Well at least you made me happy agreeing! S'life I guess

Hope it's all good for you though

Hi menhir. Thanks for commenting, I don't manage to get here every day so apologies for the slight time delay.

I worked in a local corner shop, traditionally dearer than supermarkets, after all, they hardly have the same buying power - there is no myth in large business dictating prices to suppliers. We priced goods at the recommended retail price as stated on the invoice, and we would try our best to obtain any items our customers asked for. We also took in shopping lists and delivered to those who weren’t able to come to the shop, stopping for a chat even though we were busy, because it was obviously needed. It was a community minded shop where the local people could come and have a chat with friendly familiar faces, a particularly helpful and important daily ritual for many of the older folk. The elderly and infirm today are losing these links to the community as quickly as high street and corner shops are turning back into houses.

Perhaps without the ‘cache in the bank’ of investments conglomerates accrue and gamble with or the wider customer base urban living affords, higher pricing is necessary for an independent shop in a rural community in order for it to survive, as is limiting the range of grocery items available, this practiced even by the large supermarkets - tastes differ and most things come in multiples, and have a shelf-life, so only the more popular items are stocked. I can only assume those who choose to live in rural areas rather enjoy clean air, space, a more gentle pace of life, peace and stars at night over the convenience of cheaper goods from anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night, on any day of the week.

I’m not saying there aren’t those who over-price goods, tourist areas are particularly bad for this, but after having quashed the independent shop-owner, the behemoth that Tesco is should at least be able to charge the customer the same in their smaller stores as in their larger ones, instead of doing nothing for the community except taking from it whilst encouraging unnecessary spending and wastage and investing the profit in sitting on large swathes of land to keep competition out whilst pushing councils to agree to building plans – no myth either - I wonder how welcome the commercial competitiveness will be when even the playing fields have disappeared and sixteen years later the quiet rural village is nothing more than old houses in a new estate with bored kids hanging around with their mates on bikes by the chip shop, video shop, Tesco and farmhouse-style pub.

All main stores may sing from the same business sheet, but some leave out the more difficult notes.

I consider Co-Op to be ethical because of their regard for people and the planet, stocking items which support fair trade and ecological practices, supporting the health of the planet and all who inhabit it whilst trying to protect and alter the lives of those who live in appalling conditions with the poorest of diets earning a pittance whilst the West discards without conscience. They invest ethically, not pathologically.

As for the quote of the price of one item, that was not used particularly as a standard for pricing research – that particular standard was set by the comment attributed to Tesco suggesting their prices were standard across all their stores, I was merely stating my experience, for all I know it was wrongly priced, or perhaps it is the same price throughout all their stores, however my point is that when profit not people is the driving force, service and choice diminish and capitalism leads to monopoly. Business requires profit, but how much and at what cost?

I am not focusing on Tesco per se, although I did mention in my reply a practice regarding land carried out by Tesco that I know of no other company using - I am merely stating what is happening in my own area, their name happens to be above the doors, and that capitalism leads to monopolies and eventually a decline in service and choice, not an increase as is often promulgated. The others you speak of, although I’m not sure of Waitrose, have been found to be less than fair - price-fixing, for instance, rather substantiates my argument, however I will say Tesco, in this part of the country, is seriously ubiquitous and I cannot say that of any other store. You seem vehemently defensive about Tesco, perhaps you’re not seeing the full extent, I doubt they would put a store in a low-catchment area so stores are probably few and far between in rural areas, although I’d bet if there is only one major chain it would be a Tesco, and I’d imagine people would be grateful. I’m glad there is a major retailer who has put a lot into the community – who is it?

I am confused by your comment that farmers who do not want to trade under Fair Trade are being pushed out because they do not want to be part of that particular syndicate – isn’t it something they opt into? Wouldn’t they just continue as they were if they weren’t interested in Fair Trade?

You say the standards for the majority of things that you want are still substandard, surely that’s rather subjective - many people who buy Fair Trade products do so precisely because of their standards, their care and support for others and the planet, and appear to be happy with the quality too.

I don’t see how you say Co-Op is dictating to its customer base as they seem to stock the usual items as well as organic and Fair Trade – unless one argues all stores dictate by the items they stock.

Years ago I saw an article that indicated a concern regarding Fair Trade but I have not kept up to date with developments I must admit - which ethical supplier do you prefer to use?

Perhaps urbanisation brings with it the realisation that resources and space are finite, things cost, and the mountain does not come to Mohammed. Urbanites recognise the need to compromise, or move in order to have the particular lifestyle they want, and make their sacrifices accordingly. Roots do not give rights, certainly not the right to expect everything you want to be brought to you - times move on and we need to move with them if we want the benefits. To say you should be able to stay in remote rural areas whilst expecting all the benefits of urban life is to expect governments and councils to spend huge amounts of our taxes moving hell and high water to serve a relative few, or to ask shareholders to lose possible profit or the rest of the country to pay increased prices to cover losses, and presumably all this without the increased housing, roads and traffic problems.

Does it say something of the folk in your community that substandard stock at high prices continued – all in the same boat one would think you’d all look after one another, not take advantage, and couldn’t a small group of you have formed your own co-op, it sounds like the community would have benefited greatly. Saying that, there sounds to be more facilities in your area than I imagined, perhaps it’s a larger community than I first thought, but you’re right, with internet people do not need to tolerate excessively-priced items, however, competition is likely to loose you the postal service you have unless the Post Office is subsidised with our taxes in order to serve the rural communities – the cost of capitalism.

Stores here stand empty because after a year of remaining empty there is a good tax benefit for turning them back into houses, so we are loosing niche shops, as well as bakers, butchers and greengrocers - not that they will ever do well now because beside the numerous Tescos there are two large malls within a relatively easy distance with the usual mall chains. There is absolutely no point in starting up a small retail business - the cost and range could never compete, although tack-shops seem to be springing up in places, lets see if the supermarkets start stocking saddles and horse-blankets next

well you're 53% right there Walrus

Glad you liked the joke - I know how it feels (not the balls bit, I don't have them )

Hiya cis! Nice to see you about!

I think this is how business works these days isn't it? I sometimes wonder how many people actually own the names we're familiar with. I think it's only a few at the top, all companies seem to be part of a larger company, so I assume there's a top of the tree somewhere.

It's getting more and more like the futures depicted in sci-fi action movies with spies in the skys, a single person running everything with a few familiars living in gross luxury whilst the rest suffer and are beaten down if they try to change anything - but that sounds like history too

Keep working for the right side, critical mass may be reached one day

XX.

Hear hear Kevin! I so hope so too. I use their credit card as I don't mind paying interest to Co-Op cos every little bit helps oops wrong ad and 1% goes to Oxfam

X back at ya!