The neverending creep of Tesco

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:11 am

stutterdog wrote: Brandy wrote: Im going to get some stick for this but i avoid all the butchers in the market now after too many near missesThe meat from morrisons is by far the best ive had in years. How very brave of you to utter such words! ?? Why ??

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:13 am

Ravey, I just shop around. Yes wev'e had some cack, but on the whole it's been very good. I regulalry use the one at the top of the fish isle, already mentioned. Very good shop that one.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:15 am

raveydavey wrote: simonm wrote: stutterdog wrote: simonm wrote: Shopping still cheaper AND better quality in Leeds market to that of any of the big 5! Fact. You seem to have a bit of a bee in your bonnet Reggie. You don't happen to work for or have shares in said "supermarket Giant" do you? Each to their own Hi Simonm, I probably would agree with you re the cost of produce in Leeds market,but would you really fancy carrying 6 carrier bags on the 16 bus and then carrying them home from the bus stop to your house? I'll be very surprised if you sy you would! I think Reggie has outlined the pro and cons very well and I tend to agree with him on this and since I retired I can't afford to buy meat at the High St butchers. Funnily enough. Meat on the market is CHEAPER and better quality. Meat got from the local abatior from local'ish farmers and then hung to facilitate tenderness, then sold on to you. NOT, as in the case of the "ever so convenient supermarkets" Meat fed massive amounts of hormones / chemicals to double it's growing speed, then killed, near frozen, then pumped full of more watered chemicals to make it look appealing. Buy it, cook it and it shrinks to half it's size and tatses of a bland fraction of what it should! Just as a point of reference, which butchers do you go to in the market? I've had some really poor quality rubbish from one or two of the butchers in the market, to the point that mrs ravey refuses to entertain buying meat from Butchers Row again.It all looks good in the window under the coloured lights, but it's proven to be a different story by the time I've got home!I've found the butchers elsewhere in the market have provided better quality meat.And as for the cost of going shopping, the fact it now costs the best part of a tenner for two adults and two kids to get the bus anywhere and back is the reason there are so many private hire cars around. £3.90 for each adult "Firstday" (formerly DayRider), or £3 in a taxi door to door for up to 4 passengers? That is what our American friends call a no-brainer. I'm the same I do still buy the odd bit of steak from there as it is cheaper but it's very naive to think that they sell such superior meat when they stand at the front of the shop to drum up business, they will buy the cheapest stuff they can get their hands on so they can make a living. I've fallen for the "all this for a tenner" lark and if that's the deal put together by a butcher of quality then I'm Charlie Chan. Like you mate, the missus said "no more of that thanks". If I was in danger of going out of business (as many have) then I would be doign what I coudl to protect my margins. They used to be supplied by trade butchers over the road (Crowthers being one) but they are all gone now.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:30 am

Brandy wrote: Im going to get some stick for this but i avoid all the butchers in the market now after too many near missesThe meat from morrisons is by far the best ive had in years. Brave indeed, I don't think there is a marked difference in the stuff you can actually see but if you let them fill a bag for you you are virtually guaranteed poor stuff. A few on here have been stung and I think trust is an issue, at least with the supermarket you can pick which you want and it it was really that bad you would never buy it again.The only issue I have is that the standard cut of a steak in the supermarket is too thin making attempts to do "medium rare" almost impossible. Our local Morribogs has a butcher's counter so it's not an issue. I've had some great deals on rump when it's on offer. In contrast I bought 4 sirloins from my local butcher a couple of years ago and it came to £18.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:44 am

I think it's a mistake for them to compete on price, a small butcher will never outcompete the supermarkets on price without sacrificing quality. I use Callards as its one of the few that actually can tell you where the meat came from, often local and don't do 'too good to be true' offers. They've also got a knowledge of their tradeand will butcher an animal to your request. Some of the other butchers shops are no more than glorified retailers with slack-jawed lads who don't know their trade, selling poor quality frozen meat of various origins. For the butchers to survive and compete succesfully I do think they need to go down the high quality, locally sourced, rare breed etc market. And they are useless at marketinghemselves, last year one fella had local free range turkeys for sale, the sort that people will pay for. You only knew this if you could read the lable, his sign just said 'value turkey'. Mind you price is the biggest driver for some customers, as mentioned above a cheap chicken to feed the family is what most people are bothered about. If a butcher did rip me off I wouldn't go back to him.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 11:48 am

I had a lovely Sirloin from Morrisons last week. It cost £4.98.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 12:18 pm

Cardiarms wrote: I think it's a mistake for them to compete on price, a small butcher will never outcompete the supermarkets on price without sacrificing quality. I use Callards as its one of the few that actually can tell you where the meat came from, often local and don't do 'too good to be true' offers. They've also got a knowledge of their tradeand will butcher an animal to your request. Some of the other butchers shops are no more than glorified retailers with slack-jawed lads who don't know their trade, selling poor quality frozen meat of various origins. For the butchers to survive and compete succesfully I do think they need to go down the high quality, locally sourced, rare breed etc market. And they are useless at marketinghemselves, last year one fella had local free range turkeys for sale, the sort that people will pay for. You only knew this if you could read the lable, his sign just said 'value turkey'. Mind you price is the biggest driver for some customers, as mentioned above a cheap chicken to feed the family is what most people are bothered about. If a butcher did rip me off I wouldn't go back to him. I think you are right on the quality front, added value as well. If they dressed meat as well, ready to bung in the oven, foil tin and all I think they could charge a premium. A delivery service too. If you could go in and choose your meat for the week and have it delivered FOC they would attract more customers.But why do all that when you can stand at the door and shout "all this for a tenner" then go out of business blaming the supermarkets.

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 12:39 pm

Skeltons on ATS. Finest meat, very very good quality. I know which I prefer and it aint the water filled cack of the supermarket.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 12:42 pm

They are good, it can be a bit like Royston Vasey in there sometimes, but it adds to the character.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Tue 08 Dec, 2009 3:30 pm

For quality and an excellent product range Wilsons on Austhrope Road must be one of the best in the country,but you do pay for what you get,not cheap but first class meats,pies etc.I don't think their Morleyand Armley branches carry anything like their full range.Closer to home- Stephensons on Compton Road/Harehills Lanejunction keep some great meat,been using them for about ayear and have never been disapointed.