New Co-op Store - Better or Worse?

[Zak]

The new store has now been been going for a few weeks...... what do people think now that they've had a chance to get into gear ?

The co-op seems to have a really good vision and everyone can become a member, but is it better than what we had before with Somerfield?

[katie1997]

Don't go in there that much but have noticed :

Quicker service - check.

Marmite rice cakes - check.

So (tu) from me, so far anyway.

[Sue]

Sadly, I've written to the manager, because ....

Shelves of chicken pieces but no free-range pieces, and I won't buy chicken that isn't free-range.

No organic fruit and veg any more, that I could see.

Shelf after bare shelf - no stir-fry bags or salad (around 6pm on a Friday), hardly any alcohol in the chiller (ditto).

Carton of cottage cheese on display past its sell-by date.

Astronomical price rise in own brand tissues (which have now disappeared from the shelves altogether :-S )

I was really looking forward to the Co-op opening, and from the point of view of stuff that I buy, on the whole it's got worse.

Not because it's a Co-op per se, but because of what appears to be poor management, poor stock control, insufficient shelf filling staff, and/or a lack of research on what local shoppers (ie me :)) ) might want to buy.

I did however buy a load of what appeared to be perfectly good plums reduced to 25p a pack last week so swings and roundabouts I guess :))

[MungoJerrysBeard77]

I too had high hopes for the Co-op, but was left disapointed. Shelves bare, disinterested staff, a lack of basic food items, fresh items going off too quickly and unpaked items left to rot, general mess. I was only saying to my wife this evening, after a trip there, that the manager seems to be doing a really bad job. I'd have thought, given the obvious investment made in the new shiny store, that more would have been put into training the staff.

[Sue]

I haven't found the staff disinterested, but I do think the management is poor. And I'm not sure that's something you can train, because a lot of it is common sense, surely.

If I don't get a proper response to my letter and if things don't improve I am going to copy the letter to Co-Op HQ because I think it's a real wasted opportunity.

I would rather shop at the Co-op than Sainsbury's, but there's no point if I can't buy the stuff I need - I don't want to have to go to two supermarkets.

[Hare]

I was looking forward to the Co-op opening but couldn't have been more disappointed with the reality once it did. Death by a thousand price cuts. Display stands, half empty, boasted items that weren't reflected by the contents. Dislocated items, abandoned by shoppers who had lost their enthusiasm in mid-trawl, remained unrepatriated. The torn flaps off cardboard boxes and the clear wrapping from multiple packs lay discarded alongside the shelves, ignored by staff and scuffed along by bored children. Newspapers, too many to go in the display stand, overflowed in untidy piles on the floor. My assessment - it's gone downhill from when it was Somerfield. Is that possible? It seems so.

Anyone remember the Co-op chemists? I used to go there as a point of principle, being an old co-operator, but even that lacked the clarity of vision and the stock to make it attractive to the consumer. And now we've lost it, because apparently it was losing money and the victim of theft. Well, even my kids know that with a counter right at the back and no one to stop the opportunist thief at teh door, stock is going to disappear.

I really want to like the Co-op; I truly want to be able to say "yes, I walk up Lordship Lane and go to the Co-op - it has everything I need and it's such a joy to shop there" but I just don't see it happening unless there is at least a manager who believes in what it could be and enthuses all the staff to feel the same.

Oooh, it's good to have got that off my chest............

[Mick Mac]

Lets face it, its just as crap as the previous shop....

Prime real estate in the heart of glorious ED being held to ransome by some crap service, low quality, cheapo crappo shoppo.

Who remembers Cullens....:)

[chica1]

That premises would have been better put to use with a local M&S....now see people flock en masse.

[PeckhamRose]

As someone who is a member of Co-op - I am so disaapointed to read all this.

It's not my local shop, but I shall see if there is a number we can call to voice your disappointment.

P Rose.

[Smiler]

There seem to be more staff at the tills which is good.

Agree with Sue about the lack of free-range chicken pieces. Somerfield sometimes used to have good bargains on this.

Do not like the quizes on the chip and pin machines which, before you enter your PIN, ask a weird mix of questions like "do you think that there should be more research into the effects of pesticides on bees?" and "did you see the new Pepsi bottle in store today?"

[PeckhamRose]

Ha! Yes, obvious questions like "Do you think there is anything wrong in the world?" OOps! Too late to vote!

[cate]

Is it the same staff from before?

[Nero]

I think the check-out area and the staff are better - especially a young bloke, probably in his late teens, who is very helfpful, especially to elderly shoppers. A lot of the fruit and veg is British and they have organic skimmed milk, as well as decent own-brand soups, olives, dishwasher detergent, washing powder, tonic water etc . On the whole it's cleaner and brighter and better staffed, but I know what people mean when they say they expected more. Answer - keep your hopes low, folks!

[sazzle]

I went in Sunday lunchtime, shelves were empty, no lemons?

No keen on new layout - although maybe i need to get used to it.

It seems like the ranges of brand/choices has been reduced in favour of some odd selections like a whole shelf of tupperware products, when we already have shops selling that stuff.

I won't be rushing back.

Worse.

[intexasatthe moment]

Yes ,sorry ,another vote for it's worse .

Called in earlyish ( before 9 ) and could hardly move for blocked aisles that were being restocked.

Have never seen it so bad .

Loads of empty shelves .

Plus Lordship Lane gridlocked on Sat am ( early ) by delivery lorries .

[Fuschia]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> If I don't get a proper response to my letter and

> if things don't improve I am going to copy the

> letter to Co-Op HQ because I think it's a real

> wasted opportunity.

I wouldn't hold your breath, I have twice done exactly that about the Coop store on Forest Hill Rd and after (chasing to get even as far as) an acknowledgement of my mail... I never got a substantive response.

[Sue]

Once I get my teeth into a cause I don't let go :))

ETA: I've also got a gripe because the last three times I've been in, I've been charged more on the till than the price on the shelf for items, twice for grapefruit and once for eggs (you can tell I'm on a diet :)) ).

It's only a matter of a few pence each time, but the thing is, I've never been undercharged, and a few pence for each person buying these items adds up.

[alex]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who is really disappointed with this shop. The stock control seems to be very erratic, if not non-existent. Very poor management. Nice checkout staff though.

[Sue]

Here you go peeps - suggest everyone who's not happy emails them.

Let's see what happens.

The Co-operative Group

Customer Relations

Freepost MR9473

Manchester

M4 8BA

or

Email: [email protected]

or

Phone: 0800 068 6727

[davidh]

sadly, it is the same old rancid cack. the only way with this store IS closing down and reopening as waitrose or M&S

[toast]

We used to live by summerfield and moved near the co-op on Forest Hill Road and thought it was great, their chicken, free range, tastes like propper chicken, and thats just for starters. Miss the cheep fizz from summerfield but thats all we miss.

[katie1997]

Hmmm....now I understand why the service appears to be quicker....no-one is shopping there anymore.

Personally, I have always found the staff to be helpful and polite in there.

Maybe things will improve if those dissatisfied customers let the management know? Its early days...and I hope it gets better for everyone.

[Sue]

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>.

>

> Maybe things will improve if those dissatisfied

> customers let the management know? Its early

> days...and I hope it gets better for everyone.

xxxxxxxx

I've already written to the manager. I await a reply......

[mastershake]

staff are so much better than somerfield days, but they still seem to have the same problems somerfield had with stock. veg in particular seems empty whenever i go in.

[Sue]

The stock problems/empty shelves are very much worse than they ever were with Somerfield - at least whenever I have been in.