Watchdog to demand an end to planning of "Tesco towns"
Sunday Times, Sunday 28 October 2008, Business Section, page 1 - extracts:
"A crackdown on "Tesco towns" is set to be unveiled this week by the Competition Commission when it releases the provisional findings of its 18 month inquiry into the UK grocery market ..." ...
"It will argue that competition could be encouraged by the introduction of a "fascia" or competition test ..." ... .
"In a detailed examination of competition in and around large stores, investigators found that just over a third of all stores have no more than two rivals within a ten minute drive. Nearly 100 big stores have no competition at all within a 10-minute drive ...".
What are Seaton's nearest superstores? Tesco Axminster - 10 minute drive, Tesco Honiton around 20 minutes, Waitrose (not one of the big 4) - 25 minutes. Any of the other "big 4" stores nearby: Sainsbury - no; Asda - no; Morrisons - no.
posted by Fighting for East Devon's future @ 6:45 pm
1 Comments:
Infact 'More supermarkets' is the call from the Competition Commission - and this is despite the chair claiming he is “not happy” with the effects of large supermarkets on suppliers.
The Commissions' illogical, inconsistent and ill-informed report suggests we need more supermarkets, when what we should be doing is shifting to more local and organic production.
In Gloucestershire we've seen the heart of Stroud ripped out by three out of town stores - the loss of virtually all food stores - some 10 years later revival of the town centre is being led by the weekly Farmers Market. In other County towns supermarkets have killed the High Streets.
The Competition Commission has repeatedly shown its impotency where supermarket regulation is concerned and simply refuses to accept the reality that these superstores are a drain on our societies and on our environment - and often lead to higher prices and less consumer choice.
Three UK supermarkets now control almost 25% of the UK's clothing market and this is growing rapidly, forcing smaller retailers out of business. Meanwhile the four largest supermarkets account for nearly 75% of all grocery sales at our supermarkets and convenience stores. They depend massively upon dwindling fossil fuels for transport, fertilisers and copious amounts of packaging. A fifth of all car journeys are either to or from a supermarket: a situation that will only worsen if their numbers increase.
Green MEPs have proposed tough new rules to protect rural economies and the environment and are calling for the EU Commission to examine supermarkets dominance.
We also want a Royal Commission on Food Security to propose ways of boosting local producers and suppliers, as well as the growing organic sector. Our government must do more to protect our already beleaguered and usually under-rewarded farmers, the environment and rural communities.
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