08 January, 2007

Healthy Snacks and Morrisons Reigate

Healthy Snackies
See how good I am being? ;)

Took 5 minutes out this morning and prepared myself a bowl of chopped carrots, peppers and a handful of mini plum tomatoes (which, incidentally, are *very* sour, but that serves me just about right for buying criminally out-of-season produce from far flung lands)...

We did our shopping in Morrisons in Reigate yesterday, call me a creature of habit, but I really don't like visiting new supermarkets, it always seems to be the same story -

  • You spend the first five minutes feeling like a lost puppy
  • You can never find everything you want (I still don't have a clue where they decided to keep the icing sugar, and no, it's not with the regular sugar or near the bags of flour, but it wasn't important enough to actually seek out a member of staff)
  • Shopping takes twice as long as you have no idea of the layout
  • Because they have different things in stock you end up buying a load of stuff you don't need
  • Pricing is different (we miscalculated by £30, the bad way, when totting up in the queue, whoops!)

- extra special woe specific to Morrisons was -

  • No cauliflowers in stock, not even organic
  • No members of staff visible (can't move for them in Tesco in their "Here to Help" T-shirts)
  • The cheapest bit of lamb was nearly £9
  • There were peppercorns all over the floor in one of the aisles, and in all the time we were there no-one made any effort to clean them up (not funny if an old dear or a kid had gone over)
  • Everything I picked up seemed to have a "best before" date of the 9th of Jan
  • Only about 4 tills open (every one of them had about 5 trolleys waiting), this also clogged up the ends of the ailes, very poorly laid out...especially considering all the wasted space beyond them...and we could have driven there and back to Gatwick twice in the time we were waiting...

Sorry Morrisons, Tesco have it hands down...

6 comments:

Unknown said...

With you there bro, it's a real culture shock. If you do find something you really like it will be discontinued next time you go

Anonymous said...

Try your local waitrose - tey aer all set out the same and there is always someone to help - they actually take you to the item you require - they always help because they part own the company.

Unknown said...

Well, of all of them, I guess Waitrose would be my fave...we just don't have one nearby! :(

Anonymous said...

Give Morrisons a chance! Reigate may not be such a nice shop but many other branches in the area are. Oxted and Caterham Morrisons are both well staffed, well stocked, clean and pleasant. I never liked Safeway (far too expensive) and I hate Tesco. Sainsbury's and Asda used to be my only choice, that is until Morrisons came along. I am a Morrisons convert and swear by the freshness of their fruit and veg, as well as their fresh pies. If you really want to go around dissing a family-owned supermarket that really does care about customer service and it's customers then go ahead, but next time you're in Morrisons (not Reigate) look at the love put into Market Street, and the commitment shown by the staff to make their customers feel welcome and cared for!

Unknown said...

Hehe, well, I wasn't dissing Morissons as a whole, in fact when we are on holiday in Devon it's my supermarket of choice... ;)

The Reigate one really needs some attention from a crowd flow expert though (it's a master class in cramming far to much into far too little space with no regard whatsoever for the customer experience)!

Anonymous said...

I think Reigate Morrisons is far better than Tesco. It doesnt take long to find your way round. They are so much better now than when they first opened. Dont be put of by one bad experiance. They use british farmers for meat as well which has to be a good thing. Always plenenty of staff there when I go.

Saying that there is a great Waitrose in Horley as well which is a bit closer than tesco.