Villagers 'punished' by supermarket pricing

Villagers say they feel "punished" by the prices and limited range of products in their only supermarket.

Campaigners in Highfield, Gateshead, say they are charged higher prices at the Tesco Express in Rowlands Gill compared with larger Tesco and rival brand stores in the town centre.

Marie Sidgwick, 65, who lives in Rowlands Gill, said: "Desperate people are having to pay the price because they cannot afford to make the £5 bus trip to Gateshead and it's all wrong."

A Tesco spokesperson said the company offers a range of everyday products in its Express stores at the same price charged in larger stores, but shoppers say many cheaper items are not stocked in the smaller outlets.

Ms Sidgwick said: "There are a lot of people who are having a real hard time paying their bills and affording food and Tesco should really help.

"We haven't got a bigger or cheaper store."

Crisps, lentils, pasta, milk and meat are among some of the products villagers say are being stocked at a higher price rather than within the value range of products.

Diane Kindred, who works at Gateshead Food Bank, said she understands Tesco needs to make a profit, but cheaper value brands are not being stocked.

"Penne pasta for example," she said. "The Tesco brand is 69p but their value range is only 41p.

"That's a big difference, and the Express store is choosing the 69p bag.

"Tesco Express are deemed as convenience stores so generally the prices are higher, but for the Highfield residents this isn't a convenience store, it is an essential supermarket.

"You can't do a weekly shop on the bus, some of the residents are vulnerable and elderly and are not digitally savvy to do an online shop either."

According to a 2023 Competition & Markets Authority report it costs more to run a convenience store due to them requiring more deliveries of lower volumes while having relatively greater staffing levels and higher rents.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said big brand smaller shops faced the same issues as independent retailers in terms of costs.

"These costs often to lead to slightly higher prices than the larger superstores which benefit from economies of scale," he said.

"Overall, these stores are intended as a way of supporting customers for smaller shops rather than replacing the need for large-format stores."

The report said prices in convenience store outlets of major supermarkets tend to be about 10% higher than a large store of the same brand.

But for 62-year-old Mary McGarry, who lives on her own, this is not a convenient way to shop.

"I feel punished because I have to spend money I don't have and there's also a waste issue," she said.

"I can't use a whole bag of potatoes, or three peppers in a bag in a week.

"The food goes off but I have to buy it because there are no loose items.

"I understand Tesco has a no waste policy... but Tesco needs to take responsibility for the waste that is happening outside the store as well."

Tesco said its Express store does not have the shelf space to accommodate all the product ranges available in their large stores.

A spokesperson said: "We use our knowledge of local customers' shopping habits to make sure the ranges in each store best meet local tastes and needs.

"We offer a range of everyday products in Express, including own-brand bread and milk, at the same price we charge in our larger stores."