Tesco

Thrugelmir

EdGasketTheSecond said:

Thrugelmir said:

That's the way to spend your advertising budget. What excellent PR in the run up to Xmas. 

Over time we'll hear about the companies that defrauded the UK taxpayer. Not going to help their business longer term. 

I don't think your average supermarket customer gives two hoots about whether business rates have been paid, not paid, or repaid. What they want is low prices and reasonable quality/service. Tesco could have had much better PR by spending the £585m on a Christmas bonus for the employees who have had to face virus risk from customers over the period. I would have no objection to that but to pay it to the government is just nuts.

As the High Street continues to disintergrate. There'll be increasing focus on the not so ethical business standards of Amazon's retail division. 

gollum007

To point out (as a staff member)  they *are* paying an extra Christmas bonus of 10%

There was also a 10% bonus for all hours worked in the first lockdown.

Other aspects of pay have been changed (not going there), but coronavirus related pay has been generous.

badmemory

No mention of the savings that they made by no longer being open 24 hours!

surreysaver

Makes you wonder if they're trying to cover something up 

Moe_The_Bartender

They borrowed a lifeboat and are returning it to its owners. If they don’t need it any more, it’s the right thing to do.

EdGasketTheSecond

I see we are living in a socialist country; sad days.

clive0510

if they don't need the money, which as we all know, they don't, why not give it to charity, or put it towards the fight against covid.

Bravepants

EdGasketTheSecond said:

I see we are living in a socialist country; sad days.

No one was complaining when the Tories were handing out furlough money to save businesses! Including businesses that were failing and planning on making redundancies anyway. All those Tory voters welcomed a socialist policy then! I'm hoping all those companies who defrauded the government furlough scheme, big or small, get outed!

DiggerUK

Tesco have not repaid a penny piece because they have an honour code that allows such 'decent' acts to be performed. Ethics in business is bad business practice, it don't pay a return, compliance is the only criteria they take notice of. Ignore compliance and pay big fines, as they have found out in the recent past.

They will have taken this action based on how profitable it is for them, nothing to do with being 'good eggs'. This will be a decision based on their legal and accountancy bods advice..._

NottinghamKnight

EdGasketTheSecond said:

I see we are living in a socialist country; sad days.

A truly capitalist economy wouldn't be handing that money out in the first place, just sink or swim with the related consequences, so paying it back is just a nil sum game unless you think large listed companies should be subject to government subsidies.