Tesco and the Community

Convenience Store magazine reports that Tesco has told 2,500 of it's local managers and staff to spend one day working in the community in the next year. Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco's head honcho, said,

"I believe that business must operate in ways that nurture and sustain community activity and enterprise. Engaging with communities must be central to the way that businesses operate."

Leaving aside the way that Tesco has failed to engage with the community in St Albans, and the irony of making people volunteer to help the community we'll let Nigel Dowdney, who owns a store near Downham Market, Norfolk, give his reply. He told Convenience Store that after a Tesco opened locally,

"The detrimental effect that Tesco had on the town centre was apparent immediately.Within weeks of Tesco opening, the local Co-op closed and then a variety of food and non-food shops started to disappear, many of which had operated in the town for decades.

"I no longer believe Tesco's corporate statements and would say it's safer not to."

We'll let you make your own minds up about the last quote!