Tescos

[cornishdreadhead]

Are fucking rubbish. In fact all supermarkets are. How come they sell dairy free milk, dairy free spread, but NO DAIRY FREE CHEESE? Does anyone know why this is? In fact I might write to them. *Wields pen in aggressive fashion*

[xwitchymagicx]

Probably because it isn't popular due to it being gross...well to me anyway. lol

[Honest_Goodbye]

I went into my local tesco the other day, and the "Free from" section had gone. Not sure if it's just moved, but i couldn't find it, grr.

[JC]

dairy free cheese just isn't as popular as dairy free milks and spreads. once upon a time you could only get dairy free milk in health food stores, but as it became more popular, the supermarkets jumped on the band wagon. i think we all just need to make them aware that there is a demand for dairy free cheese, so writing to them is a really good idea, i'm definately going to!
p.s. tesco have started selling swedish glace now, but it's always out of stock in my local store - surely that tells them something about demand for it....!!!

[aubergine]

I went into my local tesco the other day, and the "Free from" section had gone. Not sure if it's just moved, but i couldn't find it, grr.

My local (ish) Tescos both do this on a regular basis. It's always the free from section that gets forgotten or sidelined. How about cutting out the meat section for a change?

[teaboy]

At the big Sainsbury's in Fulham last weekend all of their free-from cakes (Bakewells, jam tarts etc) were more than a month out of date. It shows how often anybody bothers to check the 'weirdos' section.

[glitteryhelen]

That's an interesting one. Here in London Cheezly was widely available in all 3 supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsburys and Waitrose a couple of years ago, but now they don't seem to stock it. I think there are several reasons for this. Firstly a lot of people may prefer to buy from their health food shop which means that demand is unpredictable. Supermarkets don't like this and with so many 'big brands' bringing out their so-called 'healthy eating' ranges they think this somehow fills the vegetarian/health food slot. Sainsburys are particularly bad. In fact even their staff are utterly frustrated by their stocking policy as it is not a local one. As far as I can understand from my conversations with customer services staff, product popularity is taken on sales nationally. My advice and plea (as in my thread about rice slice vegan) is to ask for products you want, politely, every time you go into a store that doesn't stock them. And also write to the head offices. The fact is that things are changing in our favour. 10 years ago most people wouldn't have even heard of the word 'vegan' and now it is relatively easy to find what we require. For instance, I used to carry soya milk with me everywhere so that I could have a cup of tea, but now thanks largely to Starbucks (and that may be a controversial view - but try to look at the bigger picture) soya milk is widely available in every coffee shop, hotel and even in motorway service stations. And it has shown retailers that there is a huge customer base for dairy free products. It's been a massive turnaround and one for which I am truly grateful.
So gentle persuasion of these big companies by continually asking for the products we want is what will ultimately make the difference.
Hope some 'cheese' reaches your area soon, and in the meantime please read my Rice Slice Vegan thread and ask for that as well.

[aubergine]

Here in London Cheezly was widely available in all 3 supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsburys and Waitrose a couple of years ago, but now they don't seem to stock it.

My local Sainsbury's used to stock a good range of Vegan stuff in it's fresh chiller. Burgers and so on. About eighteen months ago this changed to a much larger chiller stocked only with Quorn and the non-Vegan Cauldron lines. They never appear to sell much of it and I guess to the managers they'll assume there's no demand for alternative food products. If you try and suggest what might be a good seller you are met with stunned silence.

Most disappointing.

At least there's mail order

[yum]

I prefer to go to sainsburys now rather than tesco because of their labelling and because sainsburys has more flavours of swedish glace
However, i'm confused by supermarkets labelling of vegan sicne sainsburys do not label things vegan which from the ingredients look to be vega. Also both tesco and sainsburys label soem of their washing powder, washing up liquid etc as not tested animals and some not, which i do not understand. Sainsburys say something along the lines of how they do not support animal testing- but this is only labelled on soem of their products. This inconsistancy bothers me! I must write to them i think!!

[Paranoid Jandroid]

Our local Morrisons had cheezly the other day! it was very exciting.

I dig the labeling at sainsbury's but have also noticed the inconsistency on things that seem vegan but aren't labeled that way.

I found vegan parma in the 'free from' sections at Mrrisons as well - pretty exciting for me since back in NZ we used to order it from food fight in the states!

[pixeequeen]

I'm pretty sure it was a tescos I was in the other day that had one measly freezer for veggie food, and TWO for purely YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS!!! Speaks volumes, though admittedly it did make me giggle, who'd have thought there was such a demand for frozen yorkshire puddings!

[Paulski]

There is somethign weirdly funny whilst excruciatingly annoying about that pixiequeen! Especially as Yorkshire puddings can be quite easily made at home, but then it's all about what sells innit - Tesco certainly ain't a charity.

But at the same time I have to agree with JC: even over the course of time I've been vegan (which reminds me - why do I keep seeing people writing v*gan on here?) the ease in getting hold of vegan products has improved dramatically. Own brand (and therefore cheap) soya milk would have been a thing of dreams in the late 90s and early 00s, yet there it is being lapped up (excuse the pun) by the Great British public in their droves today. However I put this mainly down to our health-conscious times than to ethical development.

[absentmindedfan]

which reminds me - why do I keep seeing people writing v*gan on here?

v*gan can be vegan or vegetarian. For instance I have been vegan for 3 years and was veggie for 10 before that, so I have been v*gan for 13 years.

[cornishdreadhead]

Our local Morrisons had cheezly the other day! it was very exciting.

That's the sweetest thing I've read all day. I tend to get excited over things like that as well.

[cornishdreadhead]

Firstly a lot of people may prefer to buy from their health food shop which means that demand is unpredictable.

You've got a point there actually, even if cheezley was stocked in tesco's, they probably wouldn't have the varieties of flavours they have in health food shops...also you still wouldn't be able to get all the lovely vegan "meats" that you find in health food shoops!
I don't know what my point is here, but, um...

[puffin]

They have cheezly in the tesco near me but it is only the cheddar style, better then nothing though.

[Paulski]

v*gan can be vegan or vegetarian. For instance I have been vegan for 3 years and was veggie for 10 before that, so I have been v*gan for 13 years.

Cheers for that, been bugging me a while. And an example to illustrate your point too, how generous!

[celtic rose]

They have cheezly in the tesco near me but it is only the cheddar style, better then nothing though.

It's in my local Tescos too, as well as soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cream, soy icecream, even rice milk too.

[absentmindedfan]

Cheers for that, been bugging me a while. And an example to illustrate your point too, how generous!

I'm a teacher, I can't help but give examples

[Paulski]

Why the frown? Teaching is a most excellent profession.

[absentmindedfan]

It creeps into my everyday life, I'm like a teacher 24 hrs a day

[!!]

My local Sainsbury's used to stock a good range of Vegan stuff in it's fresh chiller. Burgers and so on. About eighteen months ago this changed to a much larger chiller stocked only with Quorn and the non-Vegan Cauldron lines. They never appear to sell much of it and I guess to the managers they'll assume there's no demand for alternative food products. If you try and suggest what might be a good seller you are met with stunned silence.

Most disappointing.

At least there's mail order

Exactly the same thing happened in the Sainsbury's near me. They replaced vegan falafel with falafel with honey in. eeeer? I used to buy mountains of the stuff, but no longer... I have to go accross town to Tesco instead!

And the explosion in Quorn products is astounding

[Pob]

Surely it should be veg*n, as vegetarian doesn't end in "gan".

[Paulski]

Okay

[Mzee]

How come they sell dairy free milk, but

I screamed inwardly today when I visited Tesco and saw they were selling 'lactose free milk'. That's really going to confuse people; they'll think they are buying dairy free 'milk', then they'll get home and read the small print and realise they've just bought cow's milk that's been treated with lactase enzyme to break down the lactose. The dairy industry will stop at nothing to keep people with lactose intolerance from switching to the healthy alternative plant 'milks'.

[flossie]

My Tesco stopped selling the cheeze stuff, first time I wanted to buy it in ages (it's not really appealed for a long time) and I spent ten minutes trying to explain to the poor kid in there why the other cheese wasn't vegan "but, it's cheese, not meat" was the response I kept getting.
Gave up and went to Holland and Barrett instead!

[Jiffy]

I'm a teacher, I can't help but give examples

Can we see your workings out in the margins as well please?

[Darky_]

I screamed inwardly today when I visited Tesco and saw they were selling 'lactose free milk'. That's really going to confuse people; they'll think they are buying dairy free 'milk', then they'll get home and read the small print and realise they've just bought cow's milk that's been treated with lactase enzyme to break down the lactose. The dairy industry will stop at nothing to keep people with lactose intolerance from switching to the healthy alternative plant 'milks'.

I feel the same! They can't just leave the animals alone!!

Anyway, I hate having to shop at Tescos, but I don't have much choice to be honest! I hate that they support these Cancer Research Charities and they have been doing awful testing on animals. I was quite shocked when I discovered that.. I think it's not fair theres HARDLY any proper health/Vegan stores around, never mind some crap here & there in Tescos.....this means War! (Not really, bahaha, but they should really start showing some consideration to Vegans and especially the Animals!...)

And I mean LOCAL supermarkets. Theres suppose to be a Vegan friedly store in Manchester called the Unicorn. I have never been, but i wanna go....I think its a little far from me, so I need to plan a route there first!!! (This is my point!!) *Siiiiighhh!!* groan.

[puffin]

Grrr spent 20 minutes trying to find vegan mayo they used to sell now they dont seem to bother. They used to do two types now zero, what a pain in the arse. Was going to make a big batch of coleslaw, now i have to wait to go to H&B at the weekend.

[Maisiepaisie]

I'm sick of Tesco. They've got rid of Meridian pesto and have been out of stock of frozen Mediterranean chargrilled veg and Rakuzens chocolate digestives for a couple of weeks now, AND I'm sick of the way they so often have special offers then charge me full price at the checkout, so I have to go to customer services to complain and usually the special offer sign has been stuck in front of a similar but different product. I'm sure they do it deliberately to cause confusion I rarely have these stresses with Asda and I'd rather just stick with them but there's some stuff I buy that they only sell in Tesco *sigh*

[Darky_]

Grrr spent 20 minutes trying to find vegan mayo they used to sell now they dont seem to bother. They used to do two types now zero, what a pain in the arse. Was going to make a big batch of coleslaw, now i have to wait to go to H&B at the weekend.

I have found the same Vegan mayo in a few stores...are u sure your looking deep enough?? This is a great one i get...I love it!

http://www.plamilfoods.co.uk/mayo.htm
I get the one with the Blue lable!! hehehe

[Darky_]

Melt some dark chocolate, get some cheap digestives and dip em in yourself. Make your own choccy buiscuits and rice cakes. hehehe!

[seitan]

our local sainsburys used to sell cheezly but just stopped.
waitrose on the other hand, still sells it, but that sucks, cos the local one is in cirencester whichis full of fuckin horrible arrogant assholes! the ones that wear YELLOW chords with pink shirts, or vice versa. fuckin horrible, the sort i had to deakl with every saturday out hunt sabbing.

[Maisiepaisie]

Melt some dark chocolate, get some cheap digestives and dip em in yourself. Make your own choccy buiscuits and rice cakes. hehehe!

I ought to do that. Its been suggested before but I've been too lazy *makes a mental note to pick up digestives and dark chocolate* They'd probably taste better than Rakusens which are a bit hard compared to Asda Smart Price digestives.

[pixeequeen]

I found some dark choc digestives in lidl the other day that looked vegan - maybe you could check that out?

[Maisiepaisie]

Oooh thanks Pixiequeen I will, since I still haven't got round to making my own.

[puffin]

I have found the same Vegan mayo in a few stores...are u sure your looking deep enough?? This is a great one i get...I love it!

http://www.plamilfoods.co.uk/mayo.htm
I get the one with the Blue lable!! hehehe

Yep looked in the free from range and the normal mayo place, nothing. They used to have the plamil one and another one (cant remember the name) but nothing now.

[Darky_]

Well Puffin', I guess you could write to the store for them small things you want, they might stock em.

In my supermarket, Tescos, i found my mayo in the strangest place no one would ever look...heehehe. It was around this little section I can get indian and japanese snacks, cakes and bicuits that are gluten free and some of the cheaper seeds and stuff. I was chuffed!

[jonnie falafel]

Are fucking rubbish. In fact all supermarkets are. How come they sell dairy free milk, dairy free spread, but NO DAIRY FREE CHEESE? Does anyone know why this is? In fact I might write to them. *Wields pen in aggressive fashion*

... and for loads of other reasons too..

[jonnie falafel]

I'm sick of Tesco. They've got rid of Meridian pesto and have been out of stock of frozen Mediterranean chargrilled veg and Rakuzens chocolate digestives for a couple of weeks now, AND I'm sick of the way they so often have special offers then charge me full price at the checkout, so I have to go to customer services to complain and usually the special offer sign has been stuck in front of a similar but different product. I'm sure they do it deliberately to cause confusion I rarely have these stresses with Asda and I'd rather just stick with them but there's some stuff I buy that they only sell in Tesco *sigh*

Try Unicorn in Chorlton or Eighth Day.... this stuff is always in stock there.

[veganese]

I agree with you cornishdreadhead hahahahha

[Mzee]

Here's some good news for once! When I opened a new tub of Pure soya dairy free spread (which carries the Vegan Society sunflower ), the protective paper layer had the message:

"new coming soon...
your dairy free and delicious soya alternative to cheese..."
The illustration shows 3 products: thick slices, chunky triangles and creamy spread, presumably meaning they're targeting the school lunch-box market. As Tesco has long carried the Pure range of spreads, I would imagine there's a good chance they would stock these.
Personally I like Cheezly and Sheese, but I think it's great that another manufacturer is entering the market, providing more choice and perhaps letting new people discover how delicious vegan food can be!

[asleep ona sunbeam]

I always found that I could eat many of the cheeses by themselves, because they tasted like a cheese sandwichyes?...in a way at least.

[Ruby Rose]

Good to see you Mzee! Let us know when you've spotted and/or tried the Pure cheese. Hope it's good, not like the horridness that Alpro launched last year.

[KcCrash]

Maybe because a lot of people who aren't vegan actually buy soya milk and spread for health reasons but don't extend it to cheese? I know you can get lactose free cheese that isn't vegan so maybe they buy tht instead..same point as it not being as popular I suppose.

Does anybody know if tescos cider is vegan? They told me it was but I am unsure. I know tescos aren't ethical but it's very cheap for cider and I am addicted. I dont buy there very often though.

[Mzee]

Good to see you Mzee! Let us know when you've spotted and/or tried the Pure cheese. Hope it's good, not like the horridness that Alpro launched last year.

Thank you, Ruby Rose! There is nothing yet in the local Tesco, but when I was passing through Bristol last Saturday I made a 'pit stop' at Tesco in Brislington and had a look in the cheese section when I was there. I saw an Alpro spread, which may have been the one you refer to, but I didn't buy it because they also had Pure "soya soft & creamy spread"! It was in the soft cheese section, rather than next to the Pure 'margarines', where I first looked. I couldn't find any Pure slices, though - maybe they haven't yet been released.
So I bought it - here is my review:
It is very creamy! Although not unpleasant, it is nothing like my preferred Cheezly cheddar style. I shall use it up in my sandwiches, but I probably won't buy it again. It certainly seems to be aimed at the young and sweet-toothed, as it contains sugar (3.5%) as well as glucose and inulin (which is actually a fibre, but has a sweet taste). I don't remember cheese being sweet, but perhaps cheese spreads such as Philidelphia are sweet? I vaguely remember something I ate in France many years ago that was sweet - I believe it was called "petit suisse" (perhaps its shape was like some Swiss cheeses?)

[asleep ona sunbeam]

Thank you, Ruby Rose! There is nothing yet in the local Tesco, but when I was passing through Bristol last Saturday I made a 'pit stop' at Tesco in Brislington and had a look in the cheese section when I was there. I saw an Alpro spread, which may have been the one you refer to, but I didn't buy it because they also had Pure "soya soft & creamy spread"! It was in the soft cheese section, rather than next to the Pure 'margarines', where I first looked. I couldn't find any Pure slices, though - maybe they haven't yet been released.
So I bought it - here is my review:
It is very creamy! Although not unpleasant, it is nothing like my preferred Cheezly cheddar style. I shall use it up in my sandwiches, but I probably won't buy it again. It certainly seems to be aimed at the young and sweet-toothed, as it contains sugar (3.5%) as well as glucose and inulin (which is actually a fibre, but has a sweet taste). I don't remember cheese being sweet, but perhaps cheese spreads such as Philidelphia are sweet? I vaguely remember something I ate in France many years ago that was sweet - I believe it was called "petit suisse" (perhaps its shape was like some Swiss cheeses?)

I believe some cheeses are sweet, most vegan ones seem to be, and I've yet to taste one I've used myself that is remotely like cheese...

if I can get the alpro one I'll certainly try it.

[cornishdreadhead]

It seems that my local Asda have finally started stocking the pure "cheese" slices!! I did a little joyful gasp/dance when I found them in there the other day and a fat 13 year old with a trolley full of crisps and cakes and her equally fat mother laughed at me
Anyway, to get to the point, I had high hopes for them but they are, in fact, horrible. They don't really taste or smell of anything. And they are too hard.
Epic fail on the cheese front, really.

[henryfoole]

They don't really taste or smell of anything. And they are too hard.
Epic fail on the cheese front, really.

Dam and double dam as I had high hopes for those slices!

Perhaps like other Vegan cheeses they might be better with something else like on top of a vegan burger with salad and a bun

[cornishdreadhead]

Yeah I had a "cheese" and tomato sandwhich and it was alright....not particularly special though, I'd rather have cheezley