General Chat

Yesterday the Prime Minister David Cameron lavished praise on Waitrose, saying customers of the upmarket store are more "talkative and engaged" than those who shop elsewhere.

He said on a visit to the John Lewis store in Cheadle near Manchester:-

"I have got a piece of supermarket sociology, which is that there is something about Waitrose customers, is that they are the most talkative. I found that if I shop in Waitrose it takes me about twice as long as everyone wants to stop you, and have a chat. Whereas in other supermarkets I find I can dart round very quickly and get everything. It is something about your customers, they are very talkative, engaged people.

I live in a local authority sheltered housing scheme which has a Waitrose on the doorstep but I do not use it, also I don't go shopping to get engaged in conversation, do you?

I get on my mobility scooter and do my shopping several miles away at Morrisons and Asda, in bad weather I get them to deliver - the reason is that I save a fortune compared to what it would cost me in Waitrose.

They are a snooty lot at our local waitrose even the staff are bloomin miserable and could not smile if they tried. I shop Aldi or Asda much better people and certainly a lot cheaper.

We have 2 supermarkets in our 'village', Waitrose and Co-Op. On the rare occasions I've used the co-op, the staff have seemed depressed. In contrast those in Waitrose are cheery, helpful and ready for a quick chat. In both cases, the customers just want to fill their baskets to get to the tills; they don't see shopping as a social event.

We do our main shop in Sains. The staff are similar to those in Waitrose. We have more interaction with other customers there than in the other supermarkets.

People are more involved in attempting to survive in a country where economic betrayal is the new norm.

Too many residents are still just getting by from day to day, and from week to week - existing, rather than living. Face value is rarely sufficient.

A choice of shops by our PM is hardly the remedy for anything.

I admit to being cynical about anything, politicians of all persuasions, say when they open their mouth and let their tongue do their thinking - in this case I wonder if what he was actually saying was - people who shop in Waitrose are my kind of people but those who shop in other less prestigious stores are not ;-)

It could be the assumption that Waitrose customers are more affluent and therefore confident enough to approach a politician?

After all, politicians are 'supposed' to serve the electorate. This group of customers might be more willing (and knowledgable) to confront him.

Coop staff are miserable because their annual bonus has shrunk to nothing thanks to the need to bail out the co-op bank. The bank fell victim to Geo Osbourne's attempt to unload a chunk of Lloyds on to the co-op.

Waitrose and John Lewis staff otoh have been enjoying super bonuses at all levels ( thousands of pounds to the till checkers ) and they are happy or should be.

Waitrose are price competitive especially v Sainsbury.

They have a range of budget products of high quality unlike the dross served up by JS & Tesco. The fish counter in JS would result in police action in France!

Waitrose sell a lot of stuff you will never find in most other stores especially high quality fish and meat. That does not make the store expensive overall it is just that it has more high value lines than the others. A good example of Waitrose value is 500g butter £ 2.50 ( 3.00 JS ) and last Sunday golden chickens at £ 4.75 - 3o% off for Mother's Day. Most other stores put up their prices for such days.

For myself navigating the piled up not-very-special-red&yellow-offers, cages full of stock and dead stock, screaming families shopping ensemble and the race track sorry car park rules out Tesco. Despite rumours Aldi are expensive. Morrisons are not what they were and are currently losing money big time.

For those who confuse eating cheaply with eating rubbish I can only extend my sympathies.

Qui vult ccedere canem facile invenit fustem
:-0

We have a beautiful Co-op near us all mod con (yes a bit small but clean and tidy) the staff are really nice and helpful and can't fault them the only drawback about shopping there is if you want something out of the ordinary they may not stock it. We find the prices are on a comparison with other supermarkets often lower the only draw back is as you say they are a bit cash strapped and alas we did not get any dividend this year (what a b** sorry what a pity! but got money off coupons each time we shopped ....the year before we got £21 put into our bank which was very nice) . However when we need to do a Big shop and get those bits and bobs not stocked we shop mostly at Waitrose (It's the nearest) , never have much conversation with the staff - oh we do get a free cup of coffee if we want but that's it in fact I find the shop quite cold (not heating wise) but they do have a good range of goods and the prices are now more or less on par with elsewhere again we don't like their saver lines not enjoyed any that we have tried :-D
ps Rollo some people Have to eat cheaply so better without comments like that :-|

"Rollo some people have to eat cheaply so better without comments like that"

My point is that it is possible to eat very well and cheaply too. The idea that keeping food costs down is synonymous with poor food is widespread but wrong.

I got by on not much at all while I was an undergraduate and then another two years as a postgrad. In all that time I ate well but avoided supermarkets. I also avoided all kinds of junk food/drink and still do - they are very poor value for money as well as being fattening.

fwiw my OH manages a co-op store. She mostly shops on fresh food markets and Waitrose despite the 10% staff discount.

We don't have a Waitrose anywhere near where I live. We have a number of Sainsburys stores. I can't afford to shop there; so the quality of the food is irrelevent.

I wonder how the prime minister would do on Bargain Hunt... :-S

To be honest i couldn't give a t*ss what any politician has to say anymore.

They all appear to only ever open their mouths in order to change Foot

Roy

The UK needs and deserves a 'new politics' for the very obvious reason that the old ones have been a catastrophic failure.

If they replaced spin, divisiveness, and greed with statesmanship, honesty, and honour, perhaps people would have more trust in politicians - well I am allowed to dream, dream, dream :-D

Politicians generally have an occupational hazard in that they believe they are indispensable. If they weren't around, the sun would surely fail to rise & set every day.

They also have a pathological unwillingness to admit to making a mistake, let alone committing a crime.

So it's illegal to shop in Waitrose? :-S

What would be quite funny at election time would be to have cabinet & show cabinet guys and gals take part in a game. Each round would have 3 common tasks that significant parts of the population have to cope with. Failure on the task for the round would ideally result in banishment to the back benches.

Here are some ideas:

1. (Time limit 30 mins ) Fill a trolley with enough food for a family of 4 ( 2 kids, 2 adults ) ; one child 3 years old will ride in the trolley the other will run around the store screaming. Having filled the trolley (max £ 100) the politico must UNAIDED check the goods out at a self service till and pay with a credit card. The test account will refuse a payment of > £ 100.

2. (Time limit: infinite) The politico will now transport kids and shopping home using public transport in his/her constituency. Taxis not allowed. Bonus point if one of the kids wants a pee. No calling a friend/spouse.

3. (Time limit 30 mins ) Find UNAIDED a DWP DLA application form on the internet and fill it out. This can be done at a public library in the constituency or using a usb / mobile phone connection.

4. 10 days before going on holiday it is noticed that one of the family passports have is missing. Without help from aides get a replacement passport.

5. Sit the driving test.

It would be more entertaining than Clegg v MakeMineAPint and possibly funny.

WAITROSE IS FAR TO EXPENSIVE FOR ME,I PREFER MORRISON'S BUT WE HAVEN'T ONE NEAR US,ASDA SECOND CHOICE BUT OH WON'T TAKE ME,
SAINSBURY'S WE ONLY GOT A LITTLE ONE AND TOO EXPENSIVE SO WHAT LEFT FOR US GOOD 'OLE TESCO