kevin747

When it comes down to it, Australia has a vastly superior selection and in spite of what all you lot say it is always cheaper,-Discuss

Carbery

Compared to what? At least in Australia there is a choice between supermarkets and independents. The choice comes down to do you want quality produce or overpriced average produce - by this I mean fruit & veggies, meat, fresh fish & seafood. The quality produce always comes from the independents / farmers markets which we always use. The sooner arrivals to these shores loose their 'supermarkets are the only option' blinkered approach and embrace the other options available in retail the better.

BadgeIsBack

Thought you weren't interested! Apart from bargain hunters I don't think realistically anyone has ever said they are cheaper in Australia.

Grayling

Samse as where most people live in Britain then

Carbery

Not really. I have not been in UK for 5 years but I imagine the scenario has not much changed from then. The major supermarkets destruction of the 'high street' has been well documented, the opening of out of town supermarkets sucking the life out of countless communities, closing local stores and making most town shopping centres a parade of charity shops or boarded up units was a cynical move. The main demographic targeted was 'families' with cars but to bolster quieter times (Tuesdays) the caring companies would provide free buses to take out poor / older people to shop.
As soon as the high streets had been cleansed of any independents the majors moved back in with a dual approach of opening 'metro' stores and buying up convenience store chains such as OneStop.

The main difference between shopping centres in UK / Aus is that the centres are not built by the supermarkets - they are operated by landlords such as Westfield, Centro etc and Wollies / Coles are only tenants. In UK the supermakets buy the land, develope the site and do not let any other stores open thus having no competition.

MartinLuther

From an investment point of view they make good profits and, as they have kept prices (and profits) high and not yet completely screwed their suppliers, there is capacity to see off competition.

Now if only they could import more stuff, profits would be humongous.


PS: This topic is really itching you arris, isn't it?

al150n

There is a choice in the UK still, it just depends if you make the effort to shop around for it.

We hate shopping in supermarkets like Tescos. All our veg is delivered by a local organic company once a week along with most of our milk & other dairy products. We can also order meat from them as well. By doing this we're supporting the local farmers & not lining the pockets of the major supermarkets. Prior to finding the veg people we use to buy from farm shops & local butchers. We do tend to use Waitrose for buying meat & fish as I'm extremely fussy & won't touch meat that's not organic & free range, if we can't buy it I'm a veggie.

Yes we may pay a little bit more for our meat & fish, after all you do get what you pay for but as for the veg it's no difference in price to the supermarket non organic stuff. Tescos organic fruit & veg range just doesn't compare to what we buy by any means & is more expensive. Yes we have to wash the mud off the carrots & potatoes but that's no great hardship. It does amaze me that if an orange isn't spotlessly clean or a carrot isn't nice & straight then people won't buy it

Alison x

jad n rich

A new pommy kid in my sons school just did a presentation in business studies that showed a UK supermarket would have 3% profits, and OZ ones would have up to 60% on some items. Son said he was quite vocal about it too

Now I am sure that was slightly OTT and no doubt spured on by picking his parents up off the floor after their first aussie grocery shop however I admired the kids spirit

There was another pom kid in the paper too, petition to stop selling dogs in pet shop windows.

MartinLuther

So, as the class was business studies, which one did he suggest people should invest in?

jad n rich

No idea but my westfarmers shares have gone from 13 - 31 bucks in under 2 years.

IMO investing in the stock market works by selecting companies that charge like wounded bulls and have no competition, worked OK so far and companies like that are an aussie specialty

Nah shares are like punting dont take my advice anyone its like currency markets, anyones guess.

MartinLuther

Both Woolies and Wesfarmers are a good buy. They've done much better than my Tescos shares over the same timeframe.

I was wondering if the teacher failed the boy's assessment, as comparing the operating profit of a UK supermarket to the markup on individual items has no useful meaning, business or otherwise. He surely can't be suggesting that all of UK super's items have only a 3% markup or that the Aussie supers are making 60% profits.

copa

lol .. white man's burden...

jad n rich

As I havent read the boys entire assessment piece I have no idea if thats the total, only or conclusive evidence he presented.

I just related a couple of points he made and the reaction from some kids which was go mate, good on you for saying it,

I personally would give him a A , one for speaking out, two for picking up so quickly on arrival the disparity in prices.

Sounds like the kid has a sharp eye for pricing and the balls to speak up, great business potential

MartinLuther

That's funny. Listening to people on here, the other kids (assuming they're mostly Aussies) should have been telling him that it's much more expensive in the UK and that he should f**k off home if he doesn't like it

jad n rich

The area this school is in had massive influx of pommie migrants 3/4years back, most classes have 7/8 pom kids in them at least, plus a sprinkle of international students as its a IB school. Not as aussie as you might think especially in subjects like business.