Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I'm Not Anti-Tesco

I'm not anti-Tesco. I don't like being anti-anything. I much prefer to be pro-something. I even shop at Tesco sometimes. That's OK. I never said they were evil. I don't think it's immoral to shop there.

I just prefer to shop locally instead. I like to support my local retailers. I like to see a healthy and varied high street in my village. I think that, overall, small local retailers have a better record on the environment, on trading fairly with British farmers, on treating their staff fairly, on sourcing goods ethically. I think the traditional British high street is a good thing, and I don't want to lose it.

In any case, Tesco don't do anything much different to the other "big 4" supermarket chains - that's Asda, Morrisons and Sainsburys. I'm not a big fan of any of them, but I occasionally shop in them if I can't shop locally for some reason.

But if it's late at night and I suddenly realise that my son is invited to a birthday party in the morning, and I don't have a gift or a card for him to take, then I dash to the out-of-town supermarket and get these things, as I did last night. I'm grateful that it's there so I can do that. But I kick myself for not organising all this sooner, when I could have done it all locally. I don't see any point in cutting off my nose to spite my face - don't see the point in refusing to use the 24-hour supermarket when it's right there. That would be the ethical thing to do if supermarkets were evil. But they're not. I just prefer to shop locally when possible.

So I'm not anti-Tesco. I'm pro-local.

5 comments:

FactoBrunt said...

I'm both. I'm anti-supermarket and pro-local. The supermarkets put big pressures on producers to produce goods are unsustainable (for them and the planet) prices. I boycotted Tesco when I heard they were putting pressure on the Soil Association to lower standards for Organic produce. I still shop at other supermarkets but only if I really have to. Like you I support local retailers, but I really do think that big supermarkets have an evil streak all induced by the need to make more and more money which is all down to the greed of the management and shareholders.

Ms.Rooster said...

Hi Melanie,
I just found your blog from a link reading about EcoBalls, and I love your blog!! I fell in love with Tesco home delivery, but have since become more aware of all the negatives of Tesco and the like, and the positives of local shopping. I too prefer local markets and shops when I can, and use tesco mainly for things that I can't always find locally, like our soya milk.

I agree also that for big retailers its all down to greed.. and was shocked to learn about tesco putting pressure on the Soil Association to lower standards!! Anyway keep up the good work! :)

Joanna said...

Here here! I think it's better for the soul to be for things than against them ... but that doesn't mean you have to use them. And I find I really only shop at Tesco when I haven't thought ahead.

We get our veg from a box scheme, I use Ocado to deliver heavy and bulky stuff, I go to town on market day and buy things at the market and in the local shops, especially the butcher, who also sells fish and cheese. I try to go into town once a week, but that does mean making sure that I didn't forget about someone's birthday next week, or anything else not on the regular list.

This system is easier, and calmer, and probably no more expensive than shopping at Tesco, because you don't impulse buy, and because the butcher knows about cheap cuts etc.

It's ironic, really, because the shop which is closest to us, and easiest to use is ... ta-dah .... TESCO!

(Having said all that, I know just what factobrunt means ... it makes my blood boil to think of farmers selling their goods to Tesco for less than it costs to produce it ... why would you want to deal with people like that?)

Joanna

Anonymous said...

I saw an organic veg box in Tesco the other day. Couldn't see a price though. Still got a few things on the plot so no need yet to buy all veg.

Anonymous said...

aaaa片, 免費聊天, 咆哮小老鼠影片分享區, 金瓶梅影片, av女優王國, 78論壇, 女同聊天室, 熟女貼圖, 1069壞朋友論壇gay, 淫蕩少女總部, 日本情色派, 平水相逢, 黑澀會美眉無名, 網路小說免費看, 999東洋成人, 免費視訊聊天, 情色電影分享區, 9k躺伯虎聊天室, 傑克論壇, 日本女星杉本彩寫真, 自拍電影免費下載, a片論壇, 情色短片試看, 素人自拍寫真,

做愛的漫畫圖片, 情色電影分享區, 做愛ㄉ影片, 丁字褲美女寫真, 色美眉, 自拍俱樂部首頁, 日本偷自拍圖片, 色情做愛影片, 情色貼圖區, 八國聯軍情色網, 免費線上a片, 淫蕩女孩自拍, 美國a片, 都都成人站, 色情自拍, 本土自拍照片, 熊貓貼圖區, 色情影片, 5278影片網, 脫星寫真圖片, 粉喵聊天室, 金瓶梅18, sex888影片分享區, 1007視訊, 雙贏論壇, 爆爆爽a片免費看, 天堂私服論壇, 情色電影下載, 成人短片, 麗的線上情色小遊戲, 情色動畫免費下載, 日本女優, 小說論壇, 777成人區, showlive影音聊天網, 聊天室尋夢園, 義大利女星寫真集, 韓國a片, 熟女人妻援交, 0204成人, 性感內衣模特兒, 影片, 情色卡通, 85cc免費影城85cc, 本土自拍照片, 成人漫畫區, 18禁, 情人節阿性,

免費成人影音, 彩虹自拍, 小魔女貼影片, 自拍裸體寫真, 禿頭俱樂部, 環球av影音城, 學生色情聊天室, 視訊美女, 辣妹情色圖, 性感卡通美女圖片, 影音, 情色照片 做愛, hilive tv , 忘年之交聊天室, 制服美女, 性感辣妹, ut 女同聊天室, 淫蕩自拍, 處女貼圖貼片區, 聊天ukiss tw, 亞亞成人館, 777成人, 秋瓷炫裸體寫真, 淫蕩天使貼圖, 十八禁成人影音, 禁地論壇, 洪爺淫蕩自拍, 秘書自拍圖片,