Afternoon:
14°c
150 more small shops in Tesco invasion
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Affairs Editor15.04.08
Tesco has been accused of unleashing an "unstoppable invasion" of the high street by stepping up the pace at which it opens neighbourhood stores.
The supermarket giant is due to launch 150 stores in the smaller Express format over the next 12 months, compared with around 100 annually in recent years.
According to Retail Week magazine, that will take the chain's total Express stores to almost 1,000, including about 200 in and around London.
Campaigners claim the smallerformat convenience stores destroy local independent shops and cause congestion and noise in residential areas.
But they have proved hugely successful for Tesco, particularly in London and the South-East, where finding sites for larger superstores is difficult. They have helped the chain lead the market in London.
Their size also means they are likely to avoid the new test proposed by the Competition Commission aimed at stopping one supermarket chain having a monopoly in one town.
The most "Tesco-ised" areas of the capital are Southall, where its stores account for 58 per cent of all grocery sales, and Twickenham, where £51 in every £100 goes through Tesco tills.
Sandra Bell, supermarkets campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said: "Tesco's seemingly unstoppable invasion of our high streets comes at the expense of independent shops and leaves shoppers with little choice of where to buy their groceries.
"While the commission's report, due next month, is hoped to stop the worst of this retail giant's bullying behaviour towards suppliers, it will do nothing to stop the Tesco-isation of our towns."
But a spokesman for Tesco said: "[Express stores] continue to be our most popular format.For many customers, when Tesco Express comes around it is the first time they have had access to good fresh food, particularly at the prices we offer."
MAP OF THE TESCO INVASION
EXPRESS STORE THAT SEALED FATE OF LAST POST OFFICE IN W14
It was the last Post Office in the Olympia W14 postcode area.
The counter had been moved into a Costcutter store in Hammersmith Road after the last stand-alone Post Office - in Blythe Road - shut three years ago.
But last autumn a Tesco Express arrived. By Christmas the Costcutter had closed. The Post Office struggled on in the empty shop but quickly bowed to the inevitable. By early in the New Year the site was empty, giving W14 the unwanted distinction of becoming the first London postcode district to have no Post Office branches.
The Post Office has said there were other factors in the closure but the presence of such a muscular competitor will make finding a new tenant a tough proposition.
Reader views (12)
I welcome tesco in West Hampstead. The quality is just not there in the other shops. I go to the deli, and love food, but for the basics I would love a tesco.
If you look at all the rotting fruit and veg on offer at the moment, that I would not feed to my dog never mind my children, it is a no brainer. I come from Paris, where we pay more for food, but like the quality... God I miss the local butcher, fish monger and fruit seller...
- David, West Hampstead, UK
I would happily bet the silent majority, as opposed to NIMBY's, in West Hampstead like me welcome a Tesco. Most of the "supermarkets" in West Hampstead are grossly overpriced and/or sell substandard products, and if they are driven out of business good. The decent deli's and specialist shops will survive as they have a niche market and a selling point. But the "supermarkets" Tesco will be in competition with are the blot on the area not Tesco's.
Anyhow if you don't like Tesco's don't shop there, you are free to make that choice. If the majority view is yours Tesco's in West Hampstead will go out of business. We shall see.
- Mike Sutton, west hampstead
Tesco has to be stopped in it's tracks. I'd love to know how much they paid Wood and Wood, West Hampstead for their property. Monopoly is dirty trade and, we like Hammersmith Road, will watch our neighbourhood change when Tesco arrives. The only way to stop this is to walk past their local stores.
- Maria, London
£4.55 for black sacks, what the hell is your local shop, Harrods?
Tesco are concerning me greatly their expansion, they have no concern for any local shops or shopkeepers no matter what their publicity machines says
- Martin Van, London
Friends of the earth employees may be able to afford to shop at boutique stores on their inflated salaries but most people can't. Also, the two times I've had to go into a Costcutter the prices and worse, the amount of products at or past their sell by date still for sale was truly shocking and disgusting. At least with any of the major supermarkets we get a decent standard of hygiene.
- Ben, London England
I totally approve of Tesco doing this. Pack of aspirin in my local store? £1.68. Tesco? 16p. Thin black sacks form local store? £4.55. Tesco? £2 and better quality.
- Jeremy, London
The government must force Tescos (and the other supermarkets) to charge consistent prices for their products across their entire range of retail outlets!
Tesco's "buying power" and "purchase costs" remain the same whether the product is being sold in one of their Super-Stores or in one of their Express outlets yet the customer has to pay much higher prices in the Express outlet.
Simply put, if Tesco can't "afford" to charge the "same prices" in all of their outlets for identical products then Tescos should simply open less stores and let local small businesses continue to cater for local consumer's needs!
- Fraser, Telford Park
If you are concerned about this then the best way to beat it is to vote with your wallet. We've not shopped at Tescos for nearly 2 years now - and we certainty don't miss it.
- Spike, High Wycombe
Im glad to see Tesco's are around. For too long we have relied upon the expensive, very dodgy corner shops selling gone sell by date over priced cash and carry grocery items, fridges that are turned off at night, and non existent fruit and veg. These shops are scruffy, dirty and an eyesore. Come on you Tesco.
- Mark Armstrong, London, UK
This cartel should be broken up, its just too big, they control market prices, block land, kill off street markets.
Its crazy that this and previous governments continue to look the other way.
- Mr Poperdom Pete, Bexleyheath
Even though I do like Tesco's products, Tesco is just like "Walmart" in America. Over here, people complain about the same issues pertaining to Tesco in the UK, but at the end of the day, as long as there is a demand, and people continue to patronize, these store will continue to be in business.
- Connie, United States
I scratch my head over this one.
The fact is that Tesco Metro and to an extent Tesco Express are the cheapest grocery stores in most areas. I don't like Tesco. It's big and therefore bad. I love their stores in London. They are the best.
What a dichotomy!
- Minnie Ovens, USA
