a) becuase I simply cannot be arsed wasting time on the matter and b) I doubt that such easily referenced works exist. My basic thinking goes that as Tesco are now the largest supplier of food and other 'goods' in the UK, even if they were as bad for the environment (just one of the areas they are causing problems with) as say, the co-op , they are simply by size the worst. This is a simplistic view that can be added to by considering their attitude towards suppliers and employees all of which tend to be worse than other competitors. I am not going to rehash www.tescopoly.com here as I have neither the time nor patience.

I simply refuse to believe that a tin of heinz beans that costs 40p in Tesco and 45p in Co-Op is any worse for the environment if bought in Tesco

well refuse then. it's not rocket science. There is a hidden cost behind every underpaid worker, exploited supplier and if you cannot see that then I am wasting my time even replying.

Its hardly Tescos fault if the government is willing to pick up these unspecified externalised costs

Is it my fault if I go out stealing food from my neighbours allotments because I have a retarded friend who's willing to take the blame for me everytime I do it.

The government *isn't* willing to pick up these externalised costs. It doesn't have the money or resources to. Look at the effect large supermarkets have had on local business and the local economy in a 5 mile radius of where they are located. Look at the increased reliance of car useage they have caused by destroying small local alternatives. We are paying the price in both the tax money that is wasted on sweeping up the social problems in many of these poor areas - money which would be better used in other endevours to improve the quality of life in such locations. We are breathing more polluted air due to car usage. There is more to 'cost'than just the pound sign on the price tag. We're going to be the one' paying for this when we have none of the required local producer / retailer infrastructure we'll need post peak oil. That's got a cost to it.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:16

Look at the effect large supermarkets have had on local business and the local economy in a 5 mile radius of where they are located.

Look at the effect tractors had on horse and ox plough teams.
Yes, Tesco wipes out the inefficient industry nearby, that's GOOD.

Look at the increased reliance of car useage they have caused by destroying small local alternatives.

I have 4 local supermarkets no more than a mile further than my local "shops".
None of them are in walking distance, even if I include the local shops that are now hairdressers and estate agents.

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:23

Look at the effect tractors had on horse and ox plough teams.
Yes, Tesco wipes out the inefficient industry nearby, that's GOOD.

Yeah thats fantastic. they allowed us to harness a none renewable energy to artificially bolster food production. We ended up with a population we cannot provide for without the technology and energy supply we have now. F***ing fantastic. Well done.

I have 4 local supermarkets no more than a mile further than my local "shops".
None of them are in walking distance, even if I include the local shops that are now hairdressers and estate agents.

Well I wonder why that is?

Perhaps if people hadn't abandoned the local shops in favour of the super... oh forget it.

Yes. The supermarkets are great. Yay capitalism.etc etc etc... it's all going to be fine. bloody inefficient local systems not dependant on massive influxes ofr foreign fossil energy. ha ! we are so much better now.... we are invincible.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:32

As I said, I have supermarkets no further away than the hairdressers and estate agents that used to be butchers and bakers.

Yeah thats fantastic. they allowed us to harness a none renewable energy to artificially bolster food production. We ended up with a population we cannot provide for without the technology and energy supply we have now. F***ing fantastic. Well done.

But there we go, thats the key, regressionism.
A bizarre wish a for a time when life was brutal and short.

Maybe you have no more dreams than driving a horse drawn plough and living in a rotting hovel, I do.

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:36

But there we go, thats the key, regressionism.
A bizarre wish a for a time when life was brutal and short.

Maybe you have no more dreams than driving a horse drawn plough and living in a rotting hovel, I do.

I don't even know what you are talking about anymore. Good luck for the new year. All the best.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 30 Dec 2008, 13:25

I love this place so much.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 30 Dec 2008, 14:57

The last issue of Ethical Consumer had a report on supermarkets and, out of a possible 20 marks, they look like this:

M&S 8
Co-op 7
Farmfoods 7
Booths 6.5
McColls 6
Budgens 6
Londis 6
Spar 5.5
Waitrose 5
Aldi 5
Costcutter 5
Iceland 3.5
Lidl 3.5
Netto 2.5
Morrisons 2
Sainsburys 2
Tesco 0.5
Somerfield 0.5
Asda 0

Buy local goods locally.
Live simply.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 30 Dec 2008, 16:15

DominicJ wrote: Yes, Tesco wipes out the inefficient industry nearby, that's GOOD.

Not sure you are right there. GOOD for whom?

Not good for customer choice if other shops go out of business.
Not good for the owners and employees trying to make a living in smaller shops.
Not good for the suppliers. It is well known that Tescos cuts them to bits.
Not good for the environment. For many reasons.
Not good for general business when one company becomes too agressive and over-whelming. My business has no chance of doing business with Tesco (not that I would want to!)

Maybe you know the price of everything and the value of nothing. It applies to most of us probably. I still shop at Tescos but try to buy more locally. It is not easy.

zigspider · Post by **zigspider** » 02 Jan 2009, 20:36

DominicJ wrote:As I said, I have supermarkets no further away than the hairdressers and estate agents that used to be butchers and bakers.

But isn't that the point? If the supermarket(s) weren't there you would still have local Butchers and Bakers, rather than Hairdressers and estate agents.

Jerry