>>consumers will remain an unpredictable force
Safeway and obesity. On the surface these two words have little in common. But, as two of the biggest issues of the year for the UK grocery market, the circumstances around them display some remarkable similarities.
Both have engendered government interest, or interference depending on where you sit in the debates. Both involve pressure groups trying to influence the outcome. The protagonists in both are major players within the sector. And both will result in decisions that will have a far-reaching impact on the market.
Yet, as with so many issues of this nature, the views of the most important section of society have been widely overlooked - those of the consumer.
This week The Grocer examines the role of the consumer in both these areas. In our three-page analysis of Safeway, timed to coincide with the handing over of the Competition Commission report to the DTI, we ask consumers who they would like to win the battle for the retailer. Over half those polled by TNS on our behalf were not bothered about the outcome (see page 31).
In the week it became known that ‘consumer champion’ Asda held secret talks with the commission - thus explaining the delay in the report handover - our survey shows 28% would prefer Asda to win against 24% for Tesco. Morrisons and Sainsbury are not far behind. The gap is not as wide as Asda would like us to believe.
More interestingly, over half these consumers thought the sector would benefit if Philip Green bought Safeway.
Meanwhile our feature on health (page 39) asks whether consumers should take more responsibility for their own decisions. The food and drink industry has faced a barrage of criticism in the health debate, so much so that many traders fear speaking out on the subject in case they incur the wrath of the consumer lobby. But, as Bryan Urbick, director of research at the Consumer Knowledge Centre says, consumers go round in circles when playing the blame game - ultimately blaming themselves for not liking the healthy food and drink options available to them.
All this goes to prove consumers often seem determined to fly in the face of logic, reason and even the plain desirable. There are myriad individual reasons why they think and act the way they do. No amount of PR or state nannying will change this.
the art of not taking notice
Safeway and obesity. On the surface these two words have little in common. But, as two of the biggest issues of the year for the UK grocery market, the circumstances around them display some remarkable similarities.
Both have engendered government interest, or interference depending on where you sit in the debates. Both involve pressure groups trying to influence the outcome. The protagonists in both are major players within the sector. And both will result in decisions that will have a far-reaching impact on the market.
Yet, as with so many issues of this nature, the views of the most important section of society have been widely overlooked - those of the consumer.
This week The Grocer examines the role of the consumer in both these areas. In our three-page analysis of Safeway, timed to coincide with the handing over of the Competition Commission report to the DTI, we ask consumers who they would like to win the battle for the retailer. Over half those polled by TNS on our behalf were not bothered about the outcome (see page 31).
In the week it became known that ‘consumer champion’ Asda held secret talks with the commission - thus explaining the delay in the report handover - our survey shows 28% would prefer Asda to win against 24% for Tesco. Morrisons and Sainsbury are not far behind. The gap is not as wide as Asda would like us to believe.
More interestingly, over half these consumers thought the sector would benefit if Philip Green bought Safeway.
Meanwhile our feature on health (page 39) asks whether consumers should take more responsibility for their own decisions. The food and drink industry has faced a barrage of criticism in the health debate, so much so that many traders fear speaking out on the subject in case they incur the wrath of the consumer lobby. But, as Bryan Urbick, director of research at the Consumer Knowledge Centre says, consumers go round in circles when playing the blame game - ultimately blaming themselves for not liking the healthy food and drink options available to them.
All this goes to prove consumers often seem determined to fly in the face of logic, reason and even the plain desirable. There are myriad individual reasons why they think and act the way they do. No amount of PR or state nannying will change this.
the art of not taking notice
No comments yet