Shame on Tesco - Removing Irish Brands from its Stores

lzbones

I have noticed there are discount warehouses popping up. (example cheepcheep.ie). I think the recession is a good thing for Ireland, it will shake up the market and create new opportunities.

Hagar

This thread has just opened on another Forum.

Tesco have replaced Irish Potatoes with British Potatoes. What next?

RTE News tonight.

dh0661

Hagar wrote: »

Tesco have replaced Irish Potatoes with British Potatoes. What next?

Whatever about Barry's tea or Galtee rashers and other Irish brands. We Irish love our floury spuds.

AFAIK the Irish and Scottish are the only countries in the world that like their potatoes to be "floury".

IMO their fruit & veg. is over priced cr-p anyway and the rest of their fresh foods are not any better.

rubadub

Hagar wrote: »

Tesco have replaced Irish Potatoes with British Potatoes. What next?

Probably what ever else we cannot competetively produce here. My own pineapple farm never took off, tesco refused to pay the €15 per pineapple I had to charge them to cover the costs of my operation. Now them buy them from Brazil, bloody racist Irish hating bastards. If they gave people the choice I am sure the patriots would have bought my pineapples, they are really stupid not to stock them.

ejmaztec

It seems Tesco doesn't like Rolls Royce driving drunks either, prejudiced bastards!:mad:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6330687.ece


Man drives Rolls-Royce through Tesco window after being refused alcohol



A man drove a Rolls-Royce through the window of a Tesco supermarket yesterday after staff at the store refused to sell him alcohol.

Six woman were injured as the glass windows shattered and shelves came crashing down. Two check-out counters were demolished.

Witnesses said that the man had come into the store in Andover, Hampshire, at around 4.30pm to buy alcohol but had been turned away because he was already drunk.

Minutes later, he drove at the store front in his luxury silver saloon. Although he failed to break through on his first attempt, he reversed, revved and came back for a second try.

One Tesco worker described yesterday how the man had reversed a long way back to get a “good, clear run”. She said that she thought a bomb had gone off. “People were running for their lives, scattering in all directions,” she said. “Everyone was screaming. Check-out girls were shocked and crying. It was terrible.”

Patrick Ford, 49, a store customer, said that it was “like a tidal wave of shelving” coming towards him. “I heard a huge crash and shattering glass and the shelving started collapsing around me,” he added.

It is believed that the man, thought to run a chauffeur company, remained sitting in his car until police and paramedics arrived.

Last night, a 50-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and drink-driving.

Jip

Hagar wrote: »

Tesco have replaced Irish Potatoes with British Potatoes. What next?

They haven't actually replaced Irish with British potatoes have they, have they jsut not given more shelf space to British ones ? As I said in one of those other threads I always look for the Irish ones and often have to go through British and Israeli I think they are potatoes in my local Superquinn.

dobberdob

I do all my shopping in SUPERQUINN. Recently I saw a NCA National Consumer Agency survey and a large trolley of shopping (almost €300) in Superquinn is actually the same price as Dunnes Stores and cheaper than Tesco and you can get the nicest meat and bread there too. Log onto nca.ie if you don't believe me.

tbh

dobberdob wrote: »

I do all my shopping in SUPERQUINN. Recently I saw a NCA National Consumer Agency survey and a large trolley of shopping (almost €300) in Superquinn is actually the same price as Dunnes Stores and cheaper than Tesco and you can get the nicest meat and bread there too. Log onto nca.ie if you don't believe me.

Hi dobberdob, I've some genuine questions


*do you guys get paid per post, or are you paid a flat rate?

*How do you "prove" to superquinn that you are actively shilling them - do you provide links to your posts?

*How many brands would you have on the go at any one time?

*finally, have you ever set foot in a superquinn store (or been in Ireland) in your life?

tbh

tbh wrote: »

Hi dobberdob, I've some genuine questions


*do you guys get paid per post, or are you paid a flat rate?

*How do you "prove" to superquinn that you are actively shilling them - do you provide links to your posts?

*How many brands would you have on the go at any one time?

*finally, have you ever set foot in a superquinn store in your life?

oh yeah, one other thing, are you employed by an agency, or do superquinn employ you directly?

mike65

I was in SQ for the first time in months last week - after months in Lidl it was like Vegas but the prices were like Paris.

Our man in Havana

mike65 wrote: »

I was in SQ for the first time in months last week - after months in Lidl it was like Vegas but the prices were like Paris.

That is a fairly apt description Mike.

rubadub

dobberdob wrote: »

Log onto nca.ie if you don't believe me.

I checked it out and it was just as I expected SERIOUSLY FLAWED.

Some other poster repeatedly kept going on about this survey and how tescos were shown to be the dearest on branded goods, while I pointed out the 1.2% difference was really proving there is no real difference, 1.2% being a negligible amount in statistical terms.

You can see the results here
http://www.nca.ie/eng/Research_Zone/Reports/Price-survey-Feb-2009.html

I mentioned before that tesco have got lots of "own brands", e.g they have about 7-8 types of fresh cheese & tomato pizzas last time I was in. While many other stores have only one "own brand" for many products.

I expect they did the same with dunnes too, who also have a few ranges.

Dunnes & tescos beans are listed as 42cent, but I know they both have tins around 22-25c. Lidl are 25c and aldi are 34c so both appear cheaper but are really not.

Tesco bleach 1.19 for 750ml, but I have tesco value bleach which was something like 39c or 49c for a litre. WTF people buy tesco "mid range" brand bleach or sugar over the "value range" one always puzzles me.

Almost every thing listed have cheaper "value" brands available in dunnes & tescos.

White Pan Sliced
Brown Pan Sliced
Bundys Seeded 6pk
Cream Crackers
Mineral Water Still
Orange Juice (from concentrate)
Orange Juice 100% Fresh squeezed
Baby Wipes
Fresh Milk
Low Fat Milk
Margherita/ Cheese & Tomato Pizza
Peas Garden
Cat Food - Tin
Cornflakes
Wheat Biscuits/Bisks
Baked Beans
Bolognese Sauce
Spaghetti
Fine Cut Orange Marmalade
Jam Strawberry/Raspberry/Blkcurrant
Self Raising Flour
Bleach

Also as I also suspected they IGNORED offers, dunno about anybody else but I seek out offers. One one page Dunnes were "cheapest" at a basket of branded stuff at €83.25, while tesco were €83.92
BUT they adjusted the figures!!! Really the tesco basket contained a bottle of wine at €8.74 but they listed the "normal" price of €12.49. Dunnes also had an offer on toilet roll, €2.25 instead of €3.93.

So in fact the tesco basket REALLY costed €80.17 and the dunnes one was €81.57

Still feck all difference but if ignoring offers (which is stupid) they should also ignore reductions. Everybody knows it is often common practise to increase prices before a reduction so they appear to be even cheaper.

Our man in Havana

Tesco bleach 1.19 for 750ml, but I have tesco value bleach which was something like 39c or 49c for a litre. WTF people buy tesco "mid range" brand bleach or sugar over the "value range" one always puzzles me.

I think people have a psychological block on buying the value range thinking they are not as good as the dearer products. With things like sugar and bleach there is no difference.

K-9

Bond-007 wrote: »

I think people have a psychological block on buying the value range thinking they are not as good as the dearer products. With things like sugar and bleach there is no difference.

Sugar and some other things I'd agree on but some of the cheap bleaches are very watery! A Domestos etc. will last longer. Similar to Fairy Liquid to own brand liquid.

snubbleste

Following on from the OP 2 months ago, I have noticed far more UK brands and Tesco range stuff on the shelves with reduced space for irish brands. Examples include packaged cold meats and tea

However prices have come down on products as a result of the 'border stores' now stretching down to galway

rubadub

K-9 wrote: »

Sugar and some other things I'd agree on but some of the cheap bleaches are very watery! A Domestos etc. will last longer.

Tesco value bleach is "thin", i.e. pure liquid with no perfumes. This is what I actually want for sterilization and it is difficult to even find thin branded bleaches. Tesco also do a thick bleach, they often have several "own brands" of particular products.

K-9 wrote: »

Similar to Fairy Liquid to own brand liquid.

The cheapo tesco washing up liquid is dirt cheap and comes in a really big bottle. I expect there is far more washes per euro in it, the problem with fairy is many people still treat it like all the others and stick the same squirt in regardless. Many have dishwashers and only wash the odd pot or pan or glass in the sink and use WAY more than necessary.

snubbleste wrote: »

Following on from the OP 2 months ago, I have noticed far more UK brands and Tesco range stuff on the shelves with reduced space for irish brands. Examples include packaged cold meats and tea

Have any other companies gone bust though? Walshes foods (spiceburgers and microwave burgers etc) are now gone, they used to have a huge presence in my local tesco. I was surprised they went bust as they always seemed to sell well.

TequilaMockingBird

In Sligo, Odlum's flour has been ousted to make space for English flour. :eek:

It's a sad day.

ejmaztec

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

In Sligo, Odlum's flour has been ousted to make space for English flour. :eek:

It's a sad day.

You could always complain to Tesco that you can't buy Odlums.

Moosh10

I've just stopped shopping there. Sure you can't find anything. Helmans mayonnaise anyone. No not in Tesco. Sure you'd be lucky to find a can of Batchelors Beans.
The OP was right. lots of Irish companies will be really hurt by this Tesco move.

rameire

Moosh10 wrote: »

I've just stopped shopping there. Sure you can't find anything. Helmans mayonnaise anyone. No not in Tesco. Sure you'd be lucky to find a can of Batchelors Beans.
The OP was right. lots of Irish companies will be really hurt by this Tesco move.

so the batchelors beans and helmans mayonnaise i have, and bought in tesco, magically wasnt there, and isnt in my house.
i see, i must be going mad.

Our man in Havana

Moosh10 wrote: »

I've just stopped shopping there. Sure you can't find anything. Helmans mayonnaise anyone. No not in Tesco. Sure you'd be lucky to find a can of Batchelors Beans.
The OP was right. lots of Irish companies will be really hurt by this Tesco move.

Hellmans is also sold in the UK, so I fail to see your point. As for Bachelors beans, they can keep those horrible yokes. Heinz all the way for me.

getz

my son is a tesco store manager in the UK,last sunday i asked him why tesco no longer stocked irish brands in its stores,he said its because most cannot supply them with enough of the product to put in all their stores,so they have to move to suppliers who can,hope that answers a few of your questions

pinkyirl

my friend works in tesco head office & told me about this a few months ago. also the reason irish media are slow to report it or spend too much time on the story is (especially newspapers) tesco spend a massive amount on advertising & they're worried they'll lose out on ad revenue if they report on the story.

tesco are culling staff in the irish HQ & basically plan to run the company from the UK. their irish buyers are being let go - so UK buyers will be buying from UK brands.

it's a tough one becuase irish consumers are voting with their feet and buying from the cheapest source - but in the long term, the growth of tesco will mean the death of alot of local independent shops & irish brands.

Moosh10

wow i can not believe anyone would actually believe that guff from Tesco about Irish suppliers not having enough product to supply, sure haven't they been doing it for years.
Seriously lads this one is all about money money money. Only winner....TESCO.

getz

there are a lot of large supermarket chains out there who would gladly take irish brands,but its up to the irish companys to supply them at the right price, remember for many years the irish republic would not let uk supermarkets in,so the irish food companys had no competition, and they got lax

getz

just checked there are over 2,500 tesco stores in the uk,contract suppliers have to fill them as well as the irish stores

Jip

pinkyirl wrote: »

also the reason irish media are slow to report it or spend too much time on the story is (especially newspapers) tesco spend a massive amount on advertising & they're worried they'll lose out on ad revenue if they report on the story.

That's simple not true. Scathing stories about this has been all over the print and radio media. There'd been no slowness about it.

robbie_998

rameire wrote: »

so the batchelors beans and helmans mayonnaise i have, and bought in tesco, magically wasnt there, and isnt in my house.
i see, i must be going mad.

Thanks for clearing that up :rolleyes:

cfcj

pinkyirl wrote: »

my friend works in tesco head office & told me about this a few months ago. also the reason irish media are slow to report it or spend too much time on the story is (especially newspapers) tesco spend a massive amount on advertising & they're worried they'll lose out on ad revenue if they report on the story.

tesco are culling staff in the irish HQ & basically plan to run the company from the UK. their irish buyers are being let go - so UK buyers will be buying from UK brands.

it's a tough one becuase irish consumers are voting with their feet and buying from the cheapest source - but in the long term, the growth of tesco will mean the death of alot of local independent shops & irish brands.

I totally agree, but you'll find there is a lot of protection from Tesco fans on here. Possibly ones with hidden agendas...

The fact is that Tesco have a £1billion target for British suppliers, (source Tesco's corporate site). A target that will no doubt be easier to reach if the British suppliers are also supplying Irish stores. Will no doubt look nice for the shareholders, to be seen to be supporting British. And for those disbelievers that they are removing Irish products from the shelves, http://www.rte.ie/business/2009/0622/mibusiness.html, something that Tesco has denied, yet one supplier has come out and said something.

"Over 600 farmers attended and they heard IFA President Padraig Walshe criticise RTE for “swallowing Tesco’s propaganda” on their price cuts. He said “Our experience of these price wars is that only one person pays the price and that is the farmer. We should be critical of the national consumer agency who have supported this move, as it will cost jobs”. quote from the Farmers Journal 8 May 2009

Fact is that Tesco is a disgusting company, engaging in bullying suppliers into prices that are unfair and engaged in practices within their clothing line that has been uncovered to use child labour. Sure if you want a €3 top go there but know you are supporting an activity that would be illegal in Ireland. Also on their staff here, clearly they are not interested in honouring their word when they bought Quinnsworth and the planned strikes by Mandate and Tesco head office staff will clearly emphasise that.

You only have to scratch the skin of Tesco and examine their business model which is truly exploitative of their work force and the recent first quarter profit they have declared demonstrates how much they are unwilling to let a small matter like a global recession hamper their bottom line. So as their new price wars with Northern Ireland stores continue be sure that any reduction in price is being felt by the supplier and not by Tesco. And if you feel 'waow, isn't Tesco great giving competition to the prices in Northern Ireland' well this would be because their presence in Northern Ireland is quite minimal in comparison to the rest of the UK and also in particular have an almost minimal presence in border NI areas. So if the tides turn then loyal Tesco shoppers should be prepared to be shafted. They were after all one of the most expensive pre cuts.

Thankfully the government is looking into this, with comment from minister Mary Coughlan last week on her concerns that Irish produce was getting less shelf space at Tesco. Also raising questions on their ability to be profiting greater than others in the market.

There is a call on all UK supermarkets to join an industry watchdog, so far M&S and Waitrose are the only two to agree to sign up and predictably Tesco in particular is vehemently opposed to the suggestion. There is reports on Tesco worldwide from a few groups that are passionate about stopping Tesco with their domination of this market. Tescopoly.org and Friends of the Earth are two of these groups and provide first hand accounts of Tesco's policies and track record. Someone said about the Irish media... the Irish media have no interest in exposing Tesco. They have no interest in asking why Dunnes Stores can also charge so little for their clothing so we need to rely on the British media to expose Tesco & Primark(Penney's), H&M etc in this area.

In line with the thread, yes shame on Tesco but also shame on those that buy a €3 top, €4 pair of shorts, etc, and not questioning what exactly they are funding here? It used to be that the Irish gave one of the highest charitable donations per capita and now it seems like we are fueling the situation of exploitation and poverty. To be honest, I just don't get this 'I don't care, as long as I get it cheap culture'. Maybe when it all dries up they will care... Isn't a person who critiques the government on their handling of the economy yet shops, or advocates shopping in Northern Ireland a hypocrite? (media included)

RiverWilde

There is only one way to make Tesco and any other shop for that matter wake up and smell the coffee - don't shop there!

Riv