Supermarkets discussion

[jon81uk]

I think they need to keep a constant check on it then, because people are regularly seeing examples of normal pricing being way higher than they can ever recall seeing things sold at (and if the supermarkets are using the same tricks of inflating prices in one or two stores for xx days, then that is to me somewhat misleading even if legal).

The issue is a lot of prices have gone up anyway due to the inflation over the last four years or so. But in most cases the inflated price for a month and then on offer for a month was happening before the special offers were restricted to loyalty cardholders only.

Some examples are things like New Covent Garden soup, used to be £1.80 and regularly on special offer at £1. Recently it was £2 and on offer at £1.40. Now it is £2.20 and on offer at £1.50. SO the price has gone up due to inflation and the offer price up with in. The higher "usual" price and lower offer price was the same before the offers were only for Clubcard/Nectar.
Ginsters pasty is exactly the same, used to be about £1.80 and then on offer for £1. Now its £2 or more and on offer (with a loyalty card) for £1.20.

Yet go to other stores and they might price these items at an inbetween price without the constant switch between offer and not.

 

[Ediswan]

The local Co-op has switched to what look like e-ink shelf price labels. I don't like them. The new labels have the product description in much small text than before. It is now much harder to check that the label, and hence price, matches the adjacent product*. That is a choice by the Co-op, not inherent in e-ink technology. Other retailers do a better job. I have stated my view to the store manager.

* Staff occasionaly make mistakes. Customers move products around, especially packs of chicken.

 

[SteveM70]

The local Co-op has switched to what look like e-ink shelf price labels. I don't like them. The new labels have the product description in much small text than before. It is now much harder to check that the label, and hence price, matches the adjacent product*. That is a choice by the Co-op, not inherent in e-ink technology. Other retailers do a better job. I have stated my view to the store manager.

* Staff occasionaly make mistakes. Customers move products around, especially packs of chicken.

Is that a Cooperative Group store, a franchise, or one of the independents?

 

[Ediswan]

Is that a Cooperative Group store, a franchise, or one of the independents?

Cooperative Group I believe. They use the nationally advertised branding, offers and loyalty card.

 

[Bald Rick]

Noticed a couple of the usual staples I buy reduced in price today at M&S: Milk down 10p for 4pints and some cold meats down nearly 10%.

 

[SteveM70]

Cooperative Group I believe. They use the nationally advertised branding, offers and loyalty card.

Interesting. They had intended to include store operations in the SAP implementation a few years ago, but pulled it when the budget got out of control. Wonder if they’ve gone back to it

 

[MalaiseForever]

Is that a Cooperative Group store, a franchise, or one of the independents?

My local Cooperative Group also has the new e-ink pricing labels. I quite liked them.

 

[MP33]

I had to visit Tesco customer services about my Clubcard this morning. In the end, I had to ring the 0800 number, and it was resolved.

There were customers buying from the Tobacco counter. After giving up 21 years ago, and the packets now not on open display. I was surprised and shocked at how much a packet of 20 costs.

 

[hexagon789]

I had to visit Tesco customer services about my Clubcard this morning. In the end, I had to ring the 0800 number, and it was resolved.

There were customers buying from the Tobacco counter. After giving up 21 years ago, and the packets now not on open display. I was surprised and shocked at how much a packet of 20 costs.

Duty is now £6.69 on a pack of 20 plus 16.5% of the retail price. You then have VAT on top of all that as well.

And of course that is exactly as it should be, high tobacco duty is a proven means of reducing tobacco use as well as being a useful means of raising tax revenue.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I had to visit Tesco customer services about my Clubcard this morning. In the end, I had to ring the 0800 number, and it was resolved.

There were customers buying from the Tobacco counter. After giving up 21 years ago, and the packets now not on open display. I was surprised and shocked at how much a packet of 20 costs.

Indeed. I recall in 1980/81 someone telling me they would stop smoking if a pack of 20 went over £1.
It soon did.
How much 45 years later !.

Duty is now £6.69 on a pack of 20 plus 16.5% of the retail price. You then have VAT on top of all that as well.

And of course that is exactly as it should be, high tobacco duty is a proven means of reducing tobacco use as well as being a useful means of raising tax revenue.

Trouble is the risk of people switching to other "drugs".
I agree smoking is a dirty and unhealthy habit but many users don't care. We are now witnessing more and more use of other recreational drugs. I see a lot of gas bottles dotted littering the guttters. Not only are these alternatives not bought at the supermarket but little tax is being collected on some of these alternatives to tobacco.

 

[styles]

I had to visit Tesco customer services about my Clubcard this morning. In the end, I had to ring the 0800 number, and it was resolved.

There were customers buying from the Tobacco counter. After giving up 21 years ago, and the packets now not on open display. I was surprised and shocked at how much a packet of 20 costs.

To be honest I've always been somewhat baffled how some afford to smoke.

Even just Richmonds, 20 a day would cost £5k a year. I guess you just find the money somehow.

That's a deposit on a (cheap) house.

 

[jon0844]

My local Cooperative Group also has the new e-ink pricing labels. I quite liked them.

I believe some stores are toying with the idea of surge pricing to adjust prices at different times of the day, or based on stock levels.

 

[styles]

I believe some stores are toying with the idea of surge pricing to adjust prices at different times of the day, or based on stock levels.

Me naively hoping that this means when I do the weekly food shop at 6am on a Sunday at the big Asda, I might get a discount.

 

[SteveM70]

I believe some stores are toying with the idea of surge pricing to adjust prices at different times of the day, or based on stock levels.

I’d be stunned if either of those was true. Surge pricing was discussed when I worked there and dismissed as unethical; stock levels based pricing only works of all of a product has the same short shelf life, which in the Coop won’t be the case. All that would happen would be customers would pay less for product with decent life and leave the short life stuff

 

[1D54]

I do a big shop at Tesco on a Sunday morning and when going to the bread always go to the back of the display for the longest date and every Sunday i find the longest date at the front. Do the people have no idea about stock rotation or is there another reason for this that is totally beyond me?

 

[hexagon789]

another reason for this that is totally beyond me?

Time...

 

[styles]

I do a big shop at Tesco on a Sunday morning and when going to the bread always go to the back of the display for the longest date and every Sunday i find the longest date at the front. Do the people have no idea about stock rotation or is there another reason for this that is totally beyond me?

Probably a specific member of staff has been given the regular late Saturday/early Sunday bread restocking job, and doesn't know about, or doesn't care about, or doesn't have time for stock rotation.

I used to work in Makro and I swear around half the staff working on ambient didn't bother with rotating stock. Mind you, mostly it would eventually be bought before expiring. Not even sure there's any point sticking a best before date on a tub of Haribo when the corner shop owner is going to take the lid off and leave it uncovered in their shop collecting dust on the counter until they sell out.

 

[takno]

To be honest I've always been somewhat baffled how some afford to smoke.

Even just Richmonds, 20 a day would cost £5k a year. I guess you just find the money somehow.

That's a deposit on a (cheap) house.

Nobody who isn't relatively well off is smoking pre- rolled cigs, or getting through 20 a day for that matter. 10 rollies and a vape is a fraction of the cost

 

[styles]

Nobody who isn't relatively well off is smoking pre- rolled cigs, or getting through 20 a day for that matter. 10 rollies and a vape is a fraction of the cost

I dunno, I'm a rarity in my family for not smoking (well, I like cigars, but I avoid smoking them too often). The family members we have who smoke aren't well off by any means - mainly minimum wage/slightly above work, and/or benefits. They still manage to smoke Richmonds. At various times throughout the year they acquire packets with foreign health warnings on them, but by no means the majority of the time.

 

[jon0844]

I’d be stunned if either of those was true. Surge pricing was discussed when I worked there and dismissed as unethical; stock levels based pricing only works of all of a product has the same short shelf life, which in the Coop won’t be the case. All that would happen would be customers would pay less for product with decent life and leave the short life stuff

Aldi in Germany is doing it on trial and I believe there are others dabbling too.

Variable pricing is bound to become a thing, just like subscribing to unlock heated seats on a car. If tech allows it, someone will do it.

And it will start with the sales pitch of cheaper items at quieter times, before people work out that this means more expensive prices at the times they want to shop.

Customers can vote with their feet, and fortunately BMW were shown the door on the heated seat subscription - but car makers are not giving up. We need to be strong!

 

[stadler]

Iceland (the country and not the British supermarket chain) has been doing dynamic pricing for years. At least four of their supermarket chains do it. I think they first started this about fifteen years ago. The prices of items change throughout the day. In each store the way they do it can be different. For example in the 24 hour large supermarkets (or ones that stay open until very late) they will generally increase their prices in the evening once their nearby competitors have shut and then lower them again in the morning once the nearby competitors open. So the same items costs a different price depending on the time of day you shop. On many holidays (when more shops are shut) and during busy periods the prices will increase too. For items that are in high demand the prices will also increase. Iceland is the only country i have ever seen this in but i would not be surprised if the UK introduces it.

 

[Ediswan]

Iceland (the country and not the British supermarket chain) has been doing dynamic pricing for years. At least four of their supermarket chains do it. I think they first started this about fifteen years ago. The prices of items change throughout the day. In each store the way they do it can be different. For example in the 24 hour large supermarkets (or ones that stay open until very late) they will generally increase their prices in the evening once their nearby competitors have shut and then lower them again in the morning once the nearby competitors open. So the same items costs a different price depending on the time of day you shop. On many holidays (when more shops are shut) and during busy periods the prices will increase too. For items that are in high demand the prices will also increase. Iceland is the only country i have ever seen this in but i would not be surprised if the UK introduces it.

How does a customer ensure the price charged at the checkout does not exceed the price on display ?

 

[stadler]

How does a customer ensure the price charged at the checkout does not exceed the price on display ?

The supermarkets in Iceland all seem to have those digital shelf price tags (like some Aldi and Lidl branches here in the UK are using) and they change automatically when the price changes. The only issue is if you happen to be at the supermarket at the time that the price changes. For example lets say that supermarket increases their prices at 22:00, you pick up that item at 21:50, then by time you get to the checkout it is 22:10, and as a result the price you will pay is higher than the price you saw labelled on the shelf. So if you happen to shop around the time of day that they change their prices then the price you pay can be higher once you get to the checkout. I am not a fan of this dynamic pricing but people in Iceland seem to be used to it. But i hope the UK does not adopt this practice.

 

[Kite159]

The supermarkets in Iceland all seem to have those digital shelf price tags (like some Aldi and Lidl branches here in the UK are using) and they change automatically when the price changes. The only issue is if you happen to be at the supermarket at the time that the price changes. For example lets say that supermarket increases their prices at 22:00, you pick up that item at 21:50, then by time you get to the checkout it is 22:10, and as a result the price you will pay is higher than the price you saw labelled on the shelf. So if you happen to shop around the time of day that they change their prices then the price you pay can be higher once you get to the checkout. I am not a fan of this dynamic pricing but people in Iceland seem to be used to it. But i hope the UK does not adopt this practice.

Agreed, especially with some of the greed. Items will be cheap at 6am or 11pm when hardly any shoppers are in the store and will increase during the day.

Imagine how much extra they will be charging at 3pm on a Sunday etc

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I do a big shop at Tesco on a Sunday morning and when going to the bread always go to the back of the display for the longest date and every Sunday i find the longest date at the front. Do the people have no idea about stock rotation or is there another reason for this that is totally beyond me?

I'm sure some stores have worked out that quite a few people automatically reach for the back of the display and are trying to counter this and hoping that people don't actually check the dates.

Another thing to watch out for is milk - I've seen up to six days difference in the dates of the same milk in the same shelf...

 

[takno]

Iceland (the country and not the British supermarket chain) has been doing dynamic pricing for years. At least four of their supermarket chains do it. I think they first started this about fifteen years ago. The prices of items change throughout the day. In each store the way they do it can be different. For example in the 24 hour large supermarkets (or ones that stay open until very late) they will generally increase their prices in the evening once their nearby competitors have shut and then lower them again in the morning once the nearby competitors open. So the same items costs a different price depending on the time of day you shop. On many holidays (when more shops are shut) and during busy periods the prices will increase too. For items that are in high demand the prices will also increase. Iceland is the only country i have ever seen this in but i would not be surprised if the UK introduces it.

Seems like the only sensible response to that kind of nonsense is shoplifting.

Iceland is a wonderful country in many ways, but super-strange and with a social contract which wouldn't play out the same way in other countries. To my mind the impossibility of price comparison in this scenario makes it completely incompatible with open markets and basic consumer protections

 

[Harpo]

The supermarkets in Iceland all seem to have those digital shelf price tags (like some Aldi and Lidl branches here in the UK are using)

From my local experience, Aldi first needs to make sure all goods have shelf prices, especially fresh produce.

Then there’s the display disruption from multiple choice items that force shoppers to rummage and push products above incorrect displays.

That said, my trust for current Aldi/Lidl stability means I’ll shop ‘price blind’ on some regular items but would never dream of doing that with any product in Tesco/Sainsbury with their huge loss-lead/gouge variations.

 

[1D54]

Makes you laugh really when the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury's etc have specialist shelf fillers on site all day and you'd think the first thing they would be told about on day one is stock rotation.

Must state that i always leave the shelf in a good looking state after rummaging through looking for latest sell by dates unlike some who leave them in a terrible mess!

 

[jon0844]

I am not a fan of this dynamic pricing but people in Iceland seem to be used to it. But i hope the UK does not adopt this practice.

But we know they absolutely 100% will. And we'll let them, because they'll start by pushing the benefits - in that initially prices will only fall below the regular price, not go above.

Makes you laugh really when the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury's etc have specialist shelf fillers on site all day and you'd think the first thing they would be told about on day one is stock rotation.

Must state that i always leave the shelf in a good looking state after rummaging through looking for latest sell by dates unlike some who leave them in a terrible mess!

Join the Tesco staff Reddit group and you'll see how demoralised some of them are, and reports of how good local managers are at enforcing things (sarcasm). Not that it's much better at Asda, Sainsbury's or Morrisons etc.

It's been a race to the bottom for some time with lots of small cuts here and there that are now having a marked effect. Clearly some stores will be better than others, as it's always down to the quality of staff -- but when things start going south, it's usually the good workers that leave first.

 

[Hadders]

How does a customer ensure the price charged at the checkout does not exceed the price on display ?

Increase price at the shelf edge first. Apply the increase in the tills half an hour later (maybe an hour later in a very large store)

When the price goes down change it in the tills first then apply the price to the shelf edge.

Customers might be undercharged but they won't be overcharged.

Makes you laugh really when the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury's etc have specialist shelf fillers on site all day and you'd think the first thing they would be told about on day one is stock rotation.

During the day, I regularly see more staff behind the counter at a Costa or Starbucks than working in the grocery department of a large supermarkets.