Regarding "Cheap" Food

[JMC]

Sadly, my experience bears this out. Everywhere I have lived in the last 40 years has seen good independent butchers, bakers, grocers, greengrocers, etc., go to the wall when a big-name supermarket established itself in the area.

Are you sure that this is not due to general social changes though? Eg more working mothers, pensioners working longer etc. The above could also have happened if there isn't an Asda locally but people drive to a neighbouring town's Asda.

[JMC]

And as far as cheapness is concerned Asda, in common with other supermarket chains, tailors it's prices to the area it's in. You can bet your bottom pound that the company is rubbing its hands with glee at the thought of establishing  itself in an area that is perceived to be more affluent (whether it is or not) than other areas of Stockport.

have you any evidence for this as I am sure at the consultations Asda have said that all their stores have the same low prices.

[My login is Henrietta]

How do you know that other shops are going to go out of business there are a fe w shops that have already closed in Marple now you can't blame that on. ASDA . Can you could it be that they are the wrong type of shop for Marple .what type of shop would you like in Marple . Supermarket or charity shops ..

Re shops going out of business.

Sadly, my experience bears this out. Everywhere I have lived in the last 40 years has seen good independent butchers, bakers, grocers, greengrocers, etc., go to the wall when a big-name supermarket established itself in the area. In Hyde it's even effected what was once a very good market to the extent that the council has reduced the number of stalls and many of the establish stall-holders have given up, including a number of food stalls which sold cheaper and in many cases better quality fruit and veg, cheese, bacon, etc. I won't entirely blame Asda for this as Morrisons started the slide but it's certainly delivered the coup de grace as, although Asda is within walking distance of the middle of town (about the same distance as the Hibbert Lane college site), very few people bother once they have parked in what is effectively a free carpark. And as far as Marple is concerned I wonder if Asda will bring pressure to bear on the the council to get rid of free and cheap parking in the centre of the village? There is already talk of building on the parking off Chadwick Street.......

And as far as cheapness is concerned Asda, in common with other supermarket chains, tailors it's prices to the area it's in. You can bet your bottom pound that the company is rubbing its hands with glee at the thought of establishing  itself in an area that is perceived to be more affluent (whether it is or not) than other areas of Stockport.

[JMC]

One of the main shops that will suffer from an asda would be Iceland.

That would be a shame if it does but there are many towns where large and small retailers compete side by side and all do well. I would rather do my main shop at a Marple Asda and then do top ups in Iceland as it is smaller and quicker. In addition not everybody likes ASDA and the MIA 8,000 alone will keep the Co-op and Iceland afloat 

[JMC]

I think that if Asda appears on Hibbert Lane then a) most customers will travel there by car and b) once parked in the car park, few will venture into Marple centre. If they had used the Co-op, they would be more likely to nip across the road to visit the hardware shop, cake shop, car accessory shop, florist.....       Just my opinion, based on observations of Co-op shoppers and friends.

But would they still be more likely to use Marple shops than if they went to another town entirely?

[Belly]

How do you know that other shops are going to go out of business there are a fe w shops that have already closed in Marple now you can't blame that on. ASDA . Can you could it be that they are the wrong type of shop for Marple .what type of shop would you like in Marple . Supermarket or charity shops ..

I think that if Asda appears on Hibbert Lane then a) most customers will travel there by car and b) once parked in the car park, few will venture into Marple centre. If they had used the Co-op, they would be more likely to nip across the road to visit the hardware shop, cake shop, car accessory shop, florist.....       Just my opinion, based on observations of Co-op shoppers and friends.

This may well be true, however, I suspect that the majority of 'supermarket' shopping undertaken by Marple residents currently takes place outside of Marple (Bredbury, Hazel Grove, Stockport) and that such customers may well visit Marple shops more once their 'big-shop' is relocated back into Marple (as they have more time and local knowldge of the shops / products on offer). At least that's what I envisage myself doing in future - assuming I can stomach Asda's 'cheap food'!

[marpleexile]

How do you know that other shops are going to go out of business there are a fe w shops that have already closed in Marple now you can't blame that on. ASDA . Can you could it be that they are the wrong type of shop for Marple .what type of shop would you like in Marple . Supermarket or charity shops ..

I think that if Asda appears on Hibbert Lane then a) most customers will travel there by car and b) once parked in the car park, few will venture into Marple centre. If they had used the Co-op, they would be more likely to nip across the road to visit the hardware shop, cake shop, car accessory shop, florist.....       Just my opinion, based on observations of Co-op shoppers and friends.

Possibly true. However they are a lot more likely to do so if they shop at an Asda on Hibbert than if they are shopping at Sainsburys in Hazel Grove, or Tesco in Stockport.

[Bluezorro]

One of the main shops that will suffer from an asda would be Iceland.

[Cyberman]

How do you know that other shops are going to go out of business there are a fe w shops that have already closed in Marple now you can't blame that on. ASDA . Can you could it be that they are the wrong type of shop for Marple .what type of shop would you like in Marple . Supermarket or charity shops ..

I think that if Asda appears on Hibbert Lane then a) most customers will travel there by car and b) once parked in the car park, few will venture into Marple centre. If they had used the Co-op, they would be more likely to nip across the road to visit the hardware shop, cake shop, car accessory shop, florist.....       Just my opinion, based on observations of Co-op shoppers and friends.

[JMC]

I want an Asda because I am fed up having to go to Stockport for everything including weeks shopping. Years ago you could get many items in Marple that you just can't now. I do use local shops several times a week and will continue to do so. But if we could do our main food shopping here in Marple, we would use Marple's other shops much more; jewellers, health shop etc. rather than get it in Stockport whilst we are there. I also would rather go myself than shop online but at the moment it is often easier to do it online. Again local shops lose out that way too. If people actually have to go out eg to an Asda in Marple, surely some would stop off at other shops also?

Many shops are closing anyway, even national chains. Another supermarket gives Marple residents more choice but it seems this idea threatens many. Many people don't want us to have the option of cheaper more convienient shopping yet they themselves are quite happy to use huge stores in neighbouring towns!

Also not everybody has the luxury of buying anything other than cheap food!

[Rachael]

Asda prices are the same wherever you shop , unlike the garage that often sells items for more than you would get them in the CO op main store.

[amazon]

Good post Henrietta. Surprise - there are reasons why cheap food is cheap! Supermarkets do sell their premium ranges, which probably contain less horsemeat, but here I find much of what you pay goes towards the fancy packaging.

Regarding other items - e.g. soup - possibly our existing supermarket, the Co-op, may be more expensive than Asda/Tesco for branded items, but their own brand products seem fine in quality and price, often with genuine multi-buy savings. Also, as the T.V. programme showed, there are big differences in prices between large and small stores in the same chain. What category will an Asda store be? It will probably be "large" until the other shops have gone out of business, then it will revert to "small" pricing - that's WalMart's U.S. business model.

Consumers are of course free to choose the quality of their food, and on that basis I would like the smaller shops - butchers, veg shops, fish stall, deli - to stay open, so I can continue to buy locally sourced good quality produce. My concern is that a new supermarket may, depending on location, shift the shopping centre away from the existing businesses causing closures and loss of choice. It's not nimbyism, but I do want certain things to stay as they are.

How do you know that other shops are going to go out of business there are a fe w shops that have already closed in Marple now you can't blame that on. ASDA . Can you could it be that they are the wrong type of shop for Marple .what type of shop would you like in Marple . Supermarket or charity shops ..

[Cyberman]

Good post Henrietta. Surprise - there are reasons why cheap food is cheap! Supermarkets do sell their premium ranges, which probably contain less horsemeat, but here I find much of what you pay goes towards the fancy packaging.

Regarding other items - e.g. soup - possibly our existing supermarket, the Co-op, may be more expensive than Asda/Tesco for branded items, but their own brand products seem fine in quality and price, often with genuine multi-buy savings. Also, as the T.V. programme showed, there are big differences in prices between large and small stores in the same chain. What category will an Asda store be? It will probably be "large" until the other shops have gone out of business, then it will revert to "small" pricing - that's WalMart's U.S. business model.

Consumers are of course free to choose the quality of their food, and on that basis I would like the smaller shops - butchers, veg shops, fish stall, deli - to stay open, so I can continue to buy locally sourced good quality produce. My concern is that a new supermarket may, depending on location, shift the shopping centre away from the existing businesses causing closures and loss of choice. It's not nimbyism, but I do want certain things to stay as they are.

[tina]

'Cheap Food' as you put it does not mean people want a Asda so they can buy cheap burgers, its everyday household brands what are sold at a higher value in other shops. for example would you buy a tin of Heinz Tomato soup at shop A for £1.20 or go to shop B who sell it for 80p?  And before anyone jumps on my back I know that is not the real price for said item!

[My login is Henrietta]

Those who welcome a new supermarket in Marple on the basis that it will provide us with cheap food might find the observations on supermarket pricing made in the Channel 4 Despatches programme - "Secrets of your Supermarket" - somewhat enlightening. Ditto "The Food Programme" on R4 this afternoon on what goes into supermarket "value" burgers and they weren't just talking about horsemeat.

NB Whilst there is nothing inherently dangerous in the consumption of horsemeat itself, much of the horsemeat intended for human consumption is imported into Europe (and thence possibly into that burger in your bun) from Mexico where regulations concerning medication given to horses are extremely lax. Particularly of concern is a common anti-inflammatory and pain killer used in veterinary medicine called phenylbutazone which was withdrawn from the British human pharmacopoeia some years ago when it was found to be carcinogenic. To be fair, here was no suggestion that the horsemeat found in the burgers had any 'bute contamination - this time!)

If this is in the wrong place, Respected Admin Person, please feel free to move it.