Supermarkets discussion

DynamicSpirit · 22 Feb 2024

One curious thing about Sainsburys - their own brand free range eggs seem to have suddenly become white instead of brown. I couldn't believe my eyes the first time I opened a box to find all the eggs were gleaming white (was in the store at the time checking that nothing was broken in the box I was about to buy, so promptly checked several other boxes to find they were all white too). I'm curious why Sainsburys decided to do this (and how they managed it - I mean, I thought the colour of the eggs was determined by the precise breed of chicken, so it doesn't seem to be something you could easily swap out overnight).

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Mojo · 22 Feb 2024

Waitrose have had their essential Eggs as American-style white eggs for about a year or two now.

3141 · 22 Feb 2024

DynamicSpirit said:
One curious thing about Sainsburys - their own brand free range eggs seem to have suddenly become white instead of brown. I couldn't believe my eyes the first time I opened a box to find all the eggs were gleaming white (was in the store at the time checking that nothing was broken in the box I was about to buy, so promptly checked several other boxes to find they were all white too). I'm curious why Sainsburys decided to do this (and how they managed it - I mean, I thought the colour of the eggs was determined by the precise breed of chicken, so it doesn't seem to be something you could easily swap out overnight).

I'd assume that they changed to a different supplier for their "own brand" eggs, who has a different breed of hen.

AM9 · 22 Feb 2024

Mojo said:
Waitrose have had their essential Eggs as American-style white eggs for about a year or two now.

why would the colour of the shell matter with the lowest cost commodity line?

johnnychips · 22 Feb 2024

Well I always thought the egg colour depended on the feed given, but as others have stated, it depends on the breed. Every day is a school day. The article quoted explains this, and also notes there is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs.

Brown vs. White Eggs — Is There a Difference?

Brown eggs are often thought of as healthier and more natural than white eggs. This article explores the differences and whether one type is truly better.

www.healthline.com

ComUtoR · 22 Feb 2024

AM9 said:
why would the colour of the shell matter with the lowest cost commodity line?

It's consumer psychology. In the UK we typically have 'Brown' eggs. Large eggs are more expensive and Organic eggs are more expensive. 'Farm Assured (Red Tractor etc.) are the better eggs to buy and Battery eggs are the Devil's work.

I love the Waitrose Duck Eggs (Large and white) and I've tried their Clarence Court 'Blue' Eggs and love those too.

After all, its not just any egg. It's an Oakham Farm, organic, slow bred, corn fed, open roaming, countryside egg....

Kite159 · 22 Feb 2024

jbqfc said:
Sainsburys in Crawley have changed the scale to ones that have a camera that detects what you are weighing
I guess to stop people from picking something cheaper

John

Makes sense, I suspect the camera will be running some image recon software so it arrange to ID a particular product as "X", i.e. someone selecting carrots when buying onions etc

DynamicSpirit · 22 Feb 2024

AM9 said:
why would the colour of the shell matter with the lowest cost commodity line?

I guess it's theoretically possible that for your budget range you'd want the colour to be whatever consumers like the least - because that incentivises more people to buy the more expensive ranges. From the supermarket's perspective, you want each customer to buy the most expensive brand that you can persuade them to buy, so you only really want the budget range items to be bought by people who really won't/can't buy anything except the very cheapest. Making the appearance superficially less attractive even though the quality is the same would be one way to achieve that.

AM9 · 22 Feb 2024

DynamicSpirit said:
I guess it's theoretically possible that for your budget range you'd want the colour to be whatever consumers like the least - because that incentivises more people to buy the more expensive ranges. From the supermarket's perspective, you want each customer to buy the most expensive brand that you can persuade them to buy, so you only really want the budget range items to be bought by people who really won't/can't buy anything except the very cheapest. Making the appearance superficially less attractive even though the quality is the same would be one way to achieve that.

I doubt that the change is anything to do with customer choice. There has been disruption to egg supplies since about September '23, and some shops have struggled to get any, so the bottom of the range would be whatever they could get at the lowest cost, and the colour of the shell is of no consequence during shortages.

jon0844 · 23 Feb 2024

My Aldi now only does eggs in six capacity cartons. Is that across the board at all Aldi stores? Not sure if there's a limit per customer still, but I had assumed the shortages were mostly dealt with these days.

All the self checkouts were off when I last went (after a rather large absence) which I wondered might be down to the lack of any visible security guard on duty.

zero · 23 Feb 2024

Kite159 said:
jbqfc said:

Sainsburys in Crawley have changed the scale to ones that have a camera that detects what you are weighing
I guess to stop people from picking something cheaper

Click to expand...

Makes sense, I suspect the camera will be running some image recon software so it arrange to ID a particular product as "X", i.e. someone selecting carrots when buying onions etc

Interesting. I recently moved to Australia and the main supermarkets seem to have introduced this in the second half of 2023. They're part of the self-checkout here, unlike Sainsburys you don't print your own barcode (though you can still weigh them in the fruit&veg section to check the price).

I thought it would be a good innovation to have in the UK, as in the UK I often spent a long time trying to find the right item on self-checkouts, mainly bakery items when I couldn't remember the exact name.

The camera quality is variable, sometimes the identification is perfect every time, sometimes you still have to choose from about 6 options that are the same colour.

The camera also records your face throughout the check out process. Once I had an empty bag with a picture of an orange in my trolley, and the machine detected it and accused me of not scanning everything. I wonder if this is coming to the UK too.

jon81uk · 23 Feb 2024

Kite159 said:
Makes sense, I suspect the camera will be running some image recon software so it arrange to ID a particular product as "X", i.e. someone selecting carrots when buying onions etc

Using the new self-service scales the camera just identifies my item and then I press the button to print the label, its never allowed me to select the item in my store on the one where the camera is working. Maybe with something like apples it would find it harder, but the majority of those are sold in packs of 4/6 not by weight anyway. Onions, red onions, baking potatoes, ginger and carrots have all just been identified with no user input.

sannox · 23 Feb 2024

jon0844 said:
My Aldi now only does eggs in six capacity cartons. Is that across the board at all Aldi stores?

Nope, got 12 in Aldi last week.

lookapigeon · 23 Feb 2024

jon0844 said:
My Aldi now only does eggs in six capacity cartons. Is that across the board at all Aldi stores? Not sure if there's a limit per customer still, but I had assumed the shortages were mostly dealt with these days.

Is yours a smaller/centrally located store? Perhaps they're trying the Tesco Express type model in terms of having smaller packs but at higher margins.

The one that's (if you excuse the pun) rare as hen's teeth is the box of 15 eggs. They've rarely found in Aldi these days and the 12 or 6 is standard.M&S have discontinued the 15 box, as so have Sainsbury's.

White eggs are just a different breed of hen, and they were often used in the catering industry. But due to the shortages people will want whatever they can lay their hands on.

(OK I'll stop with the unintended puns).

urbophile · 23 Feb 2024

sannox said:
Nope, got 12 in Aldi last week.

There don't seem to be as many 12-packs as usual. Last week they only had them with medium size eggs, not large.

sprunt · 23 Feb 2024

Tesco have switched to white eggs this year too.

I remember when I was a child white eggs were the norm, and brown ones a bit exotic, then it changed over sometime in the late 70s/early 80s.

david1212 · 23 Feb 2024

jon0844 said:
....
All the self checkouts were off when I last went (after a rather large absence) which I wondered might be down to the lack of any visible security guard on duty.

The security guard was loitering near the doors as normal yesterday.

Whenever a queue the usual procedure is to announce more than one additional operated checkout. Once the queue goes these close then the queue builds again .....
Keeping one more open while nominally the same number of customers in the store I would have thought overall was more efficient use of staff.

Trackman · 23 Feb 2024

jon0844 said:
All the self checkouts were off when I last went (after a rather large absence) which I wondered might be down to the lack of any visible security guard on duty.

Funny you should say that, I once went to Hither Green Tesco express, there was one security guard on the door and nobody behind the checkouts, the security guard was not in vision of my self-service till. I bought a couple of bottles of beer so I couldnt check out without the person behind the till authorising it. As I hadn't seen any staff I thought I would be in for a long wait. Anyway, as if by magic the screen changes to approved. I asked said security guard how this happened and says when they are short staffed for a short time it's switched over to remote by camera, who watch it like a Hawk. I assume if these remote CCTV operators see anything untowards they would radio the security guard.

Mojo · 23 Feb 2024

Kite159 said:
Makes sense, I suspect the camera will be running some image recon software so it arrange to ID a particular product as "X", i.e. someone selecting carrots when buying onions etc

They’ve had these at the Sainsbury’s by my work in central London for over a year now. It doesn’t even let you select the wrong item; you just put the item in the bowl and the only option avaliable for you is the item that’s in the bowl. It’s never got it wrong for me yet.

I ought to add this is on the scales with label printers in the fruit & veg aisles, designed for customers using SmartShop, and not the scales on the self service checkouts.

Peter Mugridge · 23 Feb 2024

sprunt said:
Tesco have switched to white eggs this year too.

Mostly brown eggs still in little Tesco in Epsom.

Haven't checked in the big Tescos recently for eggs.

Lost property · 23 Feb 2024

Local Tesco. No diesel for over a week now, apparently, it's due to " the pumps"....so every filling point pump is now u/s is it?.... how convenient !....when they do malfunction, they usually get fixed rapidly.

Inside the store...shelves now being routinely re-stocked during the day, rather than at night.

Either (a) night shift cancelled to save money and / or (b) some pasty faced adolescent winnit (with an MBA) now called a " manager" has decided basic JIT principles should be applied. Self-service tills now undermanned and Tesco have the worst IT systems around.

"Fresh" produce means it goes out of date at the store door.

jon81uk · 23 Feb 2024

Lost property said:
Local Tesco. No diesel for over a week now, apparently, it's due to " the pumps"....so every filling point pump is now u/s is it?.... how convenient !....when they do malfunction, they usually get fixed rapidly.

Inside the store...shelves now being routinely re-stocked during the day, rather than at night.

Either (a) night shift cancelled to save money and / or (b) some pasty faced adolescent winnit (with an MBA) now called a " manager" has decided basic JIT principles should be applied. Self-service tills now undermanned and Tesco have the worst IT systems around.

"Fresh" produce means it goes out of date at the store door.

The removal of night shift started two years ago https://www.theguardian.com/busines...itches-night-shifts-putting-1500-jobs-at-risk then they got rid of even more a year ago https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64463060

But if you don't like shopping at Tesco then find a better supermarket.

Bald Rick · 23 Feb 2024

Brown eggs in Sainsburys today…

Xenophon PCDGS · 23 Feb 2024

In January of this year, the Co-op announced the end of its rewards scheme which gave a cash discount on Co-op branded products purchased plus the same amount to a nominated charity of the customers choice that had been arranged on their website. They are now setting up a master financial national system so charities do not lose out, but I am not sure how this will work. I took advantage of donating my entire rewards balance to my nominated charity.

Since the demise of the rewards system, mention is made of dividend points, but these are said to carry no financial value, so what on earth are they for?

Bald Rick said:
Brown eggs in Sainsburys today…

Every time that I buy ready-boxed XL eggs from supermarkets, they always are brown ones.

Ostrich · 23 Feb 2024

Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but Sainsbury's have started trialling something called Freedom Case, which is a locked, self service unit housing spirits which you can (currently) only access via a touch screen. Other more stringent security measures can be built into the feature.

Sainsbury's trials new AI security cabinets

Sainsbury's is trialling new AI security cabinets to help prevent shoplifting in alcohol aisles. It is the latest bid to tackle an epidemic of shoplifting and thefts that have plagued UK supermarkets.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Extract from above article:

Sainsbury's is trialling new AI security cabinets to help prevent shoplifting in alcohol aisles.
The new technology, Freedom Case, is produced by Indyme and is a locked self-service cabinet.
It is the latest bid to tackle an epidemic of shoplifting and thefts that have plagued supermarkets throughout the UK.
So far it has only been put in place in a small number of stores including one in St Albans but if it proves successful it could be rolled out further.
The case holds high-price spirits and customers are required to complete a touchscreen process to open the shelf.
Essentially the process in place now is similar to a glorified doorbell, where shoppers touch a screen, which is answered by security and the cabinet opens.
But Indyme says the fully functional unit uses AI and built in sensors to identify potential thefts by tracking activity like how long the door has been opened and if anything inside has been moved.

DelW · 23 Feb 2024

I buy my eggs from my local greengrocer, who gets them from a local farm. I was surprised this week when I opened the latest box to find it had all six white eggs - previously they've always been brown.

So far they've all been double yolk too, though I have occasionally known that to happen before (they're "very large" size). No detectable taste difference though.

Baxenden Bank · 23 Feb 2024

Ostrich said:
Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but Sainsbury's have started trialling something called Freedom Case, which is a locked, self service unit housing spirits which you can (currently) only access via a touch screen. Other more stringent security measures can be built into the feature.

Sainsbury's trials new AI security cabinets

Sainsbury's is trialling new AI security cabinets to help prevent shoplifting in alcohol aisles. It is the latest bid to tackle an epidemic of shoplifting and thefts that have plagued UK supermarkets.

www.dailymail.co.uk

St Albans I see, that hotbed of criminality, where several members identify themselves as living. Any of those members care to comment?

Bald Rick · 23 Feb 2024

Ostrich said:
Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but Sainsbury's have started trialling something called Freedom Case, which is a locked, self service unit housing spirits which you can (currently) only access via a touch screen. Other more stringent security measures can be built into the feature.

Sainsbury's trials new AI security cabinets

Sainsbury's is trialling new AI security cabinets to help prevent shoplifting in alcohol aisles. It is the latest bid to tackle an epidemic of shoplifting and thefts that have plagued UK supermarkets.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Baxenden Bank said:
St Albans I see, that hotbed of criminality, where several members identify themselves as living. Any of those members care to comment?

I shall try it tomorrow!

I suspect it is at the one at Colney Fields by the M25, which is Sainsbury’s “model store” where they trial things, and not the one in St Albans proper (next to the Abbey).

But if it stops the automated announcement of “Will security please report to the spirits aisle” every minute or so, then i’m all for it. It will be interesting to see what they regard as decent Whisky.

(As an aside, I gather St Albans has one of the highest rates of shoplifting in supermarkets, due to being close to London, lower security levels, and ‘Theft tourism’. Guildford has the same problem AIUI.)

takno · 24 Feb 2024

Ostrich said:
Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but Sainsbury's have started trialling something called Freedom Case, which is a locked, self service unit housing spirits which you can (currently) only access via a touch screen. Other more stringent security measures can be built into the feature.

Sainsbury's trials new AI security cabinets

Sainsbury's is trialling new AI security cabinets to help prevent shoplifting in alcohol aisles. It is the latest bid to tackle an epidemic of shoplifting and thefts that have plagued UK supermarkets.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I love the way they've shoehorned AI into it. It seems from the description to be a locked cabinet with remote monitoring, and which has an alarm if it's left open. Bet it can't do anything about people who malinger around the area waiting for an upstanding citizen to open the cabinet before emptying the lot

Lost property · 24 Feb 2024

jon81uk said:
The removal of night shift started two years ago https://www.theguardian.com/busines...itches-night-shifts-putting-1500-jobs-at-risk then they got rid of even more a year ago https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64463060

But if you don't like shopping at Tesco then find a better supermarket.

Thank you. Being an almost normal, I would never have thought of, and exercising, that option.

I've never been a "loyal" Tesco customer, Tesco being very adept at sell promoting themselves and convincing the gullible they only have the customers interests at heart. Neither do I have brand loyalty.

However, I am amused as to why the colour of egg shells is attracting such scrutiny when surely this is irrelevant and the only concern should be the content.

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