What The Hell Is Happening At Tesco?

[toenail]

Where are the critics that will write in this forum and say "This is Thailand, why do you expect it to be like the UK?", or "I don't mind driving around the city looking for my Western imports-gives me something to do..." or "If you expect Western food in Thailand, then you should go back to your country..." or "Don't expect TESCO to be managed like it is in the UK, this is Thailand. Expect inferrior service and management..."

[OMGImInPattaya]

As far as I know, TESCO/LOTUS was sold to a Japanese "Investement-Consortium" (whatever that means), some 2 years ago, if I am not mistaken.That could explain, that there is less western/british food on the shelves.

The "canned-food" shelve in rural Thailand at aTesco "Express" is strictly reduced to "fish". (No more Corned-Beef, etc.)

I must conclude, that the new japanese owners must expect a massive influx of japanese tourists into rural-thailand, that will be happy to live on canned-fish only.

Cheers.

For many Poor rural and urban Thais...canned fish is a mainstay of their diet so don't knock it. Sorta like the poor in USA eating canned fish [cat food] as well. I think tesco is Thailand, whatever the ownership, is going after the local market almost exclusively.

[jbrain]

As far as I know, TESCO/LOTUS was sold to a Japanese "Investement-Consortium" (whatever that means), some 2 years ago, if I am not mistaken.That could explain, that there is less western/british food on the shelves.

The "canned-food" shelve in rural Thailand at aTesco "Express" is strictly reduced to "fish". (No more Corned-Beef, etc.)

I must conclude, that the new japanese owners must expect a massive influx of japanese tourists into rural-thailand, that will be happy to live on canned-fish only.

Cheers.

For many Poor rural and urban Thais...canned fish is a mainstay of their diet so don't knock it. Sorta like the poor in USA eating canned fish [cat food] as well. I think tesco is Thailand, whatever the ownership, is going after the local market almost exclusively.

What you're talking about poor Thais ? This government promised in their election campaign that every one would be rich in 6 months, and since they're in power for almost 2 years now.............

[xen]

I was discussing how Tesco were getting worse with a friend a few years ago and his reply was Tesco isn't interested in making money from supermarket items but the main source of income is from the rents of the shops and the stalls in their building and on their grounds. The supermarket is just there to draw the customers . His words were that they are in the business of real estate ,not groceries.

If that is correct then it understandable why their standards in the supermarkets and stores are so low. As long as they are getting rent from Se-Ed and Pizza Company then who gives a stuff if the meat section stinks and the shelves only stock one brand of palm oil.

The Tesco Express stores are franchises and attempt to copy the 7 /11 or Family Mart model . If they fail it will be resold to another franchee who will try to make money . Tesco does not loose.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

And judging by the very high import duty on foodstuff,it's a wonder they sell any at all,must be the quality eh!

There is no very high import duty on food.

This is a occuring event at all the hypermarkets in Thailand.

Ooops, there are only 2 hypermarket chains in Thailand, and that is what they realise.

You forgot Makro.

[SGD]

Some of the older hands will remember around 2006/7 when rice supplies dried up and those huge areas of supermarkets where whey have 20 high of 100 brands in 20kg sacks were reduced to a couple of small stacks and people getting agitated when they couldn't buy rice.

[doggie888888]

I always buy Tesco/BigC boneless chicken breasts for 75-90 bath a kilo. Very tasty , nutritious, and versatile.

Are these the exposed meats that people prod, touch, sniff at, sneeze over, drool over and breathe over that are stored in exposed trays at temperatures that don't really slow down decomposition ????

[OMGImInPattaya]

I was discussing how Tesco were getting worse with a friend a few years ago and his reply was Tesco isn't interested in making money from supermarket items but the main source of income is from the rents of the shops and the stalls in their building and on their grounds. The supermarket is just there to draw the customers . His words were that they are in the business of real estate ,not groceries.

If that is correct then it understandable why their standards in the supermarkets and stores are so low. As long as they are getting rent from Se-Ed and Pizza Company then who gives a stuff if the meat section stinks and the shelves only stock one brand of palm oil.

The Tesco Express stores are franchises and attempt to copy the 7 /11 or Family Mart model . If they fail it will be resold to another franchee who will try to make money . Tesco does not loose.

Maybe because if the main anchor store, I.e., Lotus, is crap and people stop coming to the center at all nobody will want to rent the stalls in an empty mall.

[jbrain]

This is a occuring event at all the hypermarkets in Thailand.

Ooops, there are only 2 hypermarket chains in Thailand, and that is what they realise.

You forgot Makro.

No I didn't, Makro is a whole saler.

Edited March 20, 2013 by jbrain

[osten]

Nobody talking about Villa? Perhaps they don't have a branch in Pattaya? They have huge variety of Western food...for a price.

[MAJIC]

And judging by the very high import duty on foodstuff,it's a wonder they sell any at all,must be the quality eh!

There is no very high import duty on food.

>This is a occuring event at all the hypermarkets in Thailand.

Ooops, there are only 2 hypermarket chains in Thailand, and that is what they realise.

You forgot Makro.

How much is "no very high import duty on food" if that is true then someone is making a wopping big profit on imported food.

[MAJIC]

And judging by the very high import duty on foodstuff,it's a wonder they sell any at all,must be the quality eh!

There is no very high import duty on food.

>This is a occuring event at all the hypermarkets in Thailand.

Ooops, there are only 2 hypermarket chains in Thailand, and that is what they re

alise.

You forgot Makro.

How much is "no very high import duty on food" if that is true then someone is making a wopping big profit on imported food.

Having now done a search,according to this link,there is a 72% import duty on food into Thailand!

http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6762370_thailand-import-duties.html

[jbrain]

How much is "no very high import duty on food" if that is true then someone is making a wopping big profit on imported food.

Having now done a search,according to this link,there is a 72% import duty on food into Thailand!

http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6762370_thailand-import-duties.html

I'm sure you don't consider Ehow.com as a reliable source of course. Import duties will vary depending on which kind of food item, which are the ingredients etc.

On top of that there are excise taxes and some other taxes to be paid.

And don't forget that for each and every food item you will need a seperate FDA license, which takes a massive amount of papers, time and of course money.

[MAJIC]

How much is "no very high import duty on food" if that is true then someone is making a wopping big profit on imported food.

Having now done a search,according to this link,there is a 72% import duty on food into Thailand!

http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6762370_thailand-import-duties.html

I'm sure you don't consider Ehow.com as a reliable source of course. Import duties will vary depending on which kind of food item, which are the ingredients etc.

On top of that there are excise taxes and some other taxes to be paid.

And don't forget that for each and every food item you will need a seperate FDA license, which takes a massive amount of papers, time and of course money.

If Ehow.com is not a reliable source,as you are implying,then i really think you should show a more reliable one,to support your argument!

[jbrain]

How much is "no very high import duty on food" if that is true then someone is making a wopping big profit on imported food.

Having now done a search,according to this link,there is a 72% import duty on food into Thailand!

http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6762370_thailand-import-duties.html

I'm sure you don't consider Ehow.com as a reliable source of course. Import duties will vary depending on which kind of food item, which are the ingredients etc.

On top of that there are excise taxes and some other taxes to be paid.

And don't forget that for each and every food item you will need a seperate FDA license, which takes a massive amount of papers, time and of course money.

If Ehow.com is not a reliable source,as you are implying,then i really think you should show a more reliable one,to support your argument!

What would you think about the Thai customs website ?

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/home/homewelcome

[MAJIC]

@ jbrain (sorry I could only reply this way)

Going by the following Assessment page from their Customs website,it appears very complicated,no doubt about that,but still appears to be a very high rate of Import duty and + add ons,judging by their own examples,from the page below!

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/sample+of+duty+assessment/sampleofdutyassessment

[jbrain]

@ jbrain (sorry I could only reply this way)

Going by the following Assessment page from their Customs website,it appears very complicated,no doubt about that,but still appears to be a very high rate of Import duty and + add ons,judging by their own examples,from the page below!

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/sample+of+duty+assessment/sampleofdutyassessment

The point I actually wanted to make regarding the Ehow quote is that it is an figure taken out of tin air, and that the real costs probably much higher are in reality.

I also know that the FDA license you need for each product seperately is very time and money consuming.

[MAJIC]

@ jbrain (sorry I could only reply this way)

Going by the following Assessment page from their Customs website,it appears very complicated,no doubt about that,but still appears to be a very high rate of Import duty and + add ons,judging by their own examples,from the page below!

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/sample+of+duty+assessment/sampleofdutyassessment

The point I actually wanted to make regarding the Ehow quote is that it is an figure taken out of tin air, and that the real costs probably much higher are in reality.

I also know that the FDA license you need for each product seperately is very time and money consuming.

I would agree that the real costs are probably much higher,my original post was refering to a Import duty which was much too high.

and importing cars in particular can't be worth it for the importer.

There dosn't appear to be any ballpark figure as Ehow were claiming more like a charter to charge what they like.

[jbrain]

Passed by at Big C Extra in Chonburi by coincidence today, and I can say that we can deem ourselves lucky that we are in Pattaya, since it is a real cry overthere.

As I saw zero Casino products in the shop, a name which is also quickly disapearing in the Pattaya branch by the way, I asked one of the managers walking around why it is.

She told me that they are not allowed to sell Casino products, they had them earlier same as every Big C, and that soon a super center would open that carried all the Casino products.

It made me think that Casino is stepping out of the Big C venture. Anyone heard something ?

Edited March 24, 2013 by jbrain

[transam]

I used to be able to get quite nice frozen Indian food at Tesco until the floods. Now don't stock it. My HP sauce has gone. Not a happy bunny.

[Fgis]

Passed by at Big C Extra in Chonburi by coincidence today, and I can say that we can deem ourselves lucky that we are in Pattaya, since it is a real cry overthere.

As I saw zero Casino products in the shop, a name which is also quickly disapearing in the Pattaya branch by the way, I asked one of the managers walking around why it is.

She told me that they are not allowed to sell Casino products, they had them earlier same as every Big C, and that soon a super center would open that carried all the Casino products.

It made me think that Casino is stepping out of the Big C venture. Anyone heard something ?

It seems that you don't know the story: French Casino already owner of BigC Thailand bought Carrefour South east Asia or 1 billion USD.

But for now only few BigC sells Casino brand, also in Bkk:

http://www.bigc.co.th/en/products/casino/

Only for sale at following store : Extra Rama 4/ Extra Ratchadapisek/ Extra Phuket/ Extra Pattaya/Extra chaengwattana/ Extra Ladprao/ Extra Chiangmai/ Extra Onnuch

BAANORK BigC won't sell Casino brand because these MOTOSAI living there cannot understand what is good or not :-)

[jbrain]

Passed by at Big C Extra in Chonburi by coincidence today, and I can say that we can deem ourselves lucky that we are in Pattaya, since it is a real cry overthere.

As I saw zero Casino products in the shop, a name which is also quickly disapearing in the Pattaya branch by the way, I asked one of the managers walking around why it is.

She told me that they are not allowed to sell Casino products, they had them earlier same as every Big C, and that soon a super center would open that carried all the Casino products.

It made me think that Casino is stepping out of the Big C venture. Anyone heard something ?

It seems that you don't know the story: French Casino already owner of BigC Thailand bought Carrefour South east Asia or 1 billion USD.

But for now only few BigC sells Casino brand, also in Bkk:

http://www.bigc.co.th/en/products/casino/

Only for sale at following store : Extra Rama 4/ Extra Ratchadapisek/ Extra Phuket/ Extra Pattaya/Extra chaengwattana/ Extra Ladprao/ Extra Chiangmai/ Extra Onnuch

BAANORK BigC won't sell Casino brand because these MOTOSAI living there cannot understand what is good or not :-)

I know the story quite well, and Big C extra Chonburi had Casino products previously as I have bought them there.

I just went to the link you provided and their website is really a joke..

Weekly fresh import from France, Even the Pattaya branch it's hard to find ant Casino products where 6 months ago there were plenty.

Pattaya Big C extra opened in 2003. ( lol )

[Yahooka]

Went to the Tesco Express in Soi Bukao today and was shocked to find that the small 7-11 near where I live have more in stock.Was gonna buy some food items and San Miguel beer.Bacon they didn`t have and for beers they only had Singha and Chang .

Only got the classic "finit" when asking if the items was in stock.........not sure if it`s the same as "no hab",but will give them a try next week again ..........

[Morden]

I once spoke to the two top managers for Tesco in Thailand, both foreigners. I had a list of complaints from stocking deficiency, through isles blocked by stock to scooter boy shelf stackers laughing at farang customers who couldn't negotiate the boxes because of the stock on the floor. Their only answer was to blame the distribution company. Despite the problems this company has, they persist in opening new stores of one size or another.

It seems to me that the root cause is the gap between the UK business philosophy and the Thai way of running things. Absent Western bosses and Thai local managers and staff don't seem to work.