Report comment

find the letter self-serving and rather disingenuous in not only its’ content but also its’ reasoning. Three of the largest symbol group, Cost cutter, Nisa and the Co-Op are not signatories to the letter which speaks volumes as they see their future with such mergers for their own survival with the mults. The idea that the new merger will totally dominate the market is also rather farfetched. The German discounters and Amazon are going to be the real threat to the future of retailing in this country and the new merger will, at the very least save many a retailer from collapse simply because the new Tesco/Booker consortium will provide some insurance towards the storm that is brewing round the corner.
I also struggle to the suggestion that retailers will pay more for their goods in the future which is equally fanciful. The question here is, why would a company deliberately harm its own when there is so much competition around and more to come? The letter has no mention of the German discounters whose share of the market is rising at an alarming rate nor does it mention the dominance of Amazon who has even bigger financial power to wipe a lot of wholesalers out of business never mind the retailers.
The new consortium will also be in line with market tends and have the ability to suffice the concept of chill, food to go and the rest which future retailers will require. Perhaps the signatories may want to ask if they are in many cases out of sync with what market will require rather than attacking, in my humble opinion, one of the best thing that has happened in saving the future of independent sector in this country.


Arjan Mehr Londis Bracknell