Pret a manger

[Xenakicksass]

I love this food chain,they do such a lot of Vegan food (well compared to most high street chains) but i heard yesterday that they were owned by Mcdonald's. does anyone else know if this is true?

[harpy]

Part-owned by McDonalds: http://www.pret.com/customer_services/faq.htm

Although this isn't a plus point for Pret a Manger, you could argue that it shows McDonalds might eventually see the error of their ways. One can dream

[flying plum]

so...i was in pret the other day with a friend, and i noticed that the 'veggie special of the week' was labelled vegan as well. and then i noticed that they'd labelled a few other things vegan (the houmous salad sandwich for one). i think this is pretty cool that they've bothered to do this...but how trustworthy do you reckon it is? it would handy to know another place i can grab a sarnie when i'm short on food-making time in the morning

amanda

[RachelJune]

I've noticed this before too. I've had the homous sandwich you mention and it is tasty.

However, it's since been pointed out to me that they are owned partly by McDonalds. Maybe I'm being extreme, but if that's correct then personally I want nothing to do with them, even if they do have vegan food. I haven't been back since

[Cherry]

Me too. I used to have a hummous sandwich from time to time til I found that out and I haven't been back either.

[sandra]

I understand the reasoning behind not wanting to buy products from such companies but surely if we do buy vegan goods it will show a demand for them. If these companies find that their vegan produce aren't selling they will just cease to make them assuming that they just aren't popular. I think it's best to encourage the good things and discourage the bad.

[flying plum]

I've noticed this before too. I've had the homous sandwich you mention and it is tasty.

However, it's since been pointed out to me that they are owned partly by McDonalds. Maybe I'm being extreme, but if that's correct then personally I want nothing to do with them, even if they do have vegan food. I haven't been back since

as far as i'm aware, mcd's no longer have shares in pret. i might be wrong, but i'm sure i read that they sold their stake in it sometime last year. i'll see what i can pull up

EDIT: no...appears i'm misinformed. from their website:

Is it true you're owned by McDonald's?
In January 2001 the McDonald's Corporation based in Chicago bought a 33% minority stake in Pret A Manger. Their international influence and expertise has already helped in our expansion beyond the UK (something clamoured for by the thousands of tourists who visit our shops each week). McDonald's do not have any direct influence over what we sell or how we sell it; nor would they want to. They have invested in Pret because they like what we do.


(http://www.pret.com/customer_services/faq.htm)

boo....


amanda

[Stu]

I understand the reasoning behind not wanting to buy products from such companies but surely if we do buy vegan goods it will show a demand for them. If these companies find that their vegan produce aren't selling they will just cease to make them assuming that they just aren't popular. I think it's best to encourage the good things and discourage the bad.

I completely agree with you, Sandra.

I mean, how far do we take things? I shop in supermarkets, including Sainsbury's (Lord Sainsbury is a staunch pro-vivisection pillock)... I mean, just can't spend your money exclusively at shops that we consider to be sufficiently 'ethical.'

Plus, as Sandra impied, we have the power to change these companies, by influencing what they stock, by us making our buying choices there. If we buy vegan-friendly products at places such as Pret A Manger, then they will stock more of them, and it won't just be vegans who buy them.

[horselesspaul]

MacDonald's bought into Pret because people were stopping buying MaccyD's in droves for many and varied reasons. They needed to find an 'untainted' revenue stream.
MacDonald's are more needy of the vegan pound than ever via Pret.
I for one will not be letting them have mine.

[sandra]

Yes, but every pound going on vegan produce is one less for non vegan produce, isn't it?

[flying plum]

phrase 'double-edged sword' comes to mind...

i usually buy a falafel sandwich from retail24 (which have the vegan soc symbol on, i noticed the other day, after months of reading the label! twas stuck under the price tag), but a change would be nice sometimes...

amanda

[sandra]

Yes it is a double-edged sword issue but sometimes you have to make decisions that you aren't entirely happy with in order to get change. The political situation in my own country being an example of that...........it always angered me growing up listening to politicians saying they wouldn't talk to various people............that just got us nowhere. It was only when they started talking that change came about. The same applies to being vegan, support and encourage anything that is vegan, that is the only way that things will ever change.

[obesevegan]

I would much prefer to support a more ethical place in the first place... You cannot expect Pret or McDonalds to change internal policies on the basis of a tiny minority. I could never give McDonalds money even if they made half of their food vegan I could not do it...

[horselesspaul]

Yes it is a double-edged sword issue but sometimes you have to make decisions that you aren't entirely happy with in order to get change. The political situation in my own country being an example of that...........it always angered me growing up listening to politicians saying they wouldn't talk to various people............that just got us nowhere. It was only when they started talking that change came about. The same applies to being vegan, support and encourage anything that is vegan, that is the only way that things will ever change.

I would much prefer to support a more ethical place in the first place... You cannot expect Pret or McDonalds to change internal policies on the basis of a tiny minority. I could never give McDonalds money even if they made half of their food vegan I could not do it...

Both good points, both well made.

[RachelJune]

I would much prefer to support a more ethical place in the first place... You cannot expect Pret or McDonalds to change internal policies on the basis of a tiny minority. I could never give McDonalds money even if they made half of their food vegan I could not do it...

That is exactly how I feel. Even if I were able to eat in McDonalds, if they introduced a completely vegan product, I still could not bring myself to hand over my cash to such an organisation

I can see the point being made by others that it's good to encourage companies to move towards a more vegan-friendly stance, and to some extent I do agree with this. However, I feel I have to draw a line when it comes to companies like McDonalds, KFC, etc, whose entire industry is based on the butchering of animals.

[horselesspaul]

That is exactly how I feel. Even if I were able to eat in McDonalds, if they introduced a completely vegan product, I still could not bring myself to hand over my cash to such an organisation

I can see the point being made by others that it's good to encourage companies to move towards a more vegan-friendly stance, and to some extent I do agree with this. However, I feel I have to draw a line when it comes to companies like McDonalds, KFC, etc, whose entire industry is based on the butchering of animals.

A homemade felafel hummus tabouleh covered "Word!" to that.

[Mr Flibble]

I understand the reasoning behind not wanting to buy products from such companies but surely if we do buy vegan goods it will show a demand for them.

Good point

I would much prefer to support a more ethical place in the first place...

Another good point

MacDonald's are more needy of the vegan pound than ever via Pret.
I for one will not be letting them have mine.

More good points

how far do we take things?

'we' don't do anything. No vegan is 100% vegan and few vegans have the same boundary as to how extreme they are willing to take things down the road of personal inconvenience. It's an individual choice.

I can see the point being made by others that it's good to encourage companies to move towards a more vegan-friendly stance, and to some extent I do agree with this. However, I feel I have to draw a line when it comes to companies like McDonalds, KFC, etc, whose entire industry is based on the butchering of animals.

I agree with RachelJune's line.

Would you buy an apple from a butcher or would you buy it from the fruit and veg store on the same road? Would you buy a sandwich from a supermarket that sells 50% non vegan items and has a history of not really giving a toss about ethical issues or mcdonalds that sells 99% non vegan and has an appalling ethical (not just AR) history?

I've never seen a Pret in a remote village where there's no other businesses offering any vegan food. Indeed, I've never seen a Pret more than a mile away from somewhere a lot less dodgy that has prepackaged, ready to eat vegan food.

support and encourage anything that is vegan, that is the only way that things will ever change.

I totally agree with this theory, but in reality it's I think this is a bit too black and white 100% of the time. There's a line at which you have to stop supporting a company in the hope they'll be good in the future. I wouldn't buy an apple from a butcher in the hope they may start selling fruit and veg instead and likewise McDonalds are one of many multinationals who I boycott and will continue to do so until they substantially clean up.

You cannot expect Pret or McDonalds to change internal policies on the basis of a tiny minority.

I think companies like McDonalds will exploit oppertunaties. They aren't likely to see a few people buy a vegan item and suddenly see the light. The majority of their customers will still buy non vegan and they will still supply what they want.

I could never give McDonalds money even if they made half of their food vegan I could not do it...

I think I could, but not until they've had a massive overhaul (which I don't think is going to happen). During that time I won't be supporting them - whether it's convenient for me to do so or not. My chances of starving without ever going into a Pret are slim; call me extreme but I'm willing to take that chance and live on the edge

[Dr Phibes]

Have to say that being anti-globalisation at heart, I would have to put my boot in the "I'd never knowingly give my money to McDonalds" camp. Although recent animal welfare improvements and veganising of menus observed in the likes of Burger King, McD, Sub and so on are good news, the vast majority of BK's, McD's, KFC's business is to do with directly removing the ability to breathe from our fellow creatures and then despoil their carcasses for the blood-lust pleasure of our carnivorous cousins. Although this sort of thing is all about personal choice and I would be the last to try and put an end to that sort of thing - all things said and done, I'll stay extreme and vote "No way"...

Regards
Phibes

[sandra]

Hi Dr Phibes, I agree and whole heartedly vote 'NO WAY' to what you've just described but if those same companies are trying to cater for vegans, I have to support that aspect. We can boycott all we like but we also have to nurture (hard as this might seem). We are simply not going to get anywhere if we take the hard-line approach and 'boycott' everything, even when they are trying to cater for vegans!
What happens if you 'boycott' these companies? They just assume there isn't a market for vegan food. If I knew that one of these 'evil' companies were providing a completely vegan burger, I would buy it. The more 'mainstream' a product is the more popular it will become. Hiding from it and refusing to buy it just results in it becoming extinct, never to be seen again.........I would much rather there was a vegan alternative in these places so that at least it was possible to purchase something free from cruelty than nothing at all.

[Mr Flibble]

What happens if you 'boycott' these companies? They just assume there isn't a market for vegan food.

Do you have any evidence of this? Personally I explicitly let companies know if I'm boycotting them (and continue to contact them each year), so in my case there's no cause for ambiguity.

Companies with loyalty card schemes like tesco and nectar that track people's purchases across a broad section of companies put a lot of money and effort into market segmentation (i.e. finding out what type of customers are purchasing what). I wouldn't be at all suprised if credit card companies also used purchase information for market research. I'd say it's fairly well known amongst large corporates how many people there are buying vegan products in the UK at any one time - irrelevent of which companies in particular are boycotted.

[sandra]

Yes, that's why I buy a lot of my vegan stuff from Tesco, but I doubt McDonalds etc have the same attitude as Tesco. If they are selling (which they aren't) a vegan burger............they won't automatically register that because they aren't selling, it's because of a 'vegan ideal' they will assume that no one wants them! Therefore if they did sell a 'vegan' burger I would buy it to let them see there is a market for them (however small). Every little helps.............as Tesco says.

[Akala]

'Private equity buys slice of Pret

Pret A Manger has been selling sandwiches since 1986
Private equity firm Bridgepoint has bought a majority share in Pret a Manger, including the 33% stake owned by fast food chain McDonald's.
Pret's founders, thought to have made millions in the deal, are to reinvest a "significant" amount into the firm.

Pret had planned to auction the McDonald's-owned stake last year, but the deal collapsed over uncertainty in global financial markets.

Bridgepoint is interested in further expansion of the sandwich chain.

Pret a Manger currently has 200 shops, the majority in the UK. In 2008, the firm plans to open at least 30 new shops, including seven in New York. .

Founder Julian Metcalfe said: "Bridgepoint shares our vision, understands our culture and will support our roll-out plan globally."

Pret markets itself as an healthier, more ethically-sourced alternative to other fast-food outlets.

Bridgepoint recently bought clothing retailer Fat Face for £400m.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7258869.stm

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bacc3124-e...0779fd2ac.html

[bryzee86]

better than being owned by mcdonalds anyway!

[treaclemine]

I've just had the following email from Nicola at Pret-a-Manger Customer Services:

Nicola.Griggs@pret.com

"Our salads have now been slightly adapted which means that there is
dairy of some form included."

They sent a PDF of their vegan list too - see below. I have pointed out that this leaves nothing substantial for vegans if the humous salad sandwich isn't 'on rotation', the carbon footprint of dairy products etc. etc.

Soup
Spiced Butternut Squash


Sandwiches
Veggie Weekly Special - Chunky Humous Salad
Veggie Weekly Special - Humous & Roasted Peppers (Airports Only)

Pots and puddings
Mango & Kiwi (Selected Shops Only)
Mango & Lime
Pret Fruit Salad
Seedless Grapes
Tropical Fruit Sticks

Crisps and snacks
Dried Mango
Maldon Sea Salt Crisps
Nuts and Bolts
Parsnip, Beetroot & Carrot Crisps
Popcorn - Sea Salt
Sea Salt & Mixed Peppercorns Crisps
Sea Salt & Organic Cider Vinegar Crisps
Spicy Chilli Piri Crisps
Sweet Potato & Chipotle Chilli Crisps

Cold drinks
Apple Juice
Apple & Blackcurrant Juice
Carrot Juice
Large Orange Juice
Mango Smoothie
Orange Juice
Pineapple & Raspberry Smoothie
Pure Pret - Apple
Pure Pret - Fine & Dandy (Dandelion & Burdock)
Pure Pret - Ginger Beer
Pure Pret - Grape & Elderflower
Pure Pret - Mango & Mandarin
Pure Pret - Yoga Bunny
Pure Pret Still - Elderflower Youth
Pure Pret Still - Hippie
Pure Pret Still - Lemon Aid
Pure Pret Still - Pomegranate Power
Pure Pret Still - Sea Breeze
Vitamin Volcano

Bah.

[jonnie falafel]

Yes, that's why I buy a lot of my vegan stuff from Tesco, but I doubt McDonalds etc have the same attitude as Tesco. If they are selling (which they aren't) a vegan burger............they won't automatically register that because they aren't selling, it's because of a 'vegan ideal' they will assume that no one wants them! Therefore if they did sell a 'vegan' burger I would buy it to let them see there is a market for them (however small). Every little helps.............as Tesco says.

If there's still a small wholefood shop near you (probably run by folks sympathetic to your vegan views) go along and explain to them this novel reason for shopping at TESCO while they're still there. I'm sure they'll feel great about it. As tescopoly says Every Little Hurts www.tescopoly.org

[Zero]

Same message, different thread.

[harpy]

Thanks for posting that, treaclemine. Will drop a line to Nicola Griggs. I was never that keen on Pret but it used to be a useful standby, until last Christmas when they ditched some of their vegan options allegedly to make room for seasonal stuff IIRC.

Jonnie, I can see what you're driving at (it isn't difficult when you've posted your viewpoint in so many places) but it really isn't necessary to be so sarcastic towards other members to get your point of view across

[flying plum]

jonnie - and yet you will shop at a BUTCHER'S, on the sole basis that it is a local shop? look mate, you have some valid points, but frankly you're coming across as having a superiority complex and you're making me want to buy everything i ever purchase again from tescos, asda and argos just to spite you.

please, for the love of Bob, stop posting THE SAME MESSAGE IN EVERY THREAD. it is getting very, very boring. start a thread on the subject if you want, i'm sure you'll find some interesting views.

amanda

[Rakey]

You know what, I don't even care about the 33% McDonalds thing (if it was over 50% and changed the way Pret was run then i'd be annoyed). I like their food, I want to create demand for vegan products, and well, if the money McDonalds invested means that I can find a vegan option when i'm out because more outlets have been opened and about to eat thats made fresh on the day. Odviously if there was a vegan/veggie cafe i'd go there instead but it isn't always possible.

[matt35mm]

Mariana and I went into one of these today (near London Victoria station) and it was... how do you English say? BULLOCKS. Not a thing for us. We went to Wagamama instead.

[Pearl]

I completely agree with you, Sandra.

I mean, how far do we take things? I shop in supermarkets, including Sainsbury's (Lord Sainsbury is a staunch pro-vivisection pillock)... I mean, just can't spend your money exclusively at shops that we consider to be sufficiently 'ethical.'

Plus, as Sandra impied, we have the power to change these companies, by influencing what they stock, by us making our buying choices there. If we buy vegan-friendly products at places such as Pret A Manger, then they will stock more of them, and it won't just be vegans who buy them.

I always buy my food at supermarkets. I alternate between Asda and Sainsburys. I always try to buy local fruit and veg wherever possible and I always buy vegan. I do have a couple of places I avoid, but on the whole I shop where it is cheapest and there is best choice.

By the way does Lord Sainsbury have anything to do with Sainsburys any more? I thought he didnt?

[fiamma]

... how do you English say? BULLOCKS.

*whispers in Matt's ear* It's British, British!!! And the word is "b*ll*cks" (replace each asterisk with the letter "O" and you'll be fine )

[matt35mm]

Right.

Thanks.

[bryzee86]

yeah, pret is officially pants.

[jonnie falafel]

I always buy my food at supermarkets. I alternate between Asda and Sainsburys. I always try to buy local fruit and veg wherever possible and I always buy vegan. I do have a couple of places I avoid, but on the whole I shop where it is cheapest and there is best choice.

By the way does Lord Sainsbury have anything to do with Sainsburys any more? I thought he didnt?

Don't ya wish folks would stop going on about buying food at certain outlets just cause they're the cheapest. 70% of threads come back to this. Why not start a cheap chow thread?

[horselesspaul]

Don't ya wish folks would stop going on about buying food at certain outlets just cause they're the cheapest.

Heed your own advice, jonnie falafel.

[Zero]

Heed your own advice, jonnie falafel.

[flying plum]

Don't ya wish folks would stop going on about buying food at certain outlets just cause they're the cheapest. 70% of threads come back to this. Why not start a cheap chow thread?

i think Jonnie just offered to supplment my £10 weekly food budget so I don't have to buy K-plus beans at Konzum anymore.

wow...that's so kind of you Jonnie. I had no idea people were so generous nowadays.

amanda

[jonnie falafel]

i think Jonnie just offered to supplment my £10 weekly food budget so I don't have to buy K-plus beans at Konzum anymore.

wow...that's so kind of you Jonnie. I had no idea people were so generous nowadays.

amanda

Hi Amanda... where shall I send the money?

[flying plum]

Nasarova 1,
10000 Zagreb
Croatia

ta

seriously, i don't mean to be so sarky, but you really have made your point, jonnie. and lecturing people doesn't work...it just gets their backs up. i really can cope with my 100kn a week budget, it just about works. and i tend to buy something from everywhere, and i do shop locally. but as i explained in another thread, sometimes it's not always practical. i admire your dedication, but if you want to persuade other people, a bit more tact might be required...

amanda

[jonnie falafel]

Blimey Amanda, you earn more than me! I withdraw the offer! ;-) Just a jest... Glad you do you bit - sorry you felt lectured. I'm passionate about food - how its produced & how its distributed and I'm passionate about justice and sometimes I feel hectored when people constantly and unthinkingly recommend giant corporations as if they somehow had a role in furthering a more compassionate world. It's a thread that runs through my life, the things I do, the things I write.... these connections often emerge in different contexts. I mean sometimes I'm out with friends and they suggest going for coffee and inevitably they want to go to Starbucks or another of the clone coffee shops... and sometimes I go.... and often I don't.

[horselesspaul]

Blimey Amanda, you earn more than me! I withdraw the offer! ;-) Just a jest... Glad you do you bit - sorry you felt lectured. I'm passionate about food - how its produced & how its distributed and I'm passionate about justice and sometimes I feel hectored when people constantly and unthinkingly recommend giant corporations as if they somehow had a role in furthering a more compassionate world. It's a thread that runs through my life, the things I do, the things I write.... these connections often emerge in different contexts. I mean sometimes I'm out with friends and they suggest going for coffee and inevitably they want to go to Starbucks or another of the clone coffee shops... and sometimes I go.... and often I don't.

A good post and well put, jonnie falafel.

[sandra]

Hi Jonnie, you say in your profile your a grocer has this anything to do with your views on food outlets?

[mariana]

Mariana and I went into one of these today (near London Victoria station) and it was... how do you English say? BULLOCKS. Not a thing for us. We went to Wagamama instead.

Agreed! It was quite disappointing. Wagamama was much better, anyway (except for the £1/spear asparagus ).

[flying plum]

Blimey Amanda, you earn more than me! I withdraw the offer! ;-) Just a jest... Glad you do you bit - sorry you felt lectured. I'm passionate about food - how its produced & how its distributed and I'm passionate about justice and sometimes I feel hectored when people constantly and unthinkingly recommend giant corporations as if they somehow had a role in furthering a more compassionate world. It's a thread that runs through my life, the things I do, the things I write.... these connections often emerge in different contexts. I mean sometimes I'm out with friends and they suggest going for coffee and inevitably they want to go to Starbucks or another of the clone coffee shops... and sometimes I go.... and often I don't.

now see this is far more endearing than the sarcasm and i think you'll find a lot of people agree with you, just a lot of people are also financially constrained and cannot perhaps shop as ethically as they would like to....

amanda

[Troutina]

I went to Pret for some lunch today- nothing is vegan!!
Falafel wrap and falafel sandwich both had cheese/ yoghurt.
Soup wasn't vegan either.
Bah!

[harpy]

You could write to the address given earlier by treaclemine, Troutina. If enough people write perhaps they'll take some notice.

When I wrote I made the point that (as well as it not suiting me personally) there's a lot of stuff on their website about their green policies. Since vegan food is environmentally-friendly (according to the UN etc) it seems inconsistent that they don't have even one vegan meal as a regular feature.

[Zero]

Or why not go along a speak to you local independent sandwich maker and see if they would be sympathetic to your vegan lifestyle.

(apologies Jonnie Falafel, I just couldn't help myself)

[Linxie]

Pret drives me mad. I have emailed them a couple of times about why they can't have a permanent vegan sandwich on the menu. But I don't think they really do care about customer feedback, whatever they say on their website

[bradders]

when going to independent sandwich shops they are often confused at first, then they listen and take the time to take the appropriate precautions for me and are invariably good value, I can often get a sandwich for as little as a pound in these places. Beets pret and others to a pulp don't it.