Tesco wants our vegan feedback!

[sandra]

I'm like that too! Even if I wouldn't otherwise choose something, if it's somehting I thought would never find vegan then I feel obliged to buy it!

I do the exact same thing Everdream!

I am absolutely the same, shouting down the aisles at Fiona 'Look Fiona, this bread/curry/carrot is vegan, IT'S VEGAN!' I then feel it's my solemn duty as a vegan to purchase said item and eat it all in one go.

Yes, I do the shouting out 'It's vegan' thing too Barry!
Does Fiona react the way my husband does? He sometimes pretends he isn't with me!

Yes. I did a crazed sort of jump and squeal in Sainsburys the other day when I found out their basic mince pies where vegan

Oh.............I didn't know they were vegan Ms Derious! I must pay a visit to Sainsburys!

You've all made me feel very happy..........now I know I'm not alone when I react the way I do in the supermarket!

[twinkle]

Can anyone confirm that Tesco Basics soya "alternative to milk" was labelled vegan until recently, at least somewhere on the carton? It seems they've changed their packaging and I couldn't see it on there at all, and the ingredients contain flavourings and vitamin D without saying if it's D2 or D3.

I phoned their customer care line, but the lady I spoke to didn't know. I asked her to email the answer to me as I was on my lunchbreak at the time, but haven't heard anything back yet...

[hiddenfromview]

Can anyone confirm that Tesco Basics soya "alternative to milk" was labelled vegan until recently, at least somewhere on the carton? It seems they've changed their packaging and I couldn't see it on there at all, and the ingredients contain flavourings and vitamin D without saying if it's D2 or D3.

I phoned their customer care line, but the lady I spoke to didn't know. I asked her to email the answer to me as I was on my lunchbreak at the time, but haven't heard anything back yet...

I'll be shocked if you get a reply back. Back in the days when I was a new Vegan, I didn't know about the Vitamin D thing. I had some of Tesco's Strawberry powder for making milkshakes, that was when I found out about this issue. I phoned them up to clarify the source of the Vitamin D. I was told someone would call me back and they never did.
Similarly, when giving my Vegan feedback, I got a reply saying Tesco would get back to me - they never did.

[hiddenfromview]

Yes. I did a crazed sort of jump and squeal in Sainsburys the other day when I found out their basic mince pies where vegan

These are available all year round in the bigger stores... Asda does mince pies, 12 in a pack for a pound, delicious and vegan!!

[sandra]

Similarly, when giving my Vegan feedback, I got a reply saying Tesco would get back to me - they never did.

I have to say that Tesco are always very good at replying to any emails I send them. I send them quite often too!

A few times, I've even forgotten ones I've sent but they have always replied with an answer.

[derwenna]

They are actually sending out vegan lists now, if you email them (customer.service@tesco.co.uk) they will send one as an email attachment.

[johnb]

This is with out doubt just Tesco the retail giant trying to ensure the isn't any part of the market they have missed. The best thing Tesco could do is stop opening new stores. 10 Tesco stores in Liverpool city centre in the past 2 years!!! each new store is another nail in the coffin of the high street. Once the independent shops are gone the wont be any turning back and we will be left with no choice but to shop in Tesco.

[Risker]

Oh do give it a rest johnb, we get that you're anti-capitalist, most of us aren't though.

[sandra]

I'm afraid to say that I think the independant shops are fighting a losing battle. I think most people prefer to get their shopping all under one roof these days, like it or not. I certainly don't want to have to battle my way in and out of tiny shops on a freezing, rainy day in the high street. Plus, pay the prices these smaller shops charge (yes, I know they have to charge these prices to survive but it doesn't change the fact that supermarkets are less expensive).
Anyway, I'll be glad when the local 'family' butcher shop closes...........I notice they say 'family' to try and make it sound more friendly.
I hate having to pass those horrible vans full of poor dead animals being unloaded into the shop.

[harpy]

Well, I think there could be room for both independent shops and supermarkets, but the independent shops will need to differentiate themselves by stocking stuff you can't get in supermarkets or by providing a better/more personal service, etc., to compensate for their higher prices.

I don't get all my shopping under one roof - most of our fruit and veg are delivered weekly, and then I will buy the odd additional thing, usually in Waitrose, Somerfield/Co-op or a health food shop during the week. (But obviously if you have a family or don't live near shops then you'd need to be more organised.)

[jj]

the big challenge the independants have is that giants like Tesco just want to put them out of business.

I know the health food stores I use are unable to buy items at wholesale cheaper than Tesco retail them for.

A good example is that Tesco bought out the Nutri Center, who were renting spaces in the larger Tesco stores.
Since then the prices have come down on selected items, they do spend time going around the smaller competitors looking at the items they sell & then discounting often below cost price.

ASDA/Walmart have been doing this for years in the US. They move into a town, destroy local business by undercutting prices. The majority of the public have no ethics & go for the cheaper prices & then when all the local stores are gone prices increase.

Long term this means prices do go up, jobs & communites are destroyed & the public lose out. In some cases they then close stores where there is no competition so the locals now have to travel to the next walmart.

Considering tesco are well known for screwing the farmers & suppliers for every penny, people who shop thier are just adding to this crap situation & resposible for damaging independant stores who offer much better service.

At the end of the day its your choice. Don't moan about he situation once all the independants are gone & Tesco stop selling vegan products because there is little demand for them.


jj

[harpy]

I do shop in stores other than supermarkets where I can, but I can't say I've found they can be relied on to offer much better service, jj. Some, like Infinity Foods in Brighton, do, and those ones usually seem to be doing reasonably well IME.

Maybe it's not only supermarkets that are to blame for the disappearance of some of the others.

[The Lurker]

The nutri centre in the tesco near me is probably the best health food shop in the city, and the cheapest, plus the manager there is always eager to order things that the regulars want.

The problem with H&B is that they are in the centre of town so buying frozen goods isnt really practical whereas if youre at tesco its the ideal time to buy your swedish glace . . .

[cobweb]

i think there's a whole load of reasons why independant shops are closing up now, and its not JUST about supermarkets. I think a lot of it has to do with lifestyle choices and the fact that so many people have cars now, the roads are busy, and town parking is expensive and awkward .
The Tesco we have here is small and basically just sells food. I personally miss going into a big store and getting all my clothes and household goods aswell as my food, shopping just doesn't interest me enough to give it a lot of thought .

i use a local retailer regularly (aswell as going to Tesco) - BUT - they often sell goods well past their use by dates, they are well known for it. Their stuff is often pretty expensive so its doubly annoying when you get home and see that what you've bought is out of date. That's not really looking after customers .

[sandra]

At the end of the day its your choice. Don't moan about he situation once all the independants are gone & Tesco stop selling vegan products because there is little demand for them.jj

Well, then it's up to us as vegans to show there is a demand for vegan produce.
I've always found that Tesco are willing to listen when I voice concern over the need for more vegan produce. They have ordered in vegan things when I've brought it to their attention. So, if we as vegans make ourselves heard the supermarkets WILL listen.

[johnb]

I'm afraid to say that I think the independant shops are fighting a losing battle. I think most people prefer to get their shopping all under one roof these days, like it or not. I certainly don't want to have to battle my way in and out of tiny shops on a freezing, rainy day in the high street. Plus, pay the prices these smaller shops charge (yes, I know they have to charge these prices to survive but it doesn't change the fact that supermarkets are less expensive).
Anyway, I'll be glad when the local 'family' butcher shop closes...........I notice they say 'family' to try and make it sound more friendly.
I hate having to pass those horrible vans full of poor dead animals being unloaded into the shop.

Yes its far better if we dont see the dead animals and the reality of it, Tesco would much rather hide the vans of dead animals around the back of the store and package it up in nice little packets.
At least I can avoid spending my money in a retailer that supports the meat industry when i shop on the high street.

[Zero]

the big challenge the independents have is that giants like Tesco just want to put them out of business.

The supermarkets aren't evil, they are just working within the frame work of capitalism which is the way our society is setup. They don't go around specifically trying to put the independents out of business, it's just a symptom of a capitalist system.

Simple economics shows that unless your business has some sort of niche area that shields it from the larger companies lower prices your business has a limited lifespan, the system shows a definite constant which is simple 'grow or die'.

The independents barely register on the supermarket's proverbial radars, they are all too busy being in price wars with each other and promoting themselves as better than others. Just look at the advertising campaigns.

I know the health food stores I use are unable to buy items at wholesale cheaper than Tesco retail them for.

That's a bulk discount, a supplier is going to give you a bigger discount if you can move more units out of their hands quicker. The quicker they move their stock the better it is for them. Plus if you are a large part of their income you have more room to negotiate on price.

Smaller companies could group together and make a 'buying group' in order to negotiate a lower price.

In our system, smaller businesses need to work smarter to stay afloat.

A good example is that Tesco bought out the Nutri Center, who were renting spaces in the larger Tesco stores.
Since then the prices have come down on selected items, they do spend time going around the smaller competitors looking at the items they sell & then discounting often below cost price.

Below cost price? I find that unlikely they would price an entire range below cost if anything to be honest, do you have evidence for that?

From what I've seen H&B are cheaper on that stuff.
Compare: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=758&prodid=233

With: http://www.nutricentre.com/p-41890-vitamin-c-1000mg-time-release-wbioflavonoids.aspx

For example.

ASDA/Walmart have been doing this for years in the US. They move into a town, destroy local business by undercutting prices. The majority of the public have no ethics & go for the cheaper prices & then when all the local stores are gone prices increase.

Having lived in the USA for a good period of time my experience of Walmart is that they aren't always cheaper, on a lot of items they are, but of course it's due to their buying power. The biggest appeal of Walmart is that you can buy almost anything 24/7. I remember going and buying a battery for my car at 2am for example.

Considering Tesco are well known for screwing the farmers & suppliers for every penny, people who shop their are just adding to this crap situation & responsible for damaging independent stores who offer much better service.

I agree companies need to trade fairly, especially in the venerable 3rd world, however companies aren't going to impose making less money on themselves are they? Unless legislation mandates that all companies do it no one is going to take the risk of "leading the way" and lose millions.

At the end of the day its your choice. Don't moan about he situation once all the independents are gone & Tesco stop selling vegan products because there is little demand for them.

This logic makes no sense, if all the independents close down then all the demand will be on the supermarkets to supply vegan products and they will.

The niche health food shops are surviving in the main because their product offering is much wider and more appealing than that of the supermarkets.

i think there's a whole load of reasons why independant shops are closing up now, and its not JUST about supermarkets. I think a lot of it has to do with lifestyle choices and the fact that so many people have cars now, the roads are busy, and town parking is expensive and awkward

I agree, that's another factor. Some smaller high street shops are now harder to get to for people, especially if you want to buy a larger amount of food.

At least I can avoid spending my money in a retailer that supports the meat industry when i shop on the high street.

Most high street shops support the Animal Agriculture in some way or another (unless you happen to live in some sort of "Veganville")

I think the majority of people on this forum (from comments I've seen and where possible) support local business for a good amount of their food but then go to the supermarkets for the other items that are harder to get.

It is important to me to support independent businesses in my local area however I am going to support vegan options in my local Tesco too because keeping a demand for vegan products in mainstream supermarkets is just as important to me. If that offends/annoys anyone frankly I really don't care.

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A further side note, every time there is a thread like this people hijack it and start saying that supermarkets are evil etc. It's getting really annoying now. Tesco wants feedback from vegans, that's a positive thing as far as I am concerned, but now this thread just has a negative vibe....

Please, if you want to rant about how you dislike supermarkets start a new thread rather than taking the existing threads off topic

[cobweb]

i agree, Zero, this isn't a 'rant about supermarkets' thread, supermarkets are just giving the public what they want.

[Mr Flibble]

Zero: Good post, saves me typing

[cobweb]

do you think we're a new breed of un-pc vegans?

[sandra]

I too agree!

Just imagine in the future...............it's a totally vegan world.............I certainly wouldn't complain about going into large supermarkets full of lovely vegan stuff!

[Est]

+ 1 to Zero

[Barry]

Add my my name to the list of people heartlly endorsing Zero's post!

[derwenna]

What Zero said.

[Agatha]

ij'm very late to this thread but i will be posting an email to tesco tomorrow.

i tend to shop in sainsbury's morrisons and waitrose when i need to buuy lots and tescos just for a few bits and bobs. the independent shops near me tend to be awful quality. last week i was shocked to pay £3.60 for a frozen pizza (for my flatmate, the same brand was £1.80 in tescos) and bought some salad cream which when i got home realised was a month out of date.