Excellent business and PR move by Tesco for crap parent customers

a reply to: grainofsand

You know, I cooked everything my children ate from scratch, and for a good portion of their lives I raised all our meat and vegatables too. I was proud of that, that I was able to keep my children off of processed foods you purchase in stores, foods that have been sprayed or genetically altered in some way or pumped full of hormones.

But you see, not everyone in life is that lucky. And what you find, especially in cities, is that the poor cannot afford good and nutritious foods, the processed crap is frankly much cheaper, and when on a seriously tight budget that is what you are stuck buying... processed foods which cause obesity.

Here it costs 1.00 for an orange, and 1.50 for an entire box of 12 Twinkies. Its cheaper to buy macaroni than it is to buy salad ingredients, and meat... nearly out of the question anymore.... starches become the filler.

So you can judge some people all you like, but you really don't know how those questions were posed to the parents, why they may have answered them the way they did, or why they make unhealthy choices when shopping. It could be as simple as unhealthy processed foods is all they can afford.

Why can't parents simply say "no" anymore?

a reply to: Cinrad

Why are people so concerned where the candy is being placed? Afraid you will have to walk 20 additional steps to indulge your guilty pleasures?

I swear I have never seen anyone so upset about the possibility they wont be putting candy at the checkout anymore! It's not like they will stop selling it! Get a grip!

originally posted by: OpinionatedB
a reply to: Cinrad

That does not answer my question, I dont care where they place the chocolate in a supermarket, I only buy top quality chocolate from the importer if I want chocolate - make my own bars with whatever I want in them and it is actually cheaper than the sugar laden # the sell at Tesco and friends, you have to buy a 2.5 kg bag of it and eat in moderation.

But I have noticed there is a lack of parental self control that has developed over the last generation, my parents would simply say "no" when I wanted something they didnt want me to have. My freind's parents were the same, except for the kid next door, his parents would buy him whatever he wanted, let him do whatever he wanted and he ended up crashing his over powered car in to a pole. I could question my parents about thier decision, but whether I liked it or not, the answer was no. The same with things like going on school camp, I didnt always get to go, now days parents wouldnt dream of saying no, its more like "all the other kids are going, he cant miss out". Most parents never say no to thier children today, they either cave in or offer an alternative. What is wrong with the child coming up with an alternative?

a reply to: redhorse
Ah, I'm loving the psychological assessment and the philosophical debating critique, but for all your claims of crap processed food being cheaper for those at the the lower levels of the socio-economic scale, or whatever, you cannot get fat eating junk food if you consume less energy than used.
Parents are in control of the food budget for their kids, so it is the fault of the parent who provides more calories than their child needs when the child is fat. Which bit of that do you disagree with?

I shall ignore the emotional side of your argument crying about my attitude or whatever as that is of course off-topic, but sticking to the OP, I say again, parents who have begged a store to move products because they struggle saying no to their kids are crap parents in my opinion.
If you disagree please do explain why.

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originally posted by: OpinionatedB
But you see, not everyone in life is that lucky. And what you find, especially in cities, is that the poor cannot afford good and nutritious foods, the processed crap is frankly much cheaper, and when on a seriously tight budget that is what you are stuck buying... processed foods which cause obesity.

Typical lame defence for fat people that processed foods are the cheapest and they cause obesity. Of course they are, if you eat 3 or 4 thousand calories worth each day!
I eat loads of cheap processed crap high fat/corn syrup/sugar based foods every day, but I consume no more in calorific value than I use. It is why I am not fat.
If I wanted to get fat that would be easy, just consume more energy than I use.

All I can say is lol.

I bet it sucked being a kid in your house.

Like Willy Wonka's father in Charley and Chocolate Factory.

Oh high and mighty one.

a reply to: Cinrad
Totally agree, weak parents who struggle to say no have only themselves to blame when their children get fat.
I'm shocked that anyone actually disagrees with that pretty basic (and quite obvious) logic.

a reply to: liejunkie01
Nah, really good relationship with my lad, and a very happy fat-free home.
Your comments are not really on topic though so I shall dismiss your silly points as trolling

*Edit*
I assume trolling from a parent of a fat kid caused solely as a result of the failure to say 'no' to more calories than needed?
Do you really disagree that fat kids are caused by crap parents providing more energy than their kids use? Really?

a reply to: grainofsand

Haven't you heard?

All Americans are fat.

My son is a bit chunky, not obese either, but my daughter is skinny.

Your assumptions and attitude explain alot about you.

a reply to: liejunkie01
A lot was explained about your good self in your reply, but that is off-topic so I shall not chase such a conversation.

If, as you say, all Americans are fat, it would indicate that said Americans are consuming more energy/calories than they use.
I'm curious, are you pleased or proud about that?

*Edit*
Oh, and if all American kids are fat then I say it is as a result of crap energy distribution management by the people who control the resources...the parents. Please do explain your reasons if you disagree with such an assertion.

Now, if any interested members would like to discuss the OP about a corporate beast moving fat foods at the request of weak (Edit, crap) parents who struggle to say no to their kids I'm interested.

Bleating about my attitude regarding fat kids and parents who are to blame is just lamely emotional and a sidetrack from the OP.
I may or may not engage if you choose to go down the fat-victim path, but the self righteousness should really be expressed in a thread of your own, I'm interested in Tesco (the biggest supermarket chain in the UK) pandering to weak parents who couldn't choose the healthy option to say no to their kids until the sweets n chocolate were moved from the checkout...lame.

a reply to: grainofsand

First I would like to point out, the actual questions posed were not posted, so we do not know anything in regards to the actual poll - only what Tesco said themselves about the results.

Second, we spend out lives saying no to our children. No is our favorite word - and often the first word a young child learns to say, because they hear it so much. When used too much, it looses its impact, so parents try to gauge how often they use the word - and not overuse it. It's important for it to have impact for the really important things in life.

Children are wired to respond to parents’ warnings of danger but only if the warnings are not overused. Too many “no’s” in a child’s day become meaningless and actually teach children not to listen.

Link

That means saying yes occasionally. Now, most parents have no problem saying the word... we say it frequently throughout our day, especially when we have young children. Candy at the checkout is there for the impulse buying aspect.

Consumers will buy these items but rarely seek them out. That’s why, ever since the 1960s, small goods have crept steadily closer to the checkout counter where the captive shopper can easily spot them, grab them, and pay for them before having the chance to reconsider. By minimizing the time to purchase, retailers capitalize on the short-lived nature of your impulses.

Who is most impulsive? Children. So it never fails, your child will ask you "Mommy can I have?" and you will say no. Again that day, for the 10th or 20th time that day, you will have now said no... and the day is not even over.

Why would you, as a parent, not be happy they might move the candy? I would be happy for all parents to be honest. One no just got knocked out. That's a good thing in my opinion, it will make other more important no's much more effective.

That said, I think Tesco might have ulterior motives here. Like even you admitted, they want sales. The problem arises when with the advent of smart phones and texting, people are no longer making those impulse purchases at the checkout anymore. Sales are down across the board, at least here in the United States, mainly due to people texting and being on their phones when standing in line at the checkout instead of doing that impulse buying.

Tootsie Roll Industries, an undiversified candy business with heavy exposure to the impulse aisle, has been suffering disproportionately to its industry competitors. In mid-August, Tootsie’s stock price dipped below its 200-day moving average of $29.58 per share. In its Q2 earnings report, Tootsie acknowledged a 3% decrease in its first-half-year net sales as compared to 2012, and a 6% decrease in Q2 year over year.

Things aren’t so rosy for the better-positioned candy companies, either. Recently Hershey CEO John Bilbrey hinted that mobile blindness might be a primary factor behind the 5.5% decline in the company’s gum business in 2012.

As several high-profile companies have openly expressed concern about mobile blinders, it seems to be a major threat.

Are Smarphones Making Us Less Impulsive

But that is okay! All will be well for the corporations because, there in the UK they are trying out some new and innovative marketing techniques.

Facial recognition, image matching, and preference-based retargeting have already gone live in Asia and the U.K., as well as in some higher-end stores and hotels in the U.S

Are Smartphones Making Us Less Impulsive?

While Tesco may tell you its because they "care"... I think it more a test, can they figure out how to make the sale without the checkout impulses? Because they don't work like they used to.

Nomi, of New York, uses Wi-Fi to track customers’ behavior in a store, but goes one step further by matching a phone with an individual.

When a shopper has volunteered some personal information, either by downloading a retailer’s app or providing an e-mail address when using in-store Wi-Fi, Nomi pulls up a profile of that customer — the number of recent visits, what products that customer was looking at on the Web site last night, purchase history. The store then has access to that profile.

“I walk into Macy’s, Macy’s knows that I just entered the store, and they’re able to give me a personalized recommendation through my phone the moment I enter the store,” said Corey Capasso, Nomi’s president. “It’s literally bringing the Amazon experience into the store.”

Nomi then uses Wi-Fi signals to follow the customer throughout the store, adding to the information it maintains. “If I’m going and spending 20 minutes in the shoe section, that means I’m highly interested in buying a pair of shoes,” Mr. Capasso said, and the store might send a coupon for sneakers.

Attention, Shoppers: Store Is Tracking Your Cell

Coming to a Tesco Near You!

But I'm sure your right, they are doing this just because parents cannot make healthy choices if the snacks are at the checkout. (sarcasm)

originally posted by: OpinionatedB
we spend out lives saying no to our children. No is our favorite word - and often the first word a young child learns to say, because they hear it so much. When used too much, it looses its impact, so parents try to gauge how often they use the word - and not overuse it. It's important for it to have impact for the really important things in life.

Interesting thoughts, but saying no is the parents job where appropriate.
If a parent can see their child getting fat and still continues to purchase sweets and chocolate for the child because they struggle saying no then they are weak parents. Do you not agree?

Why would you, as a parent, not be happy they might move the candy?

I am not happy or unhappy about the decision by the retailer. My local supermarket could have had a tunnel of sweets/candy to walk through to the checkout and it would have had no influence over my purchasing choices for products I would choose to buy for my son. It is the parent who chooses to make the purchase, not the child.

That said, I think Tesco might have ulterior motives here. Like even you admitted, they want sales.

Of course, they are selling a legal product, and it is up to parents to decide which they purchase.
I would rely on crap parents buying my candy if I was selling it. Healthy people don't buy so much, so clearly targetting crap parents is a good business decision.

When a shopper has volunteered some personal information, either by downloading a retailer’s app...

That says it all really, volunteered.
I don't have any store 'loyalty' cards or cell phone apps/open wifi/bluetooth/whatever so will never be subject to such a situation.
If any parents do, and it contributes towards them choosing to buy crap for their kids through their weakness then again, they are crap parents.

But I'm sure your right, they are doing this just because parents cannot make healthy choices if the snacks are at the checkout. (sarcasm)

The parents make the choice, every time.
Lamely bleating about corporate tactics to push products on consumers is just that, lame.
The parents make the choice of the purchase. The parents choose to be weak when a child asks for the product and they say yes. The parent who cannot say no to their child when it is in their best interest is weak...and crap.