Consumer chairman backs calls for third supermarket
Friday 19th March 2010, 2:57PM GMT.
Consumer Council chairman Alan Breckon
A THIRD supermarket would drive down prices and increase choice for Islanders, according to Consumer Council chairman Alan Breckon.
Responding to a leaked Economic Development department report recommending scrapping countryside protection in favour of a new large food operator, Senator Breckon said that increasing competition would be good for Islanders.
He said that building on an ‘edge-of-town or semi-rural’ site, as proposed by the report, would be a Planning issue and not a retail one – adding that previous sites had been mooted at Green Street car park or the Airport.
And he said that protests from Sandpiper and the Co-op were just an attempt to defend their businesses. ‘What the existing operators are worried about is a big hitter with some power,’ said Senator Breckon.
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Was the vote carried out on this very website an idication that there is nearly a 50/50 split between people who do and don’t want another supermarket in the island?! Surely with a division like that people like Senator Breckon should put their comments on hold until further investigations are completed!
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Can a new operator be contracted to be “competetive” with their prices & not increase prices inline with other supermarkets trading here already once their feet are under the table.
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No one has been happy with prices of UK supermarkets..
LETS HAVE A FRENCH ONE WITH DIFFERENT PRODUCTS!
Locals used to shop in St Malo 3/4 time a week, when we had a decent and fare priced service to St Malo with Emeraude!
Go for it Jersey States be Brave………
Martin
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2 wouldn’t go amiss 1 budget and other full size thanks Alan for reminding us we had 5 although i,m not sure if it was alliance or Lipton’s the 5th one
The last vote in survey was 80% for,so I wouldn’t take heed of this one.
vested interest would put no for obvious reasons,shop staff after being told they would lose their jobs by zealous owners CoC protecting their interests,farm shops spars etc all don,t want any other as they would have to lower their prices to keep customers.
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If anyone is naieve enough to envisage one cheap supermarket and four expensive ones you must be mad .thay all charge what this captive audience will stand…remember Morrisons..this is a total ruse to flout the countryside protection rules.Why were the Odeon site people kept at bay..?,and if they really believed another supermarket was needed why not just let them have it in David place near car parking etc. No it is this rapacious Govt’s…lust for growth at all costs .don’t be fooled folks they are bent on ruining this green and pleasant land.let them know you see through it and oppose it.
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nice one Alan my son, boot ime us geordies stuck together, there are no qualies on tynside, we are all eqaul unlike this racist shower. Hope we can get cheaper brown all as well!!!
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And here i was often supporting Breckon and then he goes and says this! Consumer choice is NOT the most important thing facing Jersey at the moment and to sacrifice our countryside just to give us a few pence off of a loaf of bread will not benefit what in the bigger picture Jersey needs.
Money aint everything (even though most people here now worship the green/blue paper!) but quality of life is!
Breckon – think before you jump in and look at the bigger picture.
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In theory, the greater number of supermarkets and competition SHOULD result in lower prices. But I somewhow don’t see it.
Following this logic, the current massive house/flat building programmes in the island SHOULD result in an oversupply and falling property prices, but this clearly is not happening.
Jersey has become one large business, which is being manipulated for maximum return / proffit
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re: Geordieboy……. boat in the morning! you can be back in tyneside by teatime…. have a nice little fishy when your boat comes in….
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As people have already commented on other articles on this issue, already existing supermarket premises should be given over to a new company, this will allow more competition without destroying the land. The competition regulators should get involved.
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OK !! Lets all sit down quietly and re assess? Why dont the powers toe want a third superarket? Well its fairly obvious unless we are all blind. Most of them already have shares in the local companies and they are the ones lining their pockets with the profits. Look around the island and theres the them and us status. The ones with the money leeding it from our pockets to pay £1.50 for a loaf of bread and then theres US the people earng an honest wage but being forced to pay exuberent prices. COME ON THE PEOPLE OF JERSEY WAKE UP !!!! We need a 3rd supermarket where we can all affor to shop.
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@ highlighter #11
“…Most of them already have shares in the local companies and they are the ones lining their pockets with the profits…”
Which local companies are you talking about? Sandpiper CI and CICS are the only supermarket operators are they not? While I don’t doubt that some of the States Members have a share in the CICS the same as I do(yes I’ll declare my interest!) I’ve no idea whether they own any shares in either Duke Street or Europa Capital, the two international companies that own Sandpiper.
“…Well its fairly obvious unless we are all blind…”
Of course you have had sight of some evidence right? You’re not just talking about rumour and gossip, you’ve seen what shareholdings people have, right?
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