Sale of the Marple CO-OP to ASDA

[simonesaffron]

Its just Wheels again, having his own little private joke. He just sets hares running for the fun of it.

I have to admit it though, I found the idea amusing.   

[Harry]

It is my understanding that they plan to expand to 25,000 - sf.           

What makes you think this Simone?

[sgk]

http://www.thefinaledition.com/article/china-buys-walmart-will-rebrand-as-greatwallmart.html

Who would think this was real ?

shoppers will be exposed to a whole new range of fantastic low-priced Chinese products,” including the legendary ‘Tiananmen Squares’ chocolate-flavored dog-byproduct extrusion snacks

the popular ‘Mela-Milk’ simulated dairy beverage, (‘Now with added Melamine’)

Fully 100% of our CD’s, DVD’s, and Blue-Rays will be counterfeit.

[Howard]

In the FT a couple of months ago. Also on BBC news

Nice try, Wheels. Even the most gullible readers would never believe that the Walton family would sell up Walmart. The only place that has any kind of story like that is a satire site called "The Final Edition". You can find the story, where the Chinese will rename the store "Great Wallmart", at the link below in a piece supposedly written by a reporter called "Sharia Law":

http://www.thefinaledition.com/article/china-buys-walmart-will-rebrand-as-greatwallmart.html

[wheels]

Where did you read that ?

In the FT a couple of months ago. Also on BBC news

[Dave]

There must be scope to put another story on the parking at the Park end of the car park, which would add a bit of capacity.

Agreed, but I believe it can be quite costly, and I suspect getting planning consent could also be a problem.  But there is good scope for Asda to tighten up the car park arrangements - for example by charging a decent sum (a fiver?), which would be refunded if you spend at least that amount at the tills.  This would reduce the number of people who park there just to shop elsewhere. 

[Duke Fame]

You are of course right Dave, many will use it. We should have no loyalty to the Co-op we  have suffered their floundering  for too long now, with their empty shelves, erratic openings and closings and pricing policy based on the highest that the population of Marple will stand.

I live alone and my food bill is not a big expense. However that was not always the case and if I had a family to bring up now then I wouldn't do a big shop in the Co-op, I would go elsewhere and that is what people are doing, I have seen them.

Asda are not fools they will have done their research.

I buy most of my fresh produce from local business for no other reason than I wish to support them. Nevertheless, over the years I have purchased from every supermarket there is and apart from supermarket bread which is all tasteless and horrible (how do they all achieve this?) I have found little if any difference in quality from one to another. To me the assertion that Asda is low quality is nonsense and based upon some snooty myth as they are no different than anybody else. Perhaps somebody out there could enlighten me and let me know what the difference in quality is in; a tin of beans, a bar of soap, a newspaper, a box of teabags, a bottle of gin, some dishwasher tablets, an apple and a mushroom whether I buy them from Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S or ALDI or anywhere else that springs to mind even the co-op, although the last time I went to the co-op for mushrooms they didn't have any..."for some reason we've had a rush on them today."

I do have one reservation about ASDA but it is not really to do with their identity. It is my understanding that they plan to expand to 25,000 - sf. Parking in Marple is currently stretched to capacity and I can only see the traffic situation becoming even worse than it already is.                 

You are right, the quality issue is a myth, usually it's the same supplier. Morrisons did have a slightly quicker supply chain for fish and veg than the others but I suspect the others have caught up by now.

There must be scope to put another story on the parking at the Park end of the car park, which would add a bit of capacity. That said, if the car park ever looks busy & I am in the car, I just park in the car park near the fire station and walk.

[ROTHERS]

As I understand it Walmart is about to be acquired by a Chinese company. They have even different employment practices.

Where did you read that ?

[amazon]

I agree Simone, it is the traffic/parking situation which has concerned me about any big supermarket development there.  At the risk of upsetting lots of the original protesters, I still think the original plan to site a new supermarket on Hibbert Lane was the best option out of a bad lot.

Instead we will have more permanent traffic .with maybe posh houses .

[amazon]

Not true that Marple Res is the only poster to say this. I've said the same thing several times on this thread and again today. I'd starve before I shopped in ASDA, but fortunately I don't have to - There is a Co-op in Glossop, and I buy my greengrocery, meat and deli stuff in Marple anyway.

What would you have liked to see instead of the coop .....ASDA  ...

[Barbara]

I agree Simone, it is the traffic/parking situation which has concerned me about any big supermarket development there.  At the risk of upsetting lots of the original protesters, I still think the original plan to site a new supermarket on Hibbert Lane was the best option out of a bad lot.

[simonesaffron]

You are of course right Dave, many will use it. We should have no loyalty to the Co-op we  have suffered their floundering  for too long now, with their empty shelves, erratic openings and closings and pricing policy based on the highest that the population of Marple will stand.

I live alone and my food bill is not a big expense. However that was not always the case and if I had a family to bring up now then I wouldn't do a big shop in the Co-op, I would go elsewhere and that is what people are doing, I have seen them.

Asda are not fools they will have done their research.

I buy most of my fresh produce from local business for no other reason than I wish to support them. Nevertheless, over the years I have purchased from every supermarket there is and apart from supermarket bread which is all tasteless and horrible (how do they all achieve this?) I have found little if any difference in quality from one to another. To me the assertion that Asda is low quality is nonsense and based upon some snooty myth as they are no different than anybody else. Perhaps somebody out there could enlighten me and let me know what the difference in quality is in; a tin of beans, a bar of soap, a newspaper, a box of teabags, a bottle of gin, some dishwasher tablets, an apple and a mushroom whether I buy them from Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S or ALDI or anywhere else that springs to mind even the co-op, although the last time I went to the co-op for mushrooms they didn't have any..."for some reason we've had a rush on them today."

I do have one reservation about ASDA but it is not really to do with their identity. It is my understanding that they plan to expand to 25,000 - sf. Parking in Marple is currently stretched to capacity and I can only see the traffic situation becoming even worse than it already is.                 

[Dave]

I've been told by a couple of Co-op staff that a lot of customers have said they won't be using ASDA.

Maybe they won't, but one thing's certain: many other people will - local people who at the moment shop elsewhere for better value, choice and quality. 

[wheels]

As I understand it Walmart is about to be acquired by a Chinese company. They have even different employment practices.

[My login is Henrietta]

I think it's interesting that there has only been that one strange post from MarpleRes...... Perhaps she they have left town already.

Not true that Marple Res is the only poster to say this. I've said the same thing several times on this thread and again today. I'd starve before I shopped in ASDA, but fortunately I don't have to - There is a Co-op in Glossop, and I buy my greengrocery, meat and deli stuff in Marple anyway.