I’m with you in abandoning the ‘new look’ Morrisons

From: Roger Livesey, Farnley Road, Menston.

TOM Richmond isn’t the only one abandoning the Guiseley Morrisons (Yorkshire Post, June 16). I was infuriated on Saturday morning when, wanting just two chicken breasts, I could find only packets with a minimum of four and, what is worse, paying way over the odds – around 16.5 per cent more – if I did not buy three packets.

There was a good reason why, on this occasion, I didn’t want to buy a whole chicken and take off the breasts (but I’ll get ripped off if I don’t buy three of those!). The store is now littered with “offers” (I say rip-offs) like this: one white loaf costs 70p – 40 per cent more than if you buy two for £1. Of course Morrisons is not the only supermarket doing this, but they claim now to be setting the standard so let’s see some evidence.

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Why should people within small families (we are two), let alone those who are without the ready cash to buy in quantity and thus likely to be less well off, be penalised in this way? Moreover, this policy encourages waste which is a disgrace in a world where a significant number of people are starving.

I well remember the first week of the “new look” when the price of five “mix and match” rolls was subtly hiked to £1.35, 12.5 per cent more than £1.25 the week before. I haven’t bought any since.

And what is all this nonsense about pricing things like fish in 100g units rather than kg? I know the general standard of mental arithmetic is appalling now but this is just another attempted con. Has anyone else noted that all the lower cost vegetables are priced by the kg, but the high priced ones by the 100g? Who do they think they are kidding?

The first impressions of the new store were indeed good – brighter, airier – but, as Tom says, many of the new “fresh” products are exciting on first view but unlikely to be bought by many, especially if they look closely at the prices. And large sections of shelving are given over to expensive branded products, some of which are of little nutritional value (does anybody really eat all that horrible Muller “corner” stuff?).

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Will someone explain the logic of putting fresh pasta next to the fish counter, or the nuts next to ready meals? To be fair, my experience in asking staff where something is located have not been as Tom’s, they have always been able to tell me and helpful. But his implication that the cash points are often undermanned is fair.

I’m pleased to see that this issue has been picked up in Tom Richmond’s column, always a good read, because I might rant about it on my blog or twitter (grumpytyke) but he hopefully will have the influence to get some sense back in to my local store.

Sir Ken Morrison knows that you cannot con a Yorkshire customer for long. Where do the new management come from?

From: Peter McFarlin, Brewery Road, Ilkley.

THE comments we have heard from people that use the Morrisons store in Guiseley have, in the main, been very positive once the layout has been worked out.

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As to Tom Richmond’s comments regarding Sir Ken Morrison, well you amaze me. Time, ideas, methods move on. We all know what happened when Morrisons took Safeways over, what a mess!

The Yorkshire Post not supporting a Yorkshire company, really Mr Richmond, where do your loyalties lie?

From: Andrew Mercer, Guiseley.

I CAN just about accept the new-look Morrisons not having packets of four baking potatoes – or running out of lettuce – on the hottest weekend of the year. The reason I no longer shop there is because the staff cannot tell customers when these items will be stock.

I’m with Tom Richmond – Sainsbury’s is much better, customer service wise.