Confused about Tesco

March 31, 2015March 31, 2015 ~ confusedaboutnews ~ Leave a comment

Malted milk biscuits…2 litre water bottle (x2)…the 3 for £1.20 deal of chunky kit-kat, smarties and…no actually, water first, then down the crisps aisle…Doritos if they’re only a £1 and I’m planning to revise that night…okay no it’s actually the 3 for £1.20 deal of chocolate ‘cos that’s right there as soon as you walk in…then walk round the side and pick up the red grapes to make myself feel better…couple of red onions to give the illusion I cook properly on a regular basi…okay no okay final one, it’s chocolate first, forget the onions ‘cos I forgot to pick up a basket and don’t want to juggle them, the packet of gingerbread men or the flapjacks, then pick up the biscuits, stare at the crème eggs but walk away then water last ‘cos that’s the heaviest but actually back to the front of the shop to swap the kit-kat fingers for the chunky bar (there’s a difference), stare at the crème eggs again…okay put the gingerbread men down and get the crème eggs…

Every time guys. Every time without fail, this is the process. Oh and I don’t mean, once a month during my monthly shop, I’m talking several times a day, before every lecture, during every revision break, after every trip back from town having just done my monthly shop. This isn’t even generic for how I behave at general supermarkets. This is for Tesco specifically. These items, this knowledge of their locations, this thought process, it’s only at Tesco. I mean every other supermarket, I’ve got my predetermined list (it’s either that or walking in aimlessly and coming out with random ingredients that don’t actually make a meal), walk into Sainsburys, get the apples(Pink Ladys or nothing), the mini cheddar crisps, stock up on my Cheerios andddd I’m out. Holland and Barretts? (yes, I live that type of life), pick up my Zinc tablets, some honey and the gluten-free biscuits (I’m not even allerg…) and it’s over. Farmfoods? Pick up my usual 3 for £10 deal of assorted meats, the £3 prawns, some mixed veg and peppers and I’m walking back. But Tesco? Tesco gets me. I could be in there for a good 30 minutes, leave having paid for just one fudge bar, start walking home and then turn back to fulfil the empty void that is consuming me with every step I’m taking in the opposite direction of the store.

Okay, there’s a point to this. Tesco is the largest supermarket retailer in the UK. Think of all the main ones, Morrison’s…Sains…Asda…Tesco dominates them all. Like why? Before coming to uni I’d only ever been to Tesco like…twice? That’s even just an assumption that perhaps during my childhood years my parents had driven me there at a point in time and dragged me around in the trolley. Now it’s my everyday place. Forget lectures, I’m at Tesco more than I’m in my university main building. It is the 3^rd largest supermarket in the World and has stores spanning over 12 countries.

Its success is mainly due to one word: diversification. It sees what consumers want and how their buying habits are changing and bam- it adapts. During the recession when everyone was hanging onto every penny, Tesco understood this and in 1993 introduced their ‘Value’ range(the much cheaper and plainer packaged stuff that you buy when the Kellogg’s and Heinz’s prices just aren’t cutting it.). This was so successful that estimated annual turnover skyrocketed to more than £1bn and the company continued to diversify further with the introduction of buying luxury items on credit. These days you walk in to buy butter and milk and walk out with a new phone and TV.
Okay, I sound like they’re sponsoring me to big them up but…they’re not. (Firstly, who am I that they’d use me to spread awareness) I’m simply explaining how to be successful in…life really. When starting something up for yourself, especially a service which others will hopefully interact with, it’s all about looking for gaps in the market, adapting to consumer trends and flying ahead of the competition.

These days, Tesco is everywhere, like the one located on my campus. (It’s closer to me than my university- clever). There’s a dynamic over here where you will forget your student I.D at home before you forget that Tesco Clubcard. They just knowww how to catch our eye with the good deals. Off the top of my head? Party rings, Rocky chocolate bars, the big packet of Skittles, the big packet of Starbursts, the big packet of Minstrels, all suddenly dropping to £1 when you least expect it. Mr Kipling’s Angel Slices, only 95p for a pack of 6 (my ultimate weakness). They’re taking over! Times have even occurred where Tesco have wanted to open up new stores in local areas and residents have protested against it. This did actually work on one occasion although Tesco said it was due to planning permission difficulties and not the protests at all (sure, whatever helps you stack the bread at night).

So there you have it, reasons into how a successful supermarket came to be and what we can learn from this (or maybe I’m just trying to force a helpful message from I’ve written, I’m not actually too sure what the point of…)
I just wanted to express my daily anxiety when picking revision snacks because it’s getting to 4am over here, I can’t sleep and I’m hungry because I was too lazy to get up and walk to Tesco before they closed. (11pm though, why?)

I did say this would be a more uplifting post than the last one so by daily anxiety I actually meant…something else.I do feel I need to plug in more economics into my blogs though so… next post. Happy thoughts and maybe something about inflation.

Stay Tuned! (And in the meantime, let’s ask ourselves why our eyebrows only grow on those 2 particular lines above our eyes and nowhere else.)

Confused about Student fees

March 29, 2015March 31, 2015 ~ confusedaboutnews ~ Leave a comment

So I could sit here and rant about student fees and how back in the day university was completely free for students but I’m not going to. I could whine and complain about the fact that the £3000 a year ‘bargain’ stopped the year BEFORE I was due to start uni and how with no change within the system, an extra £6000 a year was suddenly required from all students but, I can’t be bothered. I could even go into how I’m yet to see the breakdown penny by penny of what the fees are even used for but, let’s not get into that.

I was just chilling in my room today when out of nowhere, I hear these loud chants coming from outside of my window, and not just making-noise-but-can-block-you-out-with-my-earphones loud but more of a, can’t-concentrate-and-can-hear-you-all-the-way-from-the-9^th-floor-when-I’m-in-the-middle-of-trying-to-do-nothing-with-my-day loud. I open my curtains and see a large number of people marching down the road with decorated banners and flags and other ‘I’m protesting’ type stuff. Shouting something like ‘LABOUR PARTY SHAME ON YOU…WE WANT FREE EDUCATION’, something something(they should learn to chant in sync, without reading the banners you’d really mistake the crowd of that bit in Lion King when the animals are stampeding down).
But anyway, by reading the banners I realised that it’s not even that they were protesting against the fact that students currently pay £9000 a year. They were instead protesting against the fact that the Labour party have promised (…’cos that means anything to us) to drop the fees to £6000 and in their eyes, this still wasn’t good enough. I do agree but my main concern when I think of things like this is really the rather simple and still unexplained yet ever present and relevant slight question of basically uhms WHAT ARE THESE FEES BEING USED FOR?

…WHAT. Yeah I said earlier that I wouldn’t bring this topic up but really you should thank me for preparing you for what life is about (people not keeping their word am I right or am I left?). They’ve been £9000 a year and now SUDDENLY a couple thousand from EACH student can be slashed just like that? I’d genuinely prefer it if they were £9000 a year and even with protests and news coverage and riots and general national disturbance, the fees remained £9000 because they genuinely could not be reduced. Yeah it’s a lot but if it was actually the cost of going to university whether we like it or not then fineeee. However, it clearly can’t be. These fees are just moving up and down in correlation to the level of public popularity whichever party is looking to gain. To reduce them having not changed anything would mean to say that currently the government have like…spare billions of funds just ready to be wasted on random road works which are about to disrupt my pedestrian walks in city centres.

Oh but the money allows us to have access to university lectures and seminars and the library on campus and we get our own log-in and… SO WHAT. The fees don’t even cover the costs of the ‘highly recommended’ textbooks we’re expected to buy within the first week of term that cost about an eyeball and large intestine. About another £15,000 (trying to make a point okay) PER book PER module PER term is what I’m expected to pay for random information I’m just going to temporarily memorise for the purpose of an exam- give it 2 weeks I will have forgotten how to define the introductory basic terms again. Okay that’s not true- I’ve usually forgotten what I even wrote by the afternoon. All I’m saying is, at least let me invest all this money and come out with something to show for it. Back in the day, a degree GUARANTEED a job-GUARANTEEEDDDDD. Now it’s just proof of, oh yeah I’m smart by society’s standards. I’ve spent 3 years postponing having to live in the real world and reached the intermediate level of procrastination and unhealthy cramming.

For me personally I’d just like to pay my £9000 a year, come to university and have lecturers that actually TEACH. You can spend the first lecture detailing the number of doctorates you have and the textbook you’ve written that you want us all to buy oh not because you’ve written it but because it’s actually a good one but like, I’m not about to go and buy information when the person who knows it is right…there. Just TELL ME what I need to know. TEACH. Delegating out an unhealthy amount of wider reading is not the same as teaching. I don’t doubt that lecturers are smart but people forget that just because you know it, it really doesn’t mean you know how to relay that information to others.

I need textbooks that read to me when I’m tired, lecturers that don’t reply to my emails with ‘check the lecture slides’ (I have, you didn’t explain it which is why I’m emai..), I just need SOMETHING that justifies these uni fees. Anyway, I’ve said enough. May have ended up ranting but like I said, people lie guys. Trying to prepare you for what life brings (…you’re welcome). Next post is going to have to be something more uplifting. All this money talk is not good for the soul.

Stay Tuned!

And in the meantime, let’s be confused about why Lidl have reduced the price of their One Direction Easter eggs by 1/5 to mark 1/5 of the gang leaving. (…not going to get into that. That’s a whole other post, not to be written by me.)

Confused about my Audience

March 8, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ confusedaboutnews ~ Leave a comment

Now that I’ve started this, I feel obliged to post as often as I can. However, as of late I’ve come to a halt in what to discuss next- blogger’s block, if you will. I know I know, it’s been 2 posts and I’m already drained of ideas? It’s not even that it’s just…who is my audience? Who is actually reading this? Who should I be tailoring this to? It’s barely established but in order to progress I feel I should have a defined target reading audience. An audience I can relate to and vice versa.

SOOO… Calling students everywhere! (Hint:- Yep that’s me.) This blog is now focussed on the economics behind student living.
DISCLAIMER: Non students are still welcome, as are those not studying economics. The bio-meds, the prospective lawyers, the engineers, the international something somethings with something, all still welcome.

After all, student living isn’t just about being a student and…living. It’s about controlling your money, overcoming procrastination, having a night out without having to eat bread and water for the next month to compensate for it. It goes beyond just studying for a degree and stretches into the life skills that school never actually bothered to teach us. I can name the continents on a World map but don’t know how to fix this printer? I can give more details on Henry VIII’s life than some of my own relatives but have to google how to write a professional email? I can literally name all the states in America (F.R.I.E.N.D.S anyone?) but will be drowned in illogical debt before I’ve even had a chance to establish the career I want that’s going to begin to pay it all off?

The World we live in isn’t slowing down and we need to keep up with the movement. Economics affects us all whether we like it or not. As long as you own an account with money in it, you’re affected. Even if you didn’t own one and had all your life savings in cash under your bed, you’re affected. Evennnnn if you didn’t live off money and spent your days exchanging goods to survive, you’re affected. Affected affected affected. (Is it just me or is that word now starting to look… affected.)

ANYway, that was the purpose of this post. To inform everyone of this change whilst stressing that the target audience is simply a guidance and not a means of discriminative writing. With universities located all over different regions, students do however make up a significant proportion of the population with in the UK alone more than 2 million young adults being, you know, affected.

Stay Tuned! Comment Below! (And in the meantime, let’s think about the many buttons on a calculator that we’ve never actually used.)

Confused about Confectionery

February 22, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ confusedaboutnews ~ Leave a comment

So we’ve still only just passed the new year really and the ‘new year new me’ mentality towards healthy eating is still underway for some I presume (25% of you already broke this during the first week of January, studies suggest, not me, studies). The remaining 75%? Well done but, give it 6 months and you too shall join the dark side of all things fried and wonderful (Again, studies). I’m bringing this up really because I want to now discuss some not so healthy treats with an audience who aren’t in the middle of cutting their sweet potatoes and are more in the process of deciding if they should add stuffed crust to their large meat feast like they did on Tuesday or just settle for the garlic bread, wings, barbecued chicken strips, onion rings, chocolate chip cookie dough with strawberry cheesecake and vanilla ice cream with flake and sprinkles as their pre-dinner…snack.

Mmhm. This audience needs an appetite. Specifically? An appetite for crème eggs. Let’s talk about crème eggs. I was biting into one of those innocent pleasures the other day when I suddenly noticed that the ‘inside yellow bit’ had been replaced with LIQUIDY MILK AND MELTED MOZZARELLA CHEESE WITH…okay that’s not correct. The recipe has changed though. It looked the same, it tasted the same, it appeared that it even was the same but… it’s not. The inside yellowy bit is fine but what’s an egg without its shell? What’s a house without its walls? What’s a piano without its keys people?! Before you even reach the yellow bit, you have to get through an oval protective layer of chocolate madness. You’re aware of the gooey delight that’s to come but you’re not tasting ANY of it unless you pass security. Prove you’ve got what it takes. That’s the first thing you taste andddd that’s what has been changed. From its dairy milk delight to a standard cocoa mix. From a branded sensation to a basic ingredient. They thought we wouldn’t notice too. (Well I didn’t notice at all to be honest but deep down I knew something wasn’t right. Deep, deep down.)

ANYway, social media has gone into uproar concerning this (I wouldn’t know but… I mean I’ve heard some stuff). The classic box of 6 has even reduced to an interesting non classic box of five AND the price has not been reduced to compensate. What is all this?! The only justification that’s been offered is that within the 45 years that crème eggs have graced this Earth, the recipe has changed several times with all sorts of chocolate having been used interchangeably. Is that supposed to make us feel better? Just because this has been going on since birth without us noticing does NOT mean we should accept it now thank you very much. I’ve been eating bowls of icing sugar as full blown meals for the past couple of years but that doesn’t make it right! (It really is though, don’t knock it till you’ve thrown up from it).

Another reason for this horrendous substitute is that the price of commodities have increased and so businesses have had to reduce costs as a result and restrict their production output.

These changes have been made in response to consumer research but considering there’s been complaints and protests from several shoppers, I’m not too sure of the type of consumer research that was actually done. And anyway, what crème egg loving consumer would voluntarily suggest to replace the dairy milk chocolate AND reduce the quantity they receive whilst still happily agreeing to pay the same price? It’s been said that price levels are set by individual shops themselves, hence why prices for this new 5 box are ranging from £2-£3.05 (Baring in mind the price of a 6 pack just a year ago was just £2). It’s also been said that we as consumers should not expect chocolate eggs to be packaged in the same quantity as real eggs.

Well I mean that’s just ridiculous. Of course we are not comparing crème eggs to real life chicken eggs (which are even cheaper by the way- check out Farmfoods). It’s not like I expect a kitkat to be the same size as a…cat (…horrific example but you get the idea). All we ask is that recipes are not secretly changed and that we get a decent size worth of goods for our money! In fact, I’m switching to Jammie Dodgers. That’s right. They’re coming out with a new ‘grown up’ version of biscuits called ‘Jammie Bakes’. Same golden biscuit, same soft jammie centre at £1.49 (Crème eggs take note) – the differences being the target audience it’s aimed at- an older generation of people, the variety of flavours available and the lack of the iconic heart shaped centre. It’s working though. Sales are currently at £21million a year which has compensated for the advertising campaign in 2011 which cost £4.5 million in a bid to boost the dropping sales.

That’s an uplifting end at least. Crème eggs may be chopping our money but at least other brands are reinventing themselves and keeping prices at an affordable amount.

Stay Tuned! Comment Below! (And in the meantime, Let’s think about why parents are banned from calling their child Nutella.)

Confused about Media

February 21, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ confusedaboutnews ~ 1 Comment

AHHHHH okay so…I’ve started a blog. An ACTUAL blog. Like… for people to be looking at and comment on and… judge and stuff. Some people’s bucket lists have them bungee jumping and cart wheeling on motorways but me? Yeah, mine said do this (‘cos I’m interesting.) I dunno I’m just generally not really into all things social media I mean my twitter account is…blank (apparently that’s called an egg account or…?) and my Instagram page well that’s just got about 49 followers (shout out to my fans) with one random picture I decided to upload when I woke up one day and felt…spontaneous. I might upload a second picture if I’m ever feeling wild but for the time being I will take my current 20 likes and move on.

ANYway, that’s why I’ve started this. It’s my own way of having a presence on the internet without having to share daily selfies of myself doing things that are only interesting to those actually involved (me) or uploading the homemade chicken pie I’m about to eat (cos you know, people need to know. The World, it needs to know). There’s MANY bloggers out here now, vloggers, youtubers…everybody. It’s like everyone’s trying to compete with each other on who has the most interesting life or outfit of the day or make up collection or even who has the highest score on ‘insert relevant video game title here’. The following for these things though is ridiculously high. I can’t imagine millions of people hanging on my every word as I advise them on what hair highlights suit their cheekbones. The POWER in my words forcing someone to chuck out their wardrobe and invest in monochrome skirts cos they’re so ‘in’ right now? I’d probably go wild. Expand my fanbase and just start uploading videos telling people to sellotape fruit to the back of their coats because the trees like seeing what their children are up to these days. Even the fact that someone may potentially be reading this right now and bothered to get THIS far without switching tabs to see if their Facebook newsfeed has suddenly gotten interesting again is just…weird. Like…hi there. Congratulations on getting to the 30^th line.

There is actually a point to this though. Quite an… educational one (yeah you can exit the tab now if you want). I want to bring people like me who WANT to be interested with what’s going on with the world and would actually like to be ‘in the know’ with all the relevant ‘economicsy’ stuff we’re surrounded by but just… don’t know how to. Yes there are so many articles and newspapers out there and obviously there’s BBC news too (apparently it shows after Eastenders?) but what if I want to just QUICKLY read something and suddenly be aware of why there’s a new Sainsburys down my road? Or even why when I walk into Primark these days it’s all upgraded with elevators and HANGERS for their clothes can you imagine? Gone are the days when the jacket you no longer want can just be shoved into the pile of random jeans on the floor without anyone noticing. (Purely a witness. I never did this myself of course.)

Well guys, I had a dream (channelling Martin now), I had a dream that I would one day write the type of blog that I would have liked to have existed back when I wanted to become not even politically aware (I watch Mock of the Week for that) but conscious of how the inflation and tax levels in ANY country would one day affect me. (Because they will, you THINK they won’t and then boom. Freddo bars rise to 20p).
So, here it is! An opening into what’s to come! I hope you enjoyed reading this and if you did then like my ~~Facebook~~… okay no retweet my ~~Twitter~~… hmm. Okay just comment below or something and let others know (using your mouths to speak, I know. Outrageous of me to ask).

Stay Tuned! Comment Below! (and in the meantime, let’s think about why chickens can’t fly.)