Shops 'selling stuff which is legal to sell' scandal

[Dr Jekyll]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908127

Apparently this is a big drama according to the 'doing anything legal is exploiting a loophole' principle.

[boyse7en]

Dr Jekyll said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908127

Apparently this is a big drama according to the 'doing anything legal is exploiting a loophole' principle.

I imagine if you run a shop selling, for example, toys and have been ordered to stay closed it must be somewhat galling to watch "grocery" shops take away your entire business at the busiest time of the year. It was obvious from the start that the large multi-product retailers would take advantage of the situation to the detriment of small retailers.

[popeyewhite]

boyse7en said:

I imagine if you run a shop selling, for example, toys and have been ordered to stay closed it must be somewhat galling to watch "grocery" shops take away your entire business at the busiest time of the year. It was obvious from the start that the large multi-product retailers would take advantage of the situation to the detriment of small retailers.

Local Sainsbury's has moved with alacrity to restock shelves with Christmas goods. The covid one way system that had been removed when the first lockdown ended has been reinstated with mounds of toys, hundreds of large tins of chocolate etc blocking aisles to enforce the new one-way system. To a cynic like myself it looks very much like greed taking advantage... and I feel very sorry for the independents.

[Muncher]

Aside from perhaps planning legislation, what's stopping a toy shop also selling some food and drink and opening?

[JagLover]

Dr Jekyll said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908127

Apparently this is a big drama according to the 'doing anything legal is exploiting a loophole' principle.

Yep

and the alternative is the Welsh approach where stores are prevented from selling the likes of sanitary products or cooking utensils.

Don't blame the supermarkets blame the government for a foolish lockdown.

[Jamescrs]

I do wonder while the small retailers who have had to close their physical shops are not turning their efforts to online sales during the current lockdown, I appreciate they cannot in most cases put together a decent website from scratch and start marketing it but I don't understand why more don't turn their efforts to say eBay and start listing stock on there to boost their sales. It would be a simple thing to do.

[Bodo]

Clearly, law makers have failed here; not the shops that act legally.

[Sophisticated Sarah]

Are these shops that are forced to close still having to pay business rates?

[PeteinSQ]

Bodo said:

Clearly, law makers have failed here; not the shops that act legally.

True, but I'm sure you remember the grief that the Welsh govt got for trying to block exactly this behaviour?

[survivalist]

JagLover said:

Don't blame the supermarkets blame the government for a foolish lockdown.

This.

[steveo3002]

when this kicked off first time around i said if i was a shop keep i would be stocking a few bits of essentials to get around this and stay open

[Jakg]

Muncher said:

Aside from perhaps planning legislation, what's stopping a toy shop also selling some food and drink and opening?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-54903354

"only shops that sell a substantial amount of essential goods can remain open"

Jamescrs said:

I do wonder while the small retailers who have had to close their physical shops are not turning their efforts to online sales during the current lockdown, I appreciate they cannot in most cases put together a decent website from scratch and start marketing it but I don't understand why more don't turn their efforts to say eBay and start listing stock on there to boost their sales. It would be a simple thing to do.

Yes - I do agree when it comes to small businesses, many aren't moving with the times like they could be.


I can almost understand the supermarket angle, but concessions is where it gets weird.

In Lockdown V1, all Argos stores closed - except those located inside Sainsburys.

And in Lockdown V2, Tesco Mobile shops are still open - despite Carphone Warehouse et al being forced to close.

[rscott]

JagLover said:

Dr Jekyll said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908127

Apparently this is a big drama according to the 'doing anything legal is exploiting a loophole' principle.

Yep

and the alternative is the Welsh approach where stores are prevented from selling the likes of sanitary products or cooking utensils.

Don't blame the supermarkets blame the government for a foolish lockdown.

You mean the store which incorrectly interpreted the guidance and had to be corrected by the Welsh Government? https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/am...

[MDMetal]

It's not stores issues for trying to survive and turn a profit (Imagine the gall a business trying to make a living!) The issue is governments ridiculous ideas which are ill thought through, if you stopped large shops doing this then everyone just buys from Amazon, it still doesn't help the smaller shops. What would help the small shops is not being closed in the first place!

[Terminator X]

M&S food is open and surprisingly (to me) so is the rest of the store, I would have thought that would not be allowed but there you go. Does seem unfair.

TX.

[4Q]

It's all ridiculous. I went in Tesco Extra yesterday and the in store Dorothy Perkins and Burtons stores were closed with cordons across the front whilst immediately opposite on the same floor Tesco were still able to sell their clothes.

They are literally in the same shop.

[Promised Land]

Muncher said:

Aside from perhaps planning legislation, what's stopping a toy shop also selling some food and drink and opening?

Logistics for a start, rather like companies supplying contract food/ drink being told they can sell for domestic use, ie package it smaller, sell to other outlets. It’s simply not that easy to change a business model.

Pubs being told yes you can do take away food,a lot are not set up for it.

I’d hazard a guess your local Indy toy shop doesn’t know much about food hygiene etc to be able to start stacking his shelved with nose bag.

[MDMetal]

4Q said:

It's all ridiculous. I went in Tesco Extra yesterday and the in store Dorothy Perkins and Burtons stores were closed with cordons across the front whilst immediately opposite on the same floor Tesco were still able to sell their clothes.

They are literally in the same shop.

But they're not the same business. One is a food retailer that happens to sell clothes the other is a clothes retailer only. It's perfectly clear what you can and can't do, whether it's right or not is a different argument.

[eccles]

popeyewhite said:

Local Sainsbury's has moved with alacrity to restock shelves with Christmas goods. The covid one way system that had been removed when the first lockdown ended has been reinstated with mounds of toys, hundreds of large tins of chocolate etc blocking aisles to enforce the new one-way system. To a cynic like myself it looks very much like greed taking advantage... and I feel very sorry for the independents.

You mean like they do every year just after Halloween?

[popeyewhite]

eccles said:

popeyewhite said:

Local Sainsbury's has moved with alacrity to restock shelves with Christmas goods. The covid one way system that had been removed when the first lockdown ended has been reinstated with mounds of toys, hundreds of large tins of chocolate etc blocking aisles to enforce the new one-way system. To a cynic like myself it looks very much like greed taking advantage... and I feel very sorry for the independents.

You mean like they do every year just after Halloween?

My local Sainsbury's has only initiated a one way system using Christmas goods to force direction/aisle compliance this year. Your local supermarket does this every year?