Morrisons Stores Under Attack From MSP Rob Gibson

**Bill Fernie** · 06-Sep-04, 12:12

Rob Gibson SNP MSP for Highlands and Islands calls on Morrison's to live up to its pledge 'prices coming down and staying down' at all the Safeway outlets it bought.

A survey this weekend shows higher prices for basic items in smaller Safeway outlets than big Safeway units set for the Morrison makeover.

Safeway was the major north supermarket chain. Even in large units such as Dalmore Road, Alness the range and quality of goods appears to have deteriorated and lines like Baxters Scottish products have disappeared since the takeover. Meanwhile Morrisons customers in Shetland, Orkney, Lewis, Wester Ross, Caithness, Nairn, and Moray are suffering because of the company discriminates against smaller stores that don't fit its business plans.

We need planning powers for local authorities and the backing of the Scottish Executive to set up competition rules to stop Morrisons or any other multiple milking smaller communities far from their bigger stores.

I believe that a customer boycott could bring a change. As we celebrate Organic Week with its emphasis on taste, local sourcing and nutritious content, the actions of on-the-make Morrisons run directly to the contrary. They have inherited the supermarkets that serve large numbers of North Scotland residents with their daily fare. People should put pressure on the store to change its ways.

The above is from one of our Highland MSP's - what does everyone else think about Safeways snce Morrisons took over.

**dragonfly** · 06-Sep-04, 12:42

i did notice a difference in ££'s during the first couple of trips to safeways since the takeover, but I am back to paying the same price for my weekly shop as I was before takeover - tend to buy similar each week so notice when there is a difference. Veg is cheaper with more variety for salads but not so good for fruit

I just hope that in their plan to sell off the smaller "Compact stores" they would allow Tesco's to be a bidder - if Inverness was an hour closer, I would do weekly shop there every week!

Best thing about the takeover is that they have got rid of those awful plastic bags which ripped the minute you put anything in them and now have a bag which will allow you to get goods from store to car and car to house without playing pick-up

**thickrodney** · 06-Sep-04, 18:49

i tend to try and shop in the co-op and lidl now.
i have found that the fruit and veg don't last a dam.
they have replaced scottish cheese with a basic own brand.
also as mentioned scottish products are slowly being withdrawn.
ii is difficult to botcott as some items are not available elsewhere, but i for one have reduced my purchases from there.

**2little2late** · 06-Sep-04, 21:39

I did hear that Morrisons may be selling the smaller stores to either Asda or Tesco. Don't know how true this is. But it was from a Safeway employee. It could just be the rumour mill though. If they do sell I wish for your own sakes it is Asda who buy it. Can't go wrong with Asda, the cheapest supermarket for the 7th year running.

If Asda can do it then, there is no reason why everyone else can't. But it all boils down to lack of competition.
Why not start an instore petition? I'm sure everyone who visits the store will sign it.

We also have a Morrisway in Perth and to be quite honest it is no cheaper than when I lived in Wick.
I really feel for you guys in the far north as you seem to pay the highest price possible for everything.
Part of the reason the population is in decline, but that's another subject.

You have all got to stand firm and fight this all the way.

**JAWS** · 06-Sep-04, 23:26

Didn't Tesco want to open a store in Wick not long ago and were refused planning permission?

Now there are complaints of lack of competition. Perhaps the blocking of the competition Tesco would have provided was a little short-sighted!

Once again our illustrious leaders have managed to fail us completely.

**Naefearjustbeer** · 07-Sep-04, 00:54

Originally Posted by JAWS

Didn't Tesco want to open a store in Wick not long ago and were refused planning permission?

.

If I remember correctly that was due to the fact they were planning a petrol staion as well as a supermarket.

**JAWS** · 07-Sep-04, 02:50

Oh dear! That would have been a disaster for the whole of Caithness!

If that had been allowed anything might have happened! People might even have used it and that would be the begining of the end!

**Naefearjustbeer** · 08-Sep-04, 21:09

Originally Posted by JAWS

Oh dear! That would have been a disaster for the whole of Caithness!

If that had been allowed anything might have happened! People might even have used it and that would be the begining of the end!

The problem with our lovely towns is the power that local businesses exert over what is and isnt allowed in the town. Can you imagine how happy all the petrol station owners would be if tesco were selling petrol at the tesco prices.
Also I heard a rumour that when one of the thurso chemists decided to sell up. The other chemists in the town bought it out to stop boots getting a place to open in thurso!!!

**badger** · 10-Sep-04, 21:11

I feel very sorry for all the former Safeway employees who have to field endless complaints about vanishing lines. Almost every visit now I find an item I took for granted is no longer stocked. I'm now buying at Co-op and Lidl just as a protest but why oh why didn't we get a Tesco? Maybe our planners should think again. The Co-op should sieze this chance to take over as the main local supermarket and increase their range to take in those basic items we can't get at Morrisons any more.

Maybe we should all write to Lord Morrison and remind him of part of his mission statement -
Our philosophy is to offer outstanding value for money, unbeatable customer service and a pleasant shopping experience.

He seems very shy of contact as there is no email address on their website, only a phone no. and snail mail.

**Gizmo** · 11-Sep-04, 14:19

I'd love to boycott the 'Morrisons' store in Wick, i'd say that at least 30% of my weekly shopping items have either been deleted or replaced with an inferior quality alternative, the fruit and veg is pretty poor quality, the packs of fresh chicken breasts are a very poor cut, the bakery has had many items deleted and the cat food section has half the selection it once had.

So yeah i'd love to boycott 'Morrisons'......but just where would i go for my weekly shopping?.....have any of you ever tried shopping in the Co-op after work on a friday night?, the shelves are always empty, the Wick Co-op is a disgrace of a supermarket, it used to be a fantastic place to shop, but since the refurbishment a few years ago it's all gone downhill.

It's gotten so bad trying to do a proper weekly shop in Wick that my missus wants to do a bi-weekly trip to Tesco in Inverness.

I just hope that it is true that the 'Compact' stores are to be sold off, but i wonder why they would bother to change the stores to 'Morrisons' stores if they are to be sold off, so maybe the sell off is just a rumour.

allie · 11-Sep-04, 16:57

Am I the only person who is a happy

shopper at Morrisons?
I find the fruit and veg to be of higher quality, definitely much cheaper than Safeways and plenty variety, not like Lidl's where the fruit is bitter and looks like class 2 goods. I have absolutely no idea whatsoever why anyone would brag about Lidl at all. There is no way anyone could do their weekly shop there. I bought the roasting beef the other week and had to bin it. I have never had such poor quality meat. The steak was the same, Rump, it said on the packet, more like stewing beef

Seriously, I still think Morrisons prices are way cheaper than Safeway. There are some items I can no longer get but there are loads of new items that I'm perfectly happy with.

I'll still be doing my shopping there as the only alternatives are the Co-op, which is much cheaper for washing powder, fabric conditioner & tumble drier sheets, but I always seem to take ages to find what I want there and I'm sure they don't have as much choice as Morrisons.
As for Lidl......well, there are so few items there that I would buy... actually, their chocolate spread is bril!!!

I would like to see ASDA move in on Caithness. I'm not bothered about Tesco coz I ain't that keen on it.

**JAWS** · 11-Sep-04, 17:04

I don't care who opens another Supermarket provided it gets rid of the "Take what you're given or do without" attitude.

It's ridiculous that a 200 mile round trip to shop for everyday items can end up being less expensive that going a 10 minute trip into town.

**concerned resident** · 25-Sep-04, 17:24

Friday the 24th of September 04, did a small shop in Morrison’s Supermarket Thurso, part of shopping two bars of Cadbury chocolate priced at £1-99, usual price £1-25 a bar.
When I arrived home I checked, and I had been charged £1-25 each bar, no special price as advertised.
Saturday the 25th of September 04 returned to Supermarket, went to customers desk, explained, and was handed my 51 pence, never even went and checked the price, made me wonder is this a common practice, what about the people with full super market trolleys, I bet they never check to see if the have been overcharged, they trust the supermarket to be honest. Make sure you get the saving, not morrisons. [/b]

**badger** · 25-Sep-04, 18:39

Morrisons' pricing with special offers is chaos. Watch out for reduced items that are up to their sell by date as I have found you can pay more for something with no shelf life left than the same item "new" on special offer, e.g. two for price of one. They don't take special offers into account when reducing out of date items.

You definitely need to check till slip for special offers as the computer doesn't always get it right. Must be a nightmare for the staff.

**JAWS** · 26-Sep-04, 00:05

"The staff having nightmares", badger. I'm glad you explained that.
I was starting to think that the screams as I approached was my fault!

For some reason I seem to have that effect on people occasionally.
I really can't think why that should be.

andy · 01-Oct-04, 22:33

All this complaining and brow beating about how my favourite items have disappeared and prices have gone up makes me laugh.
This is what happens when supermarkets are allowed to become the main outlet in a town. We as consumers have no power to go anywhere else all the other small shops have been forced to close or sell something else to survive.
Wishing for another even bigger multi-nation corporation to buy Morrisons and save us is riddiculous. We are just jumping out of the fring pan into the fire.
What happens when Tesco decide to raise prices. Where do we go then.
Real choice has all but disappeared.

**JAWS** · 01-Oct-04, 23:27

Funny how that argument doesn't seem to apply elsewhere.

Speak to the Managers of the various stores and you will find that the goods required soon appear.

The more competition the better, it might just shake some people out of their smug complacency.