Tessa the Duchess Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 If I am to shop ethically/enviromentally friendly then often Tesco is where I can get the products but I don't really want to give them my money Then don't Shopping in Tesco is anything but ethical in my humble opinion, they pay their staff peanuts ( I know this because one of my children used to work in Tesco ) and they exploit workers in third world countries who are paid virtually nothing to make the goods Tesco sell. The problem is that often Tesco is the cheapest place to shop so people go there quite understandably. I would rather pay a bit more and not shop in Tesco, I wouldn't buy so much as a newspaper in Tesco, I feel so strongly about how evil they are. Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Much as I dislike Tesco, I have to side with Trish.......We use our own produce/Farmers' Market/Farm Shop/Goodness Direct/Co-op in that order of preference but Tesco is the only place I can find unwaxed citrus fruit and a couple of other things that the Co-op just don't sell. We tried Morrisons yesterday - which is out of our way but not too far, and they just didn't have the things we needed I hate giving Tesco my money........and in some instances, would rather go without....... but if I want to make Lemon Curd then I want to use unwaxed, organic fruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 I rarely if ever buy food at Tesco, but do buy other stuff there and I console myself with the thought that by doing so I am keeping people in employment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Tessa I totally get your point and agree mainly, my problem is, as Lesley says, availability. If Tesco are the only place I can get something, unwaxed lemons bing a good example, then it's Tescos or no lemons till someone else catches on to customer demand for that particular product. As to wages I've worked in supermarkets and they all pay peanuts, especially to the junior staff, I'd be surprised if Tesco are much different to any of the other big names. Not that I'm defending that just making an observation. It always seems to come down to the least evil choice at the moment, fair trade/organic/cost etc but at least there is that much choice now, not so long ago fair trade and organic were virtually unheard of by the average person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 20, 2008 Author Share Posted April 20, 2008 I totally understand all the points people have made re: availability of certain products, as much as I understand people on very low incomes doing their shopping at Tesco. I just made a decision never to buy anything from them. I live in an area of London in which I can buy virtually anything from small independent shops, yes even unwaxed lemons so I'm lucky in that respect. If I lived in a rural area and the nearest choice was Tesco, I'm not sure what I would do I hope I would stick to my principles Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelicano Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 I love the Co-op as they have such a good range of Fairtrade stuff these days, but there are none near me, so I have to go to a special effort to go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I live in an area of London in which I can buy virtually anything from small independent shops, yes even unwaxed lemons so I'm lucky in that respect.If I lived in a rural area and the nearest choice was Tesco, I'm not sure what I would do I hope I would stick to my principles Tessa Tesco isn't my nearest - but ONLY option for some of the stuff I prefer - it's that or buy off the internet and pay postage. Sometimes the posty wins - sometimes Tesco Our local co-op is good - but small too, hope they keep it up though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Lesley, you didn't try the Morrison in Banbury did you? It's DIRE! I've sacked Te$co now and shop online with Ocado.. I spend less as I'm not hijacked by bargains and it's delivered to my door. I find their ethics much more to my taste too. I get all our meat and most of the veg/fruit from farmers' markets or sometimes Lesley. and shop locally for our 'green' toiletries and cleaning products Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Our village co-op is improving all the time! Their whole chickens have been Elmwood (enhanced barn) for a while, but now all their chicken portions are also Elmwood, they don't sell any standard chicken. Everything is very clearly labelled - their products actually state 'contains eggs from caged hens' (although there are not many of their own brand products that still contain battery eggs - they are committed to going completely free range). I also found their own brand eco dishwasher tabs today. Plus all their tea and coffee is now fairtrade. Oh, and their chocolate - and it is delicious Unfortunately, Tesco does still have it's uses when you are on a tight budget - a large bag of flour costs double from Waitrose So for bulk buying my basic baking ingredients, I do still use Tesco. (gosh that was a bit of a tongue twister) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Clare, it was the Stratford Morrisons, by the railway station, it's lovely!! How odd that the Banbury one is dire Tessa I totally get your point and agree mainly, my problem is, as Lesley says, availability. If Tesco are the only place I can get something, unwaxed lemons bing a good example, then it's Tescos or no lemons till someone else catches on to customer demand for that particular product. Carl passes the Co-op on his way home so we use it regularly..........I keep asking Carl to "look for unwaxed lemons - and ask the Manager if they have any".............. they still don't go them I hope they get the messgae soon, I must be the only person asking for them Morrisons didn't have any either....... and Somerfiels - in the town centre- is pretty poor for anything like that. I'd love to stick to my principles 100%...... but there's only so much 'going without' that I'm prepared to do.........so I have to think along the same lines as Egluntine, at least it's keeping someone in a job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Locally the only place that I can get Carr's breadmaker flour is in one of the 2 Tesco which are nearby, it is the only thing I buy there abd I do it with a heavy heart but this flour makes much much nicer bread that my family are prepared to eat and is so much better for them than sliced pap. Co-op are down as a stockist of this flour but I have only found the wholemeal version and that was a couple of days off it's sell by date, I have asked that they stock it so we will see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Without wishing to annoy the whole forum, I don't really inderstand the anti-tesco movement. (waits for howls of outrage). I feel it is an easy target as a big business, but I used to work for a farm that supplied Tesco (and many other retailers) and they treated us fine, I now work for a small retailer who pay and treat their staff appallingly, so I do not agree that small is ethical and big is evil ! I don't doubt the existance of poor policies overseas, but apart from a few very ethical companies such as co-op, I suspect most retailers are guilty of such practises (or at least turning a blind eye) One final point, at Big Gtreen Gathering last year, most of the food outlets had anti Tesco posters, but in their kitchens you could see piles of cheap Tesco Value product....(By the way, I have absolutely no vested interest in Tesco) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Without wishing to annoy the whole forum, I don't really inderstand the anti-tesco movement. (waits for howls of outrage).I feel it is an easy target as a big business, but I used to work for a farm that supplied Tesco (and many other retailers) and they treated us fine, I now work for a small retailer who pay and treat their staff appallingly, so I do not agree that small is ethical and big is evil ! Only joking I have experience in the other direction. 1. The company I work for (and have done for nearly 10 years!) supplies food to companies who supply Tesco directly. If you see what I mean. Each year between 1 and 3 companies go out of business as a direct consequence of the acitons of supermarkets (Tesco is the worst, but others can be as bad at times). They promise the suppliers committments (but not on paper) and make the suppliers provide cut down prices with the promise of long term buying - only to turn round and refuse to pay slightly higher prices when the cost of the raw ingredients have gone up - this invariable puts the suppliers out of business as they have made such a committment to the supermarket 2. A member of my fmaily worked in Tesco head office for some time as a buyer (not for food). She couldn;t believe the ethics and one reason for leaving was she was disgusted with their behaviour - she now works for M&S and they are a cut above on the ehtical front So, I have a very personal slant on this and I really don't like many supermarkets - but particularly Tesco How frustrating re the Big green Gathering!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I shop in Tesco.....I have no choice. Sure I could drive an extra 6 miles & go past Tesco to go to Waitrose,but that seems ridiculous to me.I would also have to tackle major traffic & pay for my parking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...