>---------------< Introduction >---------------< Tesco is one of the worlds largest companies, with supermarkets ranging the world over and products now far in excess of food and drink. To some, Tesco is a company that is too big for its boots, too powerful, and too manipulative over local areas. To an extent I am inclined to agree with them. Small shops which have been trading for decades, overhauled by the introduction of a large Tesco to the area. However, I am a huge fan of Tesco not just because I have a large 24hr Tesco at the end of my road but also I am in favour of the huge range of products and services that Tesco provide and the jobs that it brings to the local area. Clearly this review has the potential to go on forever, but please bear with me and I will try to make it as short as possible. I will discuss further the damage that Tesco causes to the local area later in the review as well as the huge range of priducts and services which I will detail as best I can.
So if we are ready, then settle down, and I shall begin........
>--------------------------------< Background Information >--------------------------------< I think at this point a little background information into the history of the company would be useful and may make interesting reading for those of you who already are lovers of Tesco but were unsure of its origins.
In 1919 a young man called Jack Cohen founded Tesco. He sold groceries to people from a market stall in the East End of London. In stark contrast to Tesco as it is today, Jack made a profit of only £1 on his first day, whilst his total sales for day 1 were £4.
In 1924 the brand name Tesco came about when Jack started selling the first tesco branded product which was Tea! The name Tesco was formed when Jack went into business with a man named TE Stockwell, who was a partner in the tea company. Tesco was formed with the merging of the initials of both mens names TES from TES Stockwell and CO from Cohen. Tesco was born!
In 1929 Tesco moved from a market stall with the opening of the first Tesco Store. This store was located in London, in Burnt Oak.
During the 1960's Tesco experienced massive growth. In 1960 they took over 212 stores in the North of England and between 1964 and 1965 a further 144 stores were acquired.
During the 1970's annual sales for Tesco broke the £1billion mark whilst the company started opening up petrol stations at key stores.
During the 1980's the first proper checkouts were introduced, Tesco's healthy eating initiative is launched and annual sales exceed £2billion.
During
the 1990's Tesco is propelled to new heights! The advertising slogan "Every Little Helps" is launched in 1992, the same year that "computers for schools" is launched. The now infamous "Tesco Value" range was introduced in 1993 and the first Tesco Express opened in 1994. The Tesco clubcard was launched in 1995 and for the first time, Tesco goes global with stores emerging in the Republic of Ireland, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia!
During the 2000's Tesco's annual sales of £2billion in 1982 are transformed into a profit of £2billion in 2005. Tesco broadband is launched in 2004 and the company further expands to other countries worldwide.
For the future, Tesco is set to expand into the West Coast of the USA during 2007
>-----------------------< Store Information >-----------------------< Tesco has many hundreds of stores in the UK and clearly every store will be different. For the purposes of this review, I will be basing my store information on the facilities that are available at my local Tesco in Potters Bar which is open 24 hrs.
Store Location: Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 2PB
The facilities that are available at Tesco in Potters Bar are: a) Open 24 hrs b) Home Shopping c) Petrol Station d) Customer Toilets e) Cafe f) Jet Wash g) Car Wash h) Pharmacy i) Pay @ Pump j) Recycling k) 2 days Photo Processing l) Cash Machines m) Disabled Access
The product range available includes: a) Clothing b) Halal c) Asian d) Deli Counter e) Fish Counter f) Meat Counter g) 99 Octane Super Unleaded Petrol
The store itself is huge and has recently undergone a massive refurbishment and expansion. It always seems very clean inside and there is a huge carpark with ample space for parking. I have never seen the carpark full when I have been so I guess you will always be able to find a space to park. The carpark is also free.
The layout of the store is very pleasing to the eye and very spacious. It enables you to easily find what you want very quickly and the extra wide aisles ensure that things dont get too clogged up when the store is busy. As you go into the store there is a sandwich and cigarette counter so you dont have to go all round the store and queue up if you only require a sandwich at lunchtime or a box of cigarettes.
>------------------< The Products >------------------< What can I say! Jack Cohen has certainly expanded on his original market stall! Tesco now offers as diverse a range of products as you can bear to think of.
Forget just plain groceries! Texco has now expanded to phenominal levels and is now offering all of the different product types listed below:
Groceries Computing and Phones Home Electrical Sound and Vision Furniture House and Home DIY and Car Sport and Leisure Baby and Toddler Toys and Games Books, CD's, DVD's and Games Flowers Finance and Insurance Phones and Broadband Instore services also include photobooth, pharmacy, bakery, fish counter, meat counter and self-scan tills.
Obviously, I like most other people would more frequently shop for food products than other things in Tesco but the addition of all these other non-food products when I am in Tesco certainly tempts me to buy other things whilst im in there. Indeed last year I bought a laptop computer from my local Tescos for £399 and I was very impressed with it.
I think the main thing that keeps me shopping at Tescos is the huge value that I get from each visit. I buy a lot of food from the "Tesco Value" range and I am always very impressed by the quality and value of this range. Rarely do I find anything that I would consider to be not very tasty.
>-------------< The Staff >-------------< For this section I can only review the staff at my local Tesco as it is where I shop most of the time. I would assume that staff located at other stores are just as highly skilled and friendly as they are at the Potters Bar store.
Tesco employs a range of staff at my local store, from managers and supervisors, to checkout staff and shelf stackers all the way down to cleanors and janitors.
I have never ever experienced a problem with the attitude or competence of a member of Tesco staff. They always seem very friendly and always willing to help you if you cannot find something that you are looking for. They seem to display professionalism at all times and always have a smile on their face.
>----------------------------< Finance & Insurance >----------------------------< Not satisfied with groceries and home product shopping alone, Tesco has recently expanded dramatically to provide a range of financial products.
As yet I do not have any Tesco financial products however I am certainly interested in the Tesco credit card and Tesco savings account so I will shortly be applying for those.
The financial products that Tesco now offers are:
Insurance Car Breakdown Credit Cards Business
Pictures of Tesco (Shop)
Tesco Bag
Credit Cards Loans Mortgages Savings and Travel Insurance
I can only imagine that this list will steadily grow over the coming years.
>-----------------------------< Phones & Broadband >-----------------------------< As I mentioned in the background information, Tesco launched its broadband service in 2004 and since then its range of telecomunnications products has expanded drastically.
As with the finance products I am currently not a subscriber to any of Tescos communications products however, with a house move shortly, I will be switching my broadband provider to Tesco Finest Broadband which offers a much better wireless internet option than I am currently getting.
Tesco's range of products in this area includes:
Tesco.net Internet - Broadband Internet - Dial up Tesco Home Phone Internet Phone and Tesco Mobile
Again all these products appear to offer great value.
>---------------------------------------------------------------- ------< The debate about Tesco overpowering small shops >------------------------------------------------------------------- ---< When a company becomes as large as Tesco, it is inevitable that local communities will feel noticeable differences when a large store opens. The main talking point at the moment is that with the rapidly growing Tesco Empire, smaller shops in communities where Tesco has opened large superstores are suffering as a result.
Personally I would prefer to do all my shopping in one large supermarket than visit a butchers, bakers, fishmongers etc separately and I get better value by doing this. However I do feel it is important that smaller shops do not get pushed out by the likes of large supermarkets.
I think it would be a brilliant idea if Tesco (and other large supermarket chains) came up with a kind of community support programme where each supermarket chain donates a proportion of its profits to local shopkeepers in order to help them survive the financial burden of their customers being tempted into shopping in the supermarkets.
It has been suggested recently in the media that large superstores should only be opened on the outskirts of towns rather than in the centre. This would be a good idea to help smaller shops to remain in the town centres, however this would impact upon the elderly or those that do not drive and are unable to conveniently access a large supermarket without having to carry heavy bags of shopping miles home.
This debate is something which clearly is going to continue for years to come and I hope that the large supermarkets can reach some agreement which will see the financial future of small shopkeepers secured.
>----------------< Conclusion >----------------< I would definitely recommend Tesco to anyone who seeks good value from their shopping as well as exceptional quality.
I am a big fan of the Tesco Clubcard and anyone on a low income should subscribe to this as although the rewards are relatively small (1p in the £1) they soon add up and I now regularly am getting clubcard vouchers for £5 at a time (£500 spent in store) which I find very useful in the week before payday when funds are tight.
I have found Tesco to be cheaper than the other main supermarkets in my area and there own brand products are of a higher quality.
Stroll along to your local Tesco, you wont be disappointed.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Not a big Tesco fan myself, but a very thorough review.
paulpry118 25.08.2009 10:34
I do like Tesco and their clubcard points and deals come in very hand, last years points part paid for this years main holiday and we are taking our 3 1/2 year old to Butlins next month curtesy of Tesco!
mi_ke 18.03.2008 22:30
Tesco is a great store, and local shops, I believe don't close because of a nearby Tesco, but because of their sheer incompetence in offering local customers what they want and when they want. Great Review mate
Feb 18th, 2007
exceptional by (24%):
very helpful by (73%):
helpful by (3%):
