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Thread: Co-op buys Somerfield

  1. #1
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Co-op buys Somerfield

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7508982.stm

    This sounds like good news? The Co-op seems a lot more vegan-friendly and generally more ethically sound than Somerfield, and now (with any luck) we'll have a branch round the corner from here.

  2. #2
    BlackCats
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    That does sound good. I have often wished the Co-op stores were bigger and had more variety.

  3. #3
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    i know what you mean Aphro, the Co-op near me has just been halved in size and become more of a convenience store so they don't carry most of the own-brand products i used to shop there for. unfortunately the Somerfield here is just round the corner from the Co-op, so they'll probably sell it off to someone else, rather than using it as a bigger Co-op store.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  4. #4
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Well you might be lucky, Gorilla - they might sell the small one instead.

    We haven't got a Co-op anywhere near so I feel hopeful.

  5. #5
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    they've just spent a lot of money refurbishing the current store with their new logos etc. so they're unlikely to sell that one. hope you do get a Co-op near you!
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  6. #6
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Interesting - thanks for posting that Harpy.
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  7. #7
    Cider&Curry :D Frosty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    That is rather good enws. There are a lot of towns across the country that do not have a Co-Op, but do have a Somerfield. It'll be a great way to get more ethical produce across the country, and into more homes... hopefully...
    I like football. And potatoes.

  8. #8
    Stu
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Cool - my nearest supermarket is a crappy Somerfield.

  9. #9
    nomad Orange-powered's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I always found somerfield to be quite crap for vegans, but there is one in the town centre here so its handy sometimes. Hopefully it'll now have more variety.
    "On the dance-floor I am a world class freak... Its the beat"

  10. #10
    cherished emmapresley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    i also find myself living in a town that has both a coop and a somerfield in less than ONE minutes walking distance of each other. somerfield is well naff. i like the coop (def more vegan friendly and labelling is snazzy) but the staff there just make me unsettled, one keeps desperately hassling me about becoming a member and i'm so disorganised..i've had to take up avoiding her till..plus she has small disgustingly mesmerising balls of spittle collecting on the corners of her mouth.. and that is wrong.
    and there's a lidl being built just behind the coop.
    ahronli sed ah dunit so thid tek thuh cheyus graytuh offa mi nihbles

  11. #11
    seitan
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    the local coop to me doesnt sell the dognuts
    actually, thats probably a good thing (if youve seen my belly)

  12. #12
    cherished emmapresley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    ah..we've ALL seen your belly fella..
    ahronli sed ah dunit so thid tek thuh cheyus graytuh offa mi nihbles

  13. #13
    Karma Junkie vava's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    heh
    even perfect isn't perfect - Rubyduby 4th July 08

  14. #14
    Sluggie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I can't say I've ever noticed Seitan's belly. My attention has always been distracted by something else for some reason.

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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote seitan View Post
    the local coop to me doesnt sell the dognuts
    actually, thats probably a good thing (if youve seen my belly)
    woah woah woah, vegan doughnuts??!!

  16. #16
    Rice Dream Digital Ghost's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I have a Somerfields (which I never use) where I live........I would love a co-op.

    I already have a Tesco (small and useless), Asda (has a few vegan things), Morrison's (has less vegan things than Asda), Lidl (never use) and Sainsburys (hate me asking them to get vegan things in) - so I can't really imagine who else they could sell the store to?
    The day breaks and everything is new.

  17. #17
    Honest_Goodbye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Ooh i hope my local somerfield goes to a co op store!

  18. #18
    alisont's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I hope our Somerfield which I dont use turns into a Co op!

    Our nearest is 8 miles away but luckily we do have a co op offy by work and a chemist in the village - useful for toothpaste etc...

    If im walking from work to the shops i use Waitrose, parents use Sainsburys and on rare occasions tescos.

  19. #19
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    We have a Somerfield branch, a sort of posh convenience store, round the corner, but I can't see the point of it. The only thing I've found in there that's worth buying in there is their fairtrade apparently-vegan chocolate.

  20. #20
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote bryzee86 View Post
    woah woah woah, vegan doughnuts??!!
    Vegan iced buns as well!

  21. #21
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    have you found the iced buns in a Co-op in Brighton, indigo? they've never had them when i've been to my local store. i've never seen the doughnuts either. i was really disappointed they turned my local store from a large-ish supermarket into a tiny convenience store, which meant they stopped selling most of their own brand products. there's a new small Somerfield opening in Brighton town centre soon, i wonder what'll become of that.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  22. #22

    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote Gorilla View Post
    have you found the iced buns in a Co-op in Brighton, indigo? they've never had them when i've been to my local store. i've never seen the doughnuts either. i was really disappointed they turned my local store from a large-ish supermarket into a tiny convenience store, which meant they stopped selling most of their own brand products. there's a new small Somerfield opening in Brighton town centre soon, i wonder what'll become of that.
    Where is the Co-op in Brighton?
    We trekked down to London road convinced there was one there, but it was closed haha.

  23. #23
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    the London Road store used to be a huge department store, they closed it down but kept the supermarket which is just round the corner. it wasn't bad but now they've made it smaller with fewer vegan products.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  24. #24
    told me to Mr Flibble's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote Gorilla View Post
    i was really disappointed they turned my local store from a large-ish supermarket into a tiny convenience store
    When I lived in Coventry they flatened my local store from a large-ish supermarket into a 7 storey ikea

  25. #25
    indigo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote Gorilla View Post
    have you found the iced buns in a Co-op in Brighton, indigo?
    No Gorilla I haven't, I read about them today on another vegan forum. I shall be visiting every co-op in the south of England in an effort to find them if I have to!

  26. #26

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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote indigo View Post
    Vegan iced buns as well!
    Yeah we have them, but they have own-brand doughnuts, labelled vegan?!

  27. #27
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I've just realised that the point of our local Somerfield is to be open when nothing else is (says Old Mother Hubbard, going out to buy a belated crust).

    Is the Co-op ever open late?

  28. #28

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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    depends where you are. Mine's open 6am 'til 11pm, every day, but my nanna's local (in Manchester) is open 7am 'til 8pm Mon-Sat, and 9-5 Sun.

  29. #29
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Thanks bryzee. If we get one it might be then as late is when the Somerfield seems to do most of its business.

  30. #30

    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Quote Gorilla View Post
    the London Road store used to be a huge department store, they closed it down but kept the supermarket which is just round the corner. it wasn't bad but now they've made it smaller with fewer vegan products.
    Ah darn we were so close!
    Do they regularly stock ice buns and doughnuts though?

  31. #31
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    Troutina - no, they never had the iced buns or doughnuts, even when it was a big superstore, and now it's really small and rubbish so they don't have many own-brand products at all. Grr!
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  32. #32
    Destiny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    I am very lucky, in Bromyard there is a large co-op just round the corner from a wonderful organic farm & shop where if they don't grow it they source it locally.

  33. #33
    75% Chickpea Cumin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    FYI - I've just been looking through the latest somerfield vegan list (available on request), and it had lots of deli stuff like Humous, bhajis, spring-rolls (frozen), and samosas on it. The last one did too, but this turned out to be incorrect. However - I've just been to the store and the pre-packed bhajis and samosas do indeed appear to be OK, but I didn't see the frozen spring rolls. They have a "new recipe" sticker and the ingredients list nothing that I can see would be non-vegan.
    I think the list actually has a wide range of stuff on it, and actually beats the lists I've seen for Tesco, sainsbury and Waitrose by quite a bit.
    Whether this is because of the co-op influence (which I doubt) or just an example of why co-op and somerfield are a good match, I don't know.
    I'm not going to complain though!
    Hooray ! I love bhajis.
    How good it is to be well-fed, healthy, and kind all at the same time. Henry J. Heimlich

  34. #34

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    Default Re: Co-op buys Somerfield

    some of the co ops have a great vegan range

    I was in Scotland last year & they all had a good free from range including plamil choc etc - much better than the one near us that is badly run & full of pringles etc

    Some co ops are great & others - not so

    but vegan wine - excellent

    jj

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