Tesco - helping themselves

But surely, the result of this action will see a possible explosion in supermarket numbers. Where you had 1 or 2 massive, tasteless companies, you will now have 3 or 4. How does this, therefore, balance against the recent worries that the supermarkets are directly responsible, possibly even actively responsible, for the death of the British High Street?  

Rick Stein, he of wonderful outlets in Padstow, has produced two fine series of "Food Heroes" in which he celebrates small local producers and retailers. These people, although a rarity, catch the imagination of anyone who likes their food. Not in some anal gastronomic way, but in the simplicity of fine food produced by local people for, mostly, local people.

Thanks to the internet, some of these companies who would otherwise struggle are finding new markets outside of their area, and that is good for all of us. But of all the retail uses of the internet, buying food is the most problematic.  It is far more ideal to have these good available to hand when one does the rest of the shopping. This was the role our high streets played. A small grocer does not want to travel farther than necessary to stock the shop. So the grocer shops locally from local farms where possible. Likewise a butcher prefers to have a healthy relationship with the local beef herd. And the baker wants to be able to fill the high street with the odour of the best bread - that is how the customers are attracted.

But the supermarket does not have the same needs and issues. Indeed, the only reason to source locally is for the sake of PR, or because a particular supplier happens to be in the area. The boss of the supermarket does not need to be recognised and respected by the customers. The boss does not chat to the customer over a counter. The manager of your local supermarket has one responsibility only and that is to his or her superior. Anything else is dressing and marketing. There is no duty of care there.

So, now the madness of the competition commission will mean that we have MORE supermarkets. Our high streets will be unable to survive and our communities will fragment further. Are the supermarkets to blame? Yes, of course they are. Tescos is successful because it shuts down the local competition. It opens in house bakeries selling pappy bread that would make a master baker cry, but also put him out of business. It openes petrol stations to draw people AWAY from the high street community. Tesco, Asda et al do not want you in your high street, They want you to forget it exists. THAT is their marketing strategy and their business model. 

Yes, the supermarkets are to blame, and not us. There is an argument that we let them take over. But how were we ever to stop them? With idiot local councillors so easy to sway with slickly produced presentations (I have worked on one - supermarkets spend thousands and thousands to ensure they get their planning permissions) and national government over many years in the pocket of big business, we never had a hope.

So, stop faffing around - the supermarkets are killing our high streets, and with it our communities. It's as simple as that. 

Tags: tesco asda sainsbury morrisons competition commission supermarket high street
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