That is how many large business contract. I can think over several household names who will not contract unless open book with right to audit, and this isn't farming related, and THEY decide what margin you should be allowed to make, what they consider reasonable, and then a action plan to bring down their cost over the term. If you don't save money, they just take margin.
Oh I don't know Pete, I think this has turned into quite an interesting thread, as a number of posters have said.
We get our beef/meat from the local butcher, he has big bloody walking steaks in the fields across the road from us. His aged steak is the best, man its good. Always gives a little discount. Unfortunately, we would support our local shops more, but the old story of no parking and park in the wrong place, £60 ticket for the pleasure. The Councils have killed the local economy, not Tesco. Towns do not want cars and until they change their attitude to cars and parking, I'm going to park in Tesco.
Good point. In my local town the supermarkets have free parking and the town council are about to introduce parking meters.
Meat locally, veg from farmers market, fish either direct or fishmonger and milk from milk man, with the occasional waitrose order for everything else. I remember when the first big supermarket opened near me, and it was a novelty, subsequently they have become part of every day life for convenience. We make a conscious decision to try to shop elsewhere to support small businesses like us. What disappoints me is, not content with taking us all out of town centres and shopping locally they then open mini markets to serve you locally, which drives the remaining small businesses out of business as they cannot compete with the buying power of the big retailers. Tickles me when people talk about choice and how operations like Tesco give you choice? really what the choice to buy at your local store or to travel 10 miles to the next feckin store. We used to be a nation of shop keepers now we are a nation of shelf stackers.
I would happily pay more and travel for better quality. The problem is that I find that buying from a small shop can be hit and miss, whether it be butchers, bakers or indeed any small independent business. If it was consistently good it wouldnt be an issue but you're not going to pay more for something thats no better than a supermarket are you? There's a great farm shop/butchers up the road from us. 15 min drive but worth it every time. A great business and you should see the size of the owners house!! But he's earnt it by having a good reputation and focusing on quality....if you can do that people WILL pay more and they'll do it gladly.
Is buying milk from Dairy Crest better than buying from supermarkets? I've tried to find a local milkman to buy from direct but to no avail. Milkandmore.co.uk will deliver but not sure if I'm paying more for the delivery privilege but not actually being socially responsible
guy called a the door last week, selling fish and shit. Wife bought a massive tray of king prawns, £40. Sick looking at bloody prawns now :Yuck:
Love a prawn. Not £40 worth though! It's apparently a poor service (milkandmore) so I really haven't got much choice when it comes to milk. I'd love to have a couple of pints delivered each day but it's not going to happen.
we used to get a lemonade man, a milk man, a fruit and veg man, an ice cream man (sold cigs on the quiet) all gone now, all gone replaced by the drug dealer I suppose, times change
The bottom line is that it is more efficient to buy from your local supermarket. Going back to how it was would, in effect, be subsidising inefficient industries. Which is OK if that is what you want and it makes the world a better place.
Crack isn't as good on cereal as milk. I'd happily pay for a pint of gold top and a pint of semi skimmed each day. I drink a lot of milk. The milkandmore thing is only 3 days a week where I live and apparently isn't reliable in terms of delivering when you order and delivering it when you need it. Bring back the milk man!!!
