Safeway Vs. Tesco
 

**I apologize for posting this here. I tried to post it in OMNI, but it said I "wasn't authorized to post in this forum"? What gives? Could someone be kind enough to post it in Omni.
Thanks**


While standing in line today at the deli at Safeway it made me think of the Tesco superstores in England. First a little background about me--My mother is British, lives in England, and I've been visiting 3x/year since I've been a toddler. It's really my other half of my family over there and consider it a second home.
That being said I find it interesting to note when I head to the superstore nr. Ashford as I'm checking out I notice they don't pack your groceries for you. I find this amusing, and realistic at the same point as I know most Americans would have a fit if they had to pack their own groceries.
Another observation--produce. I believe produce at Tesco is superior in freshness and taste compared to anything available here in the States. The tomatoes for one are delicious, and I always have a hard time coming back and eating the horrible varieties available at any safeway/kroger/walmart/etc.
I also believe, exchange rate aside, food to be of equal cost if not lower. I like the idea that most packaging on foods there is quite simple and plain, and would like to believe it's reflected in it's lower cost compared to advert-crazy Americana.
Opinions?
PS. I also chuckled when I think of the uniforms Tesco employees have to wear at the Monger and Deli sections--those little hats with BMI looking outfits...lol

It says that right beneath where you click on "OMNI"...

I'll sneak in before the thread gets moved...

The local (e.g. Pennsylvania) Price-Rite makes you bag your own - even charges 9 cents per heavy-duty plastic bag (the idea being that you will reuse them). Your purchases are placed into antoher cart as they're checked and then you go to a bagging shelf to bag them after you've paid.

We just wheel the cart to the car and dump it all into a cooler in the trunk.

I think all the markets in Europe leave you to bag your own.

WRT produce, how DARE you pooh-pooh American produce? Those "tomatoes" are processed with the finest chemicals, pesticides, and growth hormones, then roasted under the finest radiation! All to make them BIGGER! and taste more deep-fried. Americans are BIG people, and need BIG produce to keep up their nonstop expansion!



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-alan in sitges

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