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Supermarket Update

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DelayRepay

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Our Tesco has kept the separate entrance/exits. But I don't mind that because it flows better. You always used to get some group who'd stop for a chat in the doorway and block everything up. The entrance/exit are next to each other so it's no hassle. They've moved the trolley cleaning equipment outside, presumably because the few people that still use it used to cause traffic jams in the store entrance.
 
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davews

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Entrance and exits at our Tesco are only separated by a pile of barbecue bricks and similar, I got the impression they may remove those soon. Still the green/red entrance system but never seen it go red for ages now.
 

Butts

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Yep. Ultimately the biggest risk products for theft are:

- low cube
- high value
- readily sold on

So cigarettes, razor blades, quarter bottles of spirits, ink cartridges etc etc

Cigarettes are always behind the counter so very difficult to pilfer.

Imagine how long they would last of the shelves :E
 

Hadders

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Cigarettes are always behind the counter so very difficult to pilfer.

Imagine how long they would last of the shelves :E
You'd think losses would be minimal but experience tells me otherwise.....

I dread to think what the losses would be if they weren't behind a counter.
 

py_megapixel

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You'd think losses would be minimal but experience tells me otherwise.....

I dread to think what the losses would be if they weren't behind a counter.
I believe some European countries still have cigarette vending machines; those must require some pretty substantial armouring to prevent them from being broken into on a frequent basis.

I'm not sure how it would be achieved though - I've only ever seen them in passing and not ever gone up close let alone seen inside one (I couldn't live with the shame of some member of the public thinking I wanted cigarettes :s)
 

DelayRepay

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I believe some European countries still have cigarette vending machines; those must require some pretty substantial armouring to prevent them from being broken into on a frequent basis.

I'm not sure how it would be achieved though - I've only ever seen them in passing and not ever gone up close let alone seen inside one (I couldn't live with the shame of some member of the public thinking I wanted cigarettes :s)
We used to have them in this country, until they were banned in 2011. Mostly in pubs, but I am sure I remember seeing them in/outside a few shops too.

In the supermarket, the main risk of cigarette theft is the staff, not the customers. When I worked in a supermarket, access to the area where cigarettes were stored was as strictly controlled as access to the cash office.
 

Hadders

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We used to have them in this country, until they were banned in 2011. Mostly in pubs, but I am sure I remember seeing them in/outside a few shops too.

In the supermarket, the main risk of cigarette theft is the staff, not the customers. When I worked in a supermarket, access to the area where cigarettes were stored was as strictly controlled as access to the cash office.

Agree with this. Staff collusion and theft is often the largest risk when it comes to tobacco. Plus burglary.
 

SteveM70

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Agree with this. Staff collusion and theft is often the largest risk when it comes to tobacco. Plus burglary.

Yep

When I worked for a cash and carry company the branch in Belfast had occasional visits from highly undesirable types who you really wouldn’t want to mess with.

The current growth area for theft is vaping equipment
 

yorkie

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Supermarkets aren't happy with the current arrangements regarding exemptions from isolation:

The government's Covid test scheme to prevent workers having to self-isolate is a "pointless solution" because it excludes supermarket workers, according to the boss of the Iceland chain.
"It's only depot and factory workers so it only fixes half the supply chain issue," Richard Walker told the BBC.
I was speaking with a supermarket worker the other day, and they had similar views.

"There's a lot of red tape in getting these testing centres set up, it's a nightmare so with three weeks to go, in my view, it's simply not worth the effort."
I agree with this. There is not long to go now until anyone who has had 2 doses is exempt from isolation. There is an argument to be made that everyone who has had 2 doses should be exempt, but they could at least state that key workers are exempt, or at least they could be exempt while they are at work.
 

DelayRepay

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I agree with this. There is not long to go now until anyone who has had 2 doses is exempt from isolation. There is an argument to be made that everyone who has had 2 doses should be exempt, but they could at least state that key workers are exempt, or at least they could be exempt while they are at work.

Agree it's a huge waste of effort setting up these centres for just a couple of weeks. If they insist on testing, maybe trust 'key workers' to do self administered LFTs at home each morning. Double Jab + Negative LTF = allowed to leave the house for essential work.

Although it would be better just to bring forward the 16 August change for everyone and have done with it.
 

LSWR Cavalier

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I use my trolley to enforce minimum 2m distance at the till.

Why do food retailers keep building new stores to replace perfectly good existing ones?

Went to a new a**i today, lots of unpleasant spotlights in my field of view, not even any decent windows to use free light from outside. Even without muzak, I wanted to leave ASAP.

The new store cost a million or more, why not keep the old stores and pass savings on to customers?
 

Hadders

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I use my trolley to enforce minimum 2m distance at the till.

Why do food retailers keep building new stores to replace perfectly good existing ones?

Went to a new a**i today, lots of unpleasant spotlights in my field of view, not even any decent windows to use free light from outside. Even without muzak, I wanted to leave ASAP.

The new store cost a million or more, why not keep the old stores and pass savings on to customers
This is probably worthy of a new thread but there can be many reasons for opening a replacement store. Some of the reasons:

- the existing building is too small for the current (or future anticipated) level of trade. Makes sense to move to a larger store
- the existing building is too large for the current (or future anticipated) level of trade. Makes sense to move to a smaller store
- the existing building might cost too much to rent. Moving to a new store could be cheaper
- the layout of the existing building might be inefficient (e.g. warehouse on a separate floor). Moving to a new store makes sense if the operation becomes more efficient
- a property developer might build a new store as part of a larger development (and will often want the old store site for that development e.g. a town centre redevelopment)
- the existing building might be on the 'wrong location'. For example the shopping areas in town centres often move over time due to new development which can mean a store is not as ideally located as it once was. in some areas the side of the road a store is located on can be very significant for the level of trade
- the existing building might be life expired. It is possible to refurbish a building (and many are) but sometimes it makes sense to start again with a blank sheet of paper, especially if some of the problems mentioned above can be fixed at the same time

If a supermarket commits capital to a project they will want to see a return on it, i.e. make more money not less.
 

Busaholic

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We used to have them in this country, until they were banned in 2011. Mostly in pubs, but I am sure I remember seeing them in/outside a few shops too.
When I was growing up, if you wanted to smoke (and most of us males thought it was 'grown up' to do so) you found a cigarette machine, located outside tobacconists/newsagents, and put your money in. Can't remember whether they were packets of ten or twenty, we used to have to club together before putting in our florin (two bob = ten pence now) and you made sure no adult saw you, save you got a clout round the head :D
 

LSWR Cavalier

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@Hadders
In this case the new store is 100 metres from the old one, which was perfectly adequate. The main 'benefit' is a few more parking spaces that are only 'needed' for Christmas shoppers.

I am very fortunate, there are at least five other food stores I can use.
 

Busaholic

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@Hadders
In this case the new store is 100 metres from the old one, which was perfectly adequate. The main 'benefit' is a few more parking spaces that are only 'needed' for Christmas shoppers.

I am very fortunate, there are at least five other food stores I can use.
Lidl did exactly the same near me. Can't understand the attraction of them, nothing laid out properly and only ever go in to look for a couple of advertised special offers, none of which can ever be found. Total visits in twenty years = less than ten, total money spent = must be less than £100.
 

Hadders

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@Hadders
In this case the new store is 100 metres from the old one, which was perfectly adequate. The main 'benefit' is a few more parking spaces that are only 'needed' for Christmas shoppers.

I am very fortunate, there are at least five other food stores I can use.
Trust me, if a supermarket has built a replacement store near to an existing one they will have calculated that they can make more money out of it.
 

Busaholic

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Trust me, if a supermarket has built a replacement store near to an existing one they will have calculated that they can make more money out of it.
Yes, but their reasons may be opaque to the local populace, involving planning deals, land grabs and other matters that might appear nefarious to the unbiased observer if broadcast. The attitude, and perhaps composition, of the local district council/unitary authority/et al plays a significant part here of course. Discussion of such matters has taken up approx 5 to 10% of Private Eye's output for decades. :)
 

LSWR Cavalier

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They certainly get less of my money, there is only one thing I have to buy there.

There have been a few cases of food stores that failed, and a few years ago t----o had to mothball some stores (Chatteris, Immingham) after planning too "optimistically".
 
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Butts

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When I was growing up, if you wanted to smoke (and most of us males thought it was 'grown up' to do so) you found a cigarette machine, located outside tobacconists/newsagents, and put your money in. Can't remember whether they were packets of ten or twenty, we used to have to club together before putting in our florin (two bob = ten pence now) and you made sure no adult saw you, save you got a clout round the head :D

10 Cadets or Guards for 10p - those were the days except when the drawer jammed and you got SFA.

Unable to go back and complain the next Day :oops:
 

Bantamzen

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Lidl did exactly the same near me. Can't understand the attraction of them, nothing laid out properly and only ever go in to look for a couple of advertised special offers, none of which can ever be found. Total visits in twenty years = less than ten, total money spent = must be less than £100.
Without throwing this thread too far off topic, you have stumbled across the business model of companies like Aldi & Lidl. They don't spend as much money or time on shelf presentation, and only stock what they think they will sell. Its also why you pack your own bags away from the checkouts, allowing the stores to process more customers.

As for the appeal, well its quite simple. A shop at say Aldi as compared to Morrisons can be a third cheaper, and for a lot of people that's a deal breaker. Its why I use Aldi over all other stores for 70-80% of my shopping. If people aren't so bothered how pretty the shelves look like but want more bang for buck, Aldi / Lidl are fine.
 

SteveM70

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Without throwing this thread too far off topic, you have stumbled across the business model of companies like Aldi & Lidl. They don't spend as much money or time on shelf presentation, and only stock what they think they will sell. Its also why you pack your own bags away from the checkouts, allowing the stores to process more customers.

As for the appeal, well its quite simple. A shop at say Aldi as compared to Morrisons can be a third cheaper, and for a lot of people that's a deal breaker. Its why I use Aldi over all other stores for 70-80% of my shopping. If people aren't so bothered how pretty the shelves look like but want more bang for buck, Aldi / Lidl are fine.

Spot on

They also manage their staff (or more accurately get their staff to manage themselves) more efficiently, moving between manning the tills and stocking the shelves dependent on how busy they are.

They also reduce stockholding and squeeze more range into the shelf space by having mixed cases with two products in, albeit sometimes at the expense of being left with a lot of one and none of the other
 

Busaholic

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10 Cadets or Guards for 10p - those were the days except when the drawer jammed and you got SFA.

Unable to go back and complain the next Day :oops:
One of us had a brother who was a teddy boy. He'd 'sort it' within minutes: only trouble, his commission fee was 2 or 3 fags. ;)
 

Mugby

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No doubt Tesco and others expended a great deal of money during the pandemic on all the paraphernalia they were expected to install and they have perhaps been looking at ways to recoup the unforeseen expenditure. Tesco in particular are merging their Metro and Express into one operation and they are all but closing down their banking arm. The biggest shock, however, this week has been their store wide application of price increases which have been truly eye watering, just one example being their standard ready meals which have jumped from £2.50 to £2,90 at a stroke.

This can only be counter productive for them in the long term, I can shop just as easily at Aldi or Lidl and Tesco will surely be facing the law of diminishing returns. They couldn't have imposed the price increases at a worst time when the shelves are noticeably empty due to the driver shortages.
 

johnnychips

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I’m not doubting you, but don’t you think the cheap supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl won’t be experiencing the same pressures of a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit etc.?
 

Huntergreed

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I’m told that there are a few contributory factors to the supply chain issues just now:

The pingdemic making staff needlessly isolate is having the biggest impact, with many suppliers and production companies simply unable to maintain full production capacity due to short-staffing. This is also affecting packaging companies and indeed lorry drivers.

There’s still a backlog from the Suez Canal blockage. The supermarket I know had several containers on the ship in question, as well as an even greater number on the boats immediately behind this.

There’s a National shortage of CO2 causing issues with carbonated drinks.
 

Hadders

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I’m told that there are a few contributory factors to the supply chain issues just now:

The pingdemic making staff needlessly isolate is having the biggest impact, with many suppliers and production companies simply unable to maintain full production capacity due to short-staffing. This is also affecting packaging companies and indeed lorry drivers.

There’s still a backlog from the Suez Canal blockage. The supermarket I know had several containers on the ship in question, as well as an even greater number on the boats immediately behind this.

There’s a National shortage of CO2 causing issues with carbonated drinks.
All of the above plus port hold ups due to Brexit
Add in the general driver shortage across the haulage industry (not helped by HGV tests not being conducted for much of the last year)
Covid affecting port capacity not just in the UK but in the far east

Senior supply chain colleagues I know tell me that it is the most challenging situation they've ever experienced - much, much worse than during the panic buying in March 2020.
 

SteveM70

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I’m told that there are a few contributory factors to the supply chain issues just now:

The pingdemic making staff needlessly isolate is having the biggest impact, with many suppliers and production companies simply unable to maintain full production capacity due to short-staffing. This is also affecting packaging companies and indeed lorry drivers.

There’s still a backlog from the Suez Canal blockage. The supermarket I know had several containers on the ship in question, as well as an even greater number on the boats immediately behind this.

There’s a National shortage of CO2 causing issues with carbonated drinks.

And the supermarkets’ warehouse operations. At my work one of our big regional warehouses is cancelling 250,000 cases a week of store demand purely because of the number of pickers self isolating. The network normally delivers about 11 million a week nationwide so it’s a hefty chunk.
 
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