Why new 'discount' food shops?

[Fietsrad 379]

Many of us remember Schlecker, a drugstore that used to have branches in very small villages and towns, but now it has none. Not sure quite what went wrong.

 

I wonder if the food retailers are going the same way. In my area they are building new stores and pulling down perfectly good existing stores.

 

The new stores are more energy-efficient per m2 but they are bigger, so there is no saving in the end.

 

The population here is static, probably falling. I do not suppose people are going to spend more per head on food.

 

Why do they keep "upgrading"? Is there a chance for a simple cheap store? I would certainly use it!

 

I am quite lucky, there are several other food shops in town so I can boycott the new ones😉

[silty1 3,591]

We used to have a Schlecker near our place.  It was quite the dump, so bad we just called it Schlechter und schlechter.  Was not surprised the chain went under.   We've also got a lot of choice of supermarkets, and some are cheaper than others with the same products.  Kaufland is one good one, with major brands and usually a lot of floor space, so you have the selection.  You should be glad there are upgraded stores where you live.   I will not go to Penny or a NettoMarkt unless there is something on sale I would really like to stock up on.  In and out in a few minutes.  The ones near our place look like such holes, it's depressing to shop there. 

[catjones 1,650]

4 hours ago, Fietsrad said:

so I can boycott the new ones

 

Why would you do that?  Spite?

[Fietsrad 379]

21 minutes ago, catjones said:

 

Why would you do that?  Spite?

To punish them for wasting resources, and because the ambience in the new store is bad, lots of spotlights. There are plenty of other stores, the old small one near home is much better, I use than for nearly everything.

 

The authorities are to blame too, they should force retailers to keep existing stores.

 

If a store is not modernised the retailer has lots of scope to cut prices.

 

Someone described the situation very well in 1989: "if my neighbouring country puts up new wallpaper, there is no reason I should do likewise".

Or:

"ICH WILL BILLIG!" / I want cheap!

[fraufruit 41,623]

5 hours ago, Fietsrad said:

I can boycott the new ones😉

 

I'm sure they will miss you.

[Fietsrad 379]

Beyond boycott! I plan to drop off my Pfandgut there and take the cash but not buy anything. If enough people did likewise.. 😃

 

But really the Rathaus and legislators should act and stop wasteful new building. Nobody talks about replacing churches that are hundreds of years old, a food store could last a century, surely.

[fraufruit 41,623]

1 hour ago, Fietsrad said:

Beyond boycott! I plan to drop off my Pfandgut there and take the cash but not buy anything. If enough people did likewise.. 😃

 

 

I know you're joking because it would take a special kind of psycho to do that.

[Fietsrad 379]

No I am not joking. If people organised a boycott of one unnecessary new store, the retailers could be forced to stop building new, and to keep older stores for many years. I dwell in a building that is fifty years old, in better condition now than ever, should last many more years.

 

In practice and in theory, very many people can choose between several stores. Of course boycotting is a bit late, the town authorities should stop the awful new stores being built in the first place.

[fraufruit 41,623]

Everyone shops where they want. End of.

 

I also hate all of the over-development everywhere and it isn't just stores.

[silty1 3,591]

2 hours ago, fraufruit said:

 

I know you're joking because it would take a special kind of psycho to do that.

 

I see what you did there

[bramble 9,570]

19 hours ago, Fietsrad said:

Many of us remember Schlecker, a drugstore that used to have branches in very small villages and towns, but now it has none. Not sure quite what went wrong.

 

The company went bankrupt and still owes huge amounts of money to employees, craftsmen, workers, suppliers, Finanzamt, etc. etc. It was a huge scandal and all over the news, involving several court cases against the Schlecker family even resulting in jail time. 

 

Here's a detailed German Wikipedia article about the rise and fall of the Schlecker company: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlecker

The English version is very short with hardly any details. 

[Krieg 14,783]

So this guy wants to stop progress.  Be my guest.

 

And of course comparing supermarket operations to a Church totally makes sense.

 

[silty1 3,591]

While we're at it we should just stop Deutsche Bahn from maintaining their rail network, they've been around for decades so who needs to renew them? Besides, those fancy new trains hurt my eyes when they flash by so fast, the older ones were just as good. 

[keith2011 2,500]

7 minutes ago, silty1 said:

While we're at it we should just stop Deutsche Bahn from maintaining their rail network, they've been around for decades so who needs to renew them? Besides, those fancy new trains hurt my eyes when they flash by so fast, the older ones were just as good. 

 

Yes, and bring back steam trains.

[klingklang77 489]

43 minutes ago, keith2011 said:

 

Yes, and bring back steam trains.

 

They don’t even need the fast trains anyway. It isn’t like they arrive on time anymore or have no delays. 

[yesterday 1,898]

15 hours ago, Fietsrad said:

No I am not joking. If people organised a boycott of one unnecessary new store, the retailers could be forced to stop building new, and to keep older stores for many years. I dwell in a building that is fifty years old, in better condition now than ever, should last many more years.

 

If all people decided not to pollute any more the world would return to a carbon free place as well, but people have choice, and they are not going to do something you want, just because you do not like it, and that goes for many other things

 

15 hours ago, Fietsrad said:

In practice and in theory, very many people can choose between several stores. Of course boycotting is a bit late, the town authorities should stop the awful new stores being built in the first place.

 

So people may like the new stores, why do you not consider, there choice and you should have a boycott on the old stores !!

 

So why ask people to follow you like a blind child through a maze in a corn field  

 

 

[Fietsrad 379]

I shall continue favoring the Small Cheap Store near home, it is over 30 years old!

 

Others are free to waste money and time at the new store with an einzigartige Licht- und Farbkonzept, special light and color concept. Seems a very disagreeable atmosphere to me, a place to avoid if possible.

..

I still have a lot of stuff I bought at Schlecker, hundreds of Lichtbilder/photos!

[skadi 75]

Perhaps the old stores are very uneconomical and un-environmentally friendly to run. Things move on you know. 

[fraufruit 41,623]

FFS. Monster chain stores have been opening for many, many years and putting the old mom and pop stores out of business. It is not nice but it is a fact.

 

Bigger stores have a lot more options but you can keep eating the same things out of your old store.

 

Nobody cares.

 

(Himself found truffle bufala cheese in a big Interspar the other day. It was delicious!!)

 

 

[yesterday 1,898]

the new (some ) stores have A/C with is a gift from god on hot days like today - its pleasant to go in, well worth a couple of extra cent on some products