EVERY LITTLE HURTS

Friday, April 18, 2008

EVERY LITTLE HURTS

I loathe Tesco and everything it represents - the results of the Tescopoly on small businesses, our eating habits, farmers and on the way supermarkets operate in this country is possibly too late to do much about - to see it also happening in Thailand I find truly depressing.

6 comments:

morelikespace said...: over here, the same thing is happening with walmart (asda for you guys). it's been rumoured that they are even putting some pressure on the fda to modify their definition of organic in order to allow a broader range of products to qualify and therefore make the world's largest corporate gorilla seem a little more earth friendly, while sacrificing little in profit.; 8:17 PM
Chardman said...: True. True.
Not only Walmart, but other big-box food retailers as well, but Walmart's the biggest offender in that regard.
Grassroots efforts to stop new Walmart construction has been successful in some regions of my corner of the US.; 9:16 PM
_Black_Acrylic said...: Tesco are also libeling the Guardian newspaper for reporting on their tax-dodging:

http://tiny.cc/fQgYE; 9:49 PM
Michael Begg said...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfSi0D7KESk; 2:44 PM
Richo said...: To be perfectly honest, I've given up worrying about such matters. We can all shop in the local market if we wish and, indeed, I do, sometimes), but all these supermarkets are still there and no amount of virtual-hippie protestations will stop this. Beyond that, nowhere is open BUT fucking supermarkets or petrol stations carrying their subsidiaries should you happen to be driving at night in the UK and need a drink or a snack. They have the monopoly, and no amount of protesting or boycotting will stop it. I just accept it all as part of the modern landscape, to be frank. You can choose not to go to Tesco or Asda or wherever, but you'll achieve nada beyond making yourself feel slightly better for having not gone there. If you're gonna take umbrage with Tesco, go further and refuse to buy clothes or goods made in China or Taiwan. Refuse to shop or eat anywhere that may be guilty of having done some harm to our fantastic species, or the planet it thrives on. Sorry, but, over-simplifying it somewhat, I don't think anything's going to make a difference to anything beyond your own conscience.

Besides, when I'm driving at night (and already doing god knows what to the environment as a result), it's hard to find anything open beyond such places if one needs a snack.

I see all arguments for and against such places as Tesco (and, sheesh, I have a vegan step-cousin and ex-wife, so am fully aware of all the 'wrongs' around us!), but I'm simply resigned to them because I realise no amount of protesting on my part against them is going to make any difference.

Does it make me politically complacent? Does it make me a bad person? Does it mean I'm a part of the whole monstrous machine?

Jeez, I wish I could sleep more easily, for 'father' I have sinned by going to Tesco and buying a banana, a bottle of water and a packet of Minstrels because this store happened to be the only one open while I was driving in the late evening. Of course, I could've used more fuel by trying to find a market trader with a healthy sideline in soft drinks and Cadbury's chocolates, but I doubt I'd find one...; 11:17 PM
Richo said...: P.S. Having said everything above, I still think it's completely wrong of certain large companies to conduct themselves in the manner they do. And what Tesco Lotus are doing exemplifies this perfectly.; 1:02 PM