As a passionate exponent of free enterprise and individualism I view free and fair competition as the engine of consumer choice and value for money. Unfortunately in todays increasingly corporate and bland business climate free and fair competition has assumed a similar guise to that of “truth” in the hands of a slippery corporate lawyer. Immense financial clout enables competitive principles to be turned on their heads often dictatating that what masquerades as a level playing field is actually a corporate minefield.
This state of affairs is incredibly unhealthy and could potentially lead to a situation bereft of diversity and therefore real choice.
In many cases this has already occured on highstreets throughout the UK where multiple retail operations impose a bland uniformity bereft of greengrocers, butchers, bakers and fishmongers. These are increasingly located within one of the big four supermarkets which will, inevitably, be strategically located on a prime edge of town location. Collectively these insatiable monsters are mesmerising their customers whilst they pillage their wallets and brainwash them into almost total acceptance that there is no alternative.
That is the corporate line but they are economical with the truth, there is usually an alternative if you care to look. The historical mining village of St Day is a good example of real consumer choice and therefore healthy diversity. It is not really on the tourist route and the malign influence of second homes is mercifully slight. In comparitevly recent times it has been percieved as run down (unspoilt?) but suddenly is has in estate agent parlance “arrived”. Being at the epicentre of the golden triangle twixt Truro, Falmouth and Reduth it is now a highly desireable location.
The sense of community is palpable, it boasts two excellent pubs, two butchers, a convienience store (part of a major chain), a traditional family run general store, a fish and chip shop, launderette, a lady who makes and mends clothes and a fiercly independent quirky oil distributor with attitude.
It is the recent opening of the ecellent general store by a young village couple that has caused such excitement. It really does stock useful, local wherever possible, goods that means that in reality the weekly jaunt to a supermarket is no longer necessary. The day this wonderful facility opened it was visited by two grey suited junior management nonentities from the multiple convienience store rival who vowed to close it in short time.
A little down the line this has not happened as the young couple offer genuine value for money,choice and terrific banter which actually makes shopping a pleasure rather than a brain numbing chore. The real bonus is that a car journey is not necessary for most people within walking distance.
The sinister undertone is that the convienience store actually threatened to close the new shop down by a price war which is a bit rich as hitherto they had been percieved as bandits when there was no opposition. Likewise the term convienience was a bit of a misnomer as they peddled useless junk such as lottery tickets, coca cola, crisps and cheap alcohol, it was virtually impossible to obtain any useful foodstuffs apart from disgusting industrial pies and greasy savourys which were essentially a health hazard, a heart attack in a paper bag.
The insidious practice of damaging another business by unsustainable financial pressure is a standard ploy engaged in by corporate outfits on many fronts. “Loss leaders” and “discounts” are cynical con tricks “BOGOF” tells me that the item in question was overpriced to start with. The real price which any ethical business will strive to maintain is the lowest possible price consistent with generating a profit and allowing for investment. Profit is not a dirty word, it is reasonable to expect a return on investment but that must never be construed as a licence to financially violate customers.
In the oil industry the practice of price manipulation is rife and the offending companies ought to be ashamed of themselves. It is not right that supermarkets enjoy extended credit terms on their fuel purchases, neither is it ethical that customers who shop around for domestic oil prices get quoted rates that are hopelessy unrealistic while established customers are often chrged as much as 10 ppl over the odds to subsidise this travesty. This practice has been rife on our patch this year probably exacerbated by a frantic scramble for market share in a comatose marketplace.
This has actually brought mixed blessings insofar that we have haemorraged work at the bottom end to little profit for anyone. This has been gratifyingly countered by mining the rich seam of customers at the top end who have basically been ripped off and are not best pleased when they realise the fact. This very act of realignment is effectively levelling our playing field very nicely and many more people are enjoying real value for money which as consumers is their absolute right.
