Customers using supermarkets as wholesalers.

Bob2000

CliveOfIndia said:

eskbanker said:

la531983 said:

Bob2000 said:

TheSpectator said:

What law do you think is being broken here?

If they weren't allowed to then do you think the supermarkets would let them?

I dont know what law is being broken. That's why l asked the question.
Thanks.

Even if there was a law stopping shopkeepers using supermarkets, how would you imagine this would be enforced?

"Who are you buying these 20 bottles of Coke for"?
"Oh, they are for me".

Nobody can disprove it.

I'd have thought that the major supermarkets would have the capability within their systems to cap volumes of specific items allowed on an individual transaction.

They do.  A common one being Paracetamol, whereby you're not allowed to buy more than two packets (32 tablets, I think?) at once.  OK, that's slightly different as it's a legal requirement, but the technology is there.

But aside from any legal restrictions, it's purely down to the shop's own policies.  I know during Covid a lot of places limited the number of packets of toilet rolls you could buy ( what was that all about ???? ).  And as you say, they'll occasionally put a limit on certain items if there's a supply shortage.  But there's no legal reason why you can't buy as much of anything as you want.

Several years ago I worked for Lidl, when we got a delivery we'd put about a dozen boxes (each containing about 20 bags) of frozen chips in the freezer in the storeroom for a specific customer who bought them every couple of days.  Apparently he owned a takeaway, and the Lidl frozen chips were cheaper than what he could buy them for at the wholesaler.  I found that somewhat hard to believe, but there you go.

Funny you mentioned LidI l was in there awhile ago and a local lady went up to two men who were in the process of emptying  the freezer of the chips and took 2 bags from their trolley and said in colourful  language along the lines of leave some for people who want to eat them at home and not at your kebab shop!

jon81uk

Tucosalamanca said:

CliveOfIndia said:

Apparently he owned a takeaway, and the Lidl frozen chips were cheaper than what he could buy them for at the wholesaler.  I found that somewhat hard to believe, but there you go.

Infinitely cheaper than the wholesaler.

In my retail days I could buy individual cases cheaper from Tesco than I could negotiate an HGV load (22 pallets) from the wholesaler, even when bringing brand reps into the discussion and rolling in all discounts.

It's still the same now, as an example...
Coca Cola and Pepsi are currently £7 per case in Tesco (sometimes as low as £6)
Wholesalers are charging more than that ex-vat, which makes Tesco at least 20% cheaper.

Although the Tesco cans might be marked multipack not for individual sale.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

DullGreyGuy said: A single 1.25ml bottle is £1.60 at Tesco, £1.39 at Booker with an RRP of £2.59 for a corner shop 

Blooming eck, inflation is getting bad  

Reminds me of those dystopian future films where the cigarettes are 90% filter. 

DullGreyGuy

jon81uk said:

Tucosalamanca said:

CliveOfIndia said:

Apparently he owned a takeaway, and the Lidl frozen chips were cheaper than what he could buy them for at the wholesaler.  I found that somewhat hard to believe, but there you go.

Infinitely cheaper than the wholesaler.

In my retail days I could buy individual cases cheaper from Tesco than I could negotiate an HGV load (22 pallets) from the wholesaler, even when bringing brand reps into the discussion and rolling in all discounts.

It's still the same now, as an example...
Coca Cola and Pepsi are currently £7 per case in Tesco (sometimes as low as £6)
Wholesalers are charging more than that ex-vat, which makes Tesco at least 20% cheaper.

Although the Tesco cans might be marked multipack not for individual sale.

They will be and right now in our Booker 4x 6pack of Diet Coke is £5.99 if you buy the ones where the packs are marked with a £3.19 sales price or £7.49 if you want them without a sales price. Add VAT and Tesco is 0.78p cheaper per can than Booker at the moment. 

Wyndham

Slightly off topic, but about toilet roll and covid.... 

While there were some people who bought loads, there were not many of them. Most of the shortages were caused by people buying two packs instead of the one they would usually buy. And the supply chains for supermarkets are qutie fragile, and couldn't cope with that - it was enough to cause a meltdown.

kempiejon

Wyndham said:

Slightly off topic, but about toilet roll and covid.... 

While there were some people who bought loads, there were not many of them. Most of the shortages were caused by people buying two packs instead of the one they would usually buy. And the supply chains for supermarkets are qutie fragile, and couldn't cope with that - it was enough to cause a meltdown.

We just went without, a saving I've tried to continue.

MeteredOut

kempiejon said:

Wyndham said:

Slightly off topic, but about toilet roll and covid.... 

While there were some people who bought loads, there were not many of them. Most of the shortages were caused by people buying two packs instead of the one they would usually buy. And the supply chains for supermarkets are qutie fragile, and couldn't cope with that - it was enough to cause a meltdown.

We just went without, a saving I've tried to continue.

I was about to say "I'd love to shake your hand for doing that good deed", but then thought further...