I’m sure most in fresh produce land are way past the stage of being surprised by the antics of the major customers in the UK. But when M&S and Waitrose start squabbling openly about which of them is cheapest, I for one begin to hanker after the old order of things.
Both have been as reassuringly expensive as a pint of Stella for so long, and happy to be so, that it is un-nerving to suddenly hear cheap shots firing between their respective boardrooms.
We know the big four are aligning themselves with the discount set, but the premium punch-up makes Tesco’s incredible new-found wish to be the biggest discounter in Britain seem somewhat tame.
Isn’t that exactly what Tesco is already? We get caught up in labels and categories such as discounter and supermarket chain - but the top four’s benchmarking of prices against each other not only unites them against the Aldis and Lidls of this world, it allows them to retain a sense of superiority while pursuing similar price points.
It clearly doesn’t wash with consumers at this time, as this week’s TNS figures again illustrate. But the major chains have hit the panic button, when surely a more measured approach would stand them in good stead.
FPJ spoke to many suppliers in Asia last week that clearly now have bigger fish to fry than our supermarkets. This lemming-like approach to self-promotion will not change their mind.
Tommy Leighton