I'm Running Sainsburys

I'm Running Sainsbury's I'm Running Sainsbury's

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Date Published:
21/05/2009

Sainsbury’s makes £30,000 a minute - but like us all, the credit crunch is hitting them where it hurts. So have they called in the experts? Have they heck. They’ve asked their shop floor workers to turn things around…

Sainsbury’s is Britain’s oldest supermarket chain. Once a single family-run shop, the company now cashes £30,000 a minute in 800 stores across the UK. Although Sainsbury’s is a retail giant, the onset of credit crunch Britain has seen customers become more selective about where they do their shopping and how much they spend – the company is facing one of the most competitive climates in living memory.

Chief Executive, Justin King, has come up with a plan. He believes that somewhere on the shop floor, among the shelf stackers, cleaners, trolley pushers and checkout workers, may lie the next big idea that will give the supermarket the edge.

So he’s decided to allow four shop floor workers the opportunity to try and roll their ideas out across the business, or take up a position of power where they can endeavour to make a difference to the business. Cameras will be following every challenge, obstacle and success along the way.

Will they be able to handle the responsibilities and stresses of taking a new product or concept to the top? Will their ideas actually work?

And has Justin hit on an innovative new concept, or is he just unleashing chaos on his own company?

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  1. So right about the sydenham manager and David Brent. "The standards you set are the standards you get" and "retail is detail". And the little 'thing' for you Joseph - about being a bus driver which could be empty or full of your colleagues - classic!
    Posted by Laura on 26/06/2009 15:06:21
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  2. Kim - I don't think she'd "force" you to take them but guess having somebody tracking you down and making suggestions would be rather annoying and anyway Hot Cross Buns are a big seller normally so if that store if having trouble getting those sold then maybe its their advertising that needs to be looked dat?
    Posted by Mark on 24/06/2009 17:26:38
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  3. I work for Sainsbury's in Bristol and i just thought they made everything hard.like feed the your family for a fiver,why couldn't they use one of the resipie cards already instore.The manager in episode 4 was too in your face and used too many Americanisms which is irritating,i didn't see the connection between getting reduced food in a prominent place and putting the man in a big store to see if he could run it.But good to see what goes on behind the scenes,i know i wouldn't bother putting in any ideas i may have.
    Posted by karen grant on 24/06/2009 13:31:56
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  4. It's interesting that the worse idea of the entire series came from Sainsburys high level management. I think anyone with the slightest hint of common sense could haveseen that this fast track process was going to fail. If you're going to fast track an individual you need to provide them with intensive training on their proposed role and the processes and resources they'll have to manage. Throwing them in the deep end to see if the sink or swim is not 'training'. Additionally that training has to be in an environment that is relevent to that role. The first 2 weeks at Sydenham was a complete waste of time. You don't make someone a better windsurfer by putting them on the bridge of a cruiseliner for 2 weeks. The scale of the operations and the type of customers were worlds apart and required 2 very different sets of skills. Interesting hearing other viewers' comments regarding Ricky Gervais. When I was watching this final episode I was thinking they might as well have renamed it "The Supermarket". The overall series was interesting to watch but it left me with quite a disappointing view of Sainsburys high level management. If they're pinning their hopes on turning the chain around with initiatives like this I wish them the very best of luck...they're going to need it.
    Posted by JimboV on 24/06/2009 13:22:55
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  5. I missed the first 2 episodes of this series but really enjoyed watching Niall from Enfield last week. It was so refreshing to see someone who clearly enjoys their work. His idea of the surgery was great I think as many of us have had frustrations at a store and walk away frustration simmering. Also I enjoyed watching the personal journey of Niall and could see that he took all the feedback very seriously and really wanted to improve Sainsburys. Importantly also I felt it was great to see a person who has excellent people skills in a job involving people. So often in retail the people on the shop floor seem so detached and sullen that you wonder what they are doing in retail. The word detached brings me on to Joseph from Derby in this weeks episode. I was very excited for him as he was given the mammouth challenge/opportunity. What a wet weekend! I have seen more get up and go in a lead balloon. Yes the task was big but I don't think he handled it very well. I sympathised with the store manager in Sydenham. His general presentation was scruffy. His understanding and respect for the business hierarchy poor - choosing to ignore several requests from his boss to attend a meeting? Joseph was agreeable enough but I wouldn't have thought a manager should be breaking into a sweat rushing to put bananas out, nor should they address a colleague as 'my lovely' or 'buddy'. Not very professional. His sense of urgency was non extistant and I don't think he was really 100% behind it once it dawned on him what was required. I really do believe if Sainsburys are interested in fast tracking personnel for new store mangagers they would have better success with other people. People who have a flair for multi-tasking and supervising on a small scale and who have enthusiasm would fare much better. You only get out what you put in and I feel he didn't ask enough questions and use the staff who he had at his disposal. Sorry Justin - you are a nice bloke but I hope I don't see you as a manager of Sainsburys just yet! Would just like to say that I thought Niall was great and I hope he makes it to management as staff and customers liked him. How could you not. Sainsburys are lucky to have him.
    Posted by celia strickland on 24/06/2009 00:14:10
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  6. I have enjoyed series about Sainsburys and the ideas of the various managers. However I was a little concerned by tonights show which seemed to set Joseph up to fail. All supermarkets have small local shops and large superstores,and there is a huge difference between them-there was no way Joseph could move to a big store and be expected to know all the systems immediately. It was inevitable that he would rely on staff in the large store. I hope that he was not too dispirited by the experience and it was good to see him smiling and back on familiar territory at the end of the programme.
    Posted by ANTHONY SHELTON on 23/06/2009 23:30:10
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  7. No disrespect to Joseph but maybe if he actually stopped walking around with his hands in his pockets and showed some enthusiasm he might have created a better impression. Granted it looked like his development plan over the 3 weeks wasn't planned to perfection but it is indeed a 2 way street (the boss of the big supermarket can use that one!) A valid point to make is when Joseph found out when Justin King was coming and he said if he'd known he would have worked a 12 hour shift. A 12 hour shift should be a given in that small amount of time to make a lasting impression.
    Posted by simon smallwood on 23/06/2009 23:07:50
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  8. Tonight was the first time for me to watch the program "im running Sainsbury's" that showed Joseph being a manager for 3 weeks (2 as a departmental manager and 1 week as a store manager)and all he done was run away from the responabilitys that was given to him, he did not respect thoses who where trying to help him and ignored there advise I would give my right arm to have the opportunity that was awarded to Joseph. I have worked hard for 4 years at university to gain a degree in business information management and also gained an international degree, i can be bothered to shave daily and listen to people as well as talk to them politely.
    Posted by wayne on 23/06/2009 22:21:12
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  9. I've just watched the latest episode and felt very sorry for Joseph. He was completely thrown to the sharks. At the end Dido felt that it was a good experience for him, erm I beg to differ. Throwing someone in to a 3 week management programme like that is going to put anyone off the idea of becoming a manager. He should have had a mixture of class room as well as practical experience before moving him to a perm management role. I feel that they've just used him to be honest!
    Posted by Sarah on 23/06/2009 22:18:59
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  10. Just watched the fast track attempt. Is it me? Or is Ricky Gervais a genius? "You have to be like a helicopter" My God! Who was that man? And then he came out with some terrible management phrase... jargon followed by jargon... Incredible. I can't see myself in Sainsbury's in the near future...
    Posted by Brentmeister General on 23/06/2009 22:06:59
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  11. Hi, just watched the "Joseph" episode of "I'm Running Sainsbury's". The idea itself I think is a great one, take someone with huge potential and see how they handle a taste of the pressure that being a store manager would bring. However, choosing this guy was a huge mistake!! He lacked vision, manners, committment and ability. All he needed to do was pay attention and do what was suggested to him. OK he had no experience of such management but he was given direction he just chose to ignore it and pass the buck which is one of many cardinal sins that many managers are guilty of.
    Posted by remdex on 23/06/2009 22:06:21
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  12. Was the manager (Jason?)from the big store for real? I thought I was watching David Brent! The management cliches were hilarious! Greta Telly!
    Posted by Timmer on 23/06/2009 22:05:41
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  13. The direct marketing idea featured in the Sainsbury programme a couple of weeks ago is a nightmare. When I'm shopping for food I do not want to be pestered by `facilitators' (was that the name?) offering me things that I don't want. Even less do I want to be hailed over the tannoy with news about this week's special offers. This happens in some other kinds of shops (not food supermarkets) and it's intrusive and noisy. Please don't inflict it on us in Sainsbury's too - you may lose customers. Yours sincerely, Barbara Goodwin
    Posted by Barbara Goodwin on 23/06/2009 13:13:10
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  14. Niall has hit the nail on the head. I run a small retail conveninance store and we often forget what the customers want. Customers are the most important factor in our industry - without them we don't have a job and those at the top often and frequently forget them - more concerned with profit. Niall idea was brilliant and I would welcome someone like him in my store. The store manager was not helpful - why was that produce fixture so empty - My ops manager would have kicked my ass soooo much if that had been my store. The store manager should have welcomed Niall with open arms and been on the shop floor to see what he could do to help. Short staffed stores are always going to be an issue - its about working smarter not harder and getting your staff to adapt that attitude - well done Niall. I wish my company was doing something like this. Its certainly made me think about my store and what I can do to improve it.
    Posted by Storemanager1 on 19/06/2009 12:20:26
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  15. I watched the above program, and I think I have some basic Ideas to improve customer service inrelation to encouraging customers to speak out and raise their concern and complains. I did not know where to forward this suggestion. I will wait for your reply.. Thanks Ari Sherif
    Posted by Ari sherif on 17/06/2009 19:48:47
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  16. As a shareholder of Sainsbury's I'm beginning to feel they've lost the plot. Any publicity is not always good publicity as is the case with what I've witnessed over the past three shows. Those higher up in Sainsbury's seem to be ego maniacs. I felt sorry for the poor staff on the shop floor.
    Posted by Leeanne Parker on 17/06/2009 17:36:48
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  17. Rebecca - Niall was at the store for three weeks - he said so at the start when he met the management and staff! At the end of the trail he had solved 55.5%, this was not the result of just two days work. Also you applaud Jacki Connor but she also called Niall 'darling' the trait you deplore in him! Well done Niall. We all loved you in our house. Come to Stoke whenever you like. Lucy
    Posted by Lucy on 17/06/2009 15:30:55
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  18. We think Niall's idea is fantastic. I've had a few issues with Sainsburys and have left the store unhappy because there wasn't anyone to speak to and the customer services desk was busy wrapping flowers or giving refunds. I would love to see "Niall's tent" in our branch.
    Posted by Nicola on 17/06/2009 15:15:41
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  19. I am an old employee of your firm and through the training that I received from your company, it has given me the best Customer Service training possible. As a result of this I successfully worked for a well known airline for many years. I watched your programme last night and was enraged by what Niall was doing. He claimed that he and his small team had taken 70 "complaints" over the two days at the store and yet he only answered 3 of them - so how did the figures get to 55.5% when clearly he hadn't answered a mere 10%. Come on Sainsburys. You've got great stores along with great products and I would willingly like to show Niall, that effective communication is not only about talking but about listening too! I also found it rude that he was calling customers "My Darling" and "love" both on the telphone and in person. Jacki Connor was right to have her doubts. Maybe that's why she's a Director!
    Posted by Rebecca on 17/06/2009 14:25:37
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  20. I watched the program last night and whilst I have the utmost respect for Niall and his devotion, the idea was a failure in my opinion. The concept as I understood it was to provide a streamlined method for customers to voice their complaints in store and a process to back that up which means the feedback is transferred to the right departmental supervisor and effective corrective action could be taken quickly and decisively, and for this to happen on an ongoing basis so each Sainsburys outlet could undergo continual improvement. None of that eventuated. The end result is that Sainsburys have gained a single individual troubleshooter that will go from store to store after a change has occurred assessing what's needs to be done. Doesn't that happen already? What happens when the troubleshooter leaves? What happens to the stores that are desperately in need of improvement now and are hemorrhaging loyal customers but aren't due for a refurb for another 5 years? To troubleshoot the customer surgery isn't even needed. With Niall's retail accumen and attention to detail I bet he could spend half an hour walking around a store and figure out 80% of what needs to be done without talking to a single customer. Sorry but finding one good person and promoting them to head office isn't the idea that's going to revolutionise Sainsburys. After watching the last 3 episodes, Sainsburys really need to start thinking outside the box and be prepared to take some risks otherwise their present course isn't going to change.
    Posted by Jimbo on 17/06/2009 13:22:03
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  21. What was this programme all about? If it was meant to be one big advert for Sainsbury's then it failed big time. I thought it showed how top management in any large company bang on about "new and innovative ideas" and yet have no desire to change anything.
    Posted by Paul on 17/06/2009 09:45:54
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  22. Good idea Niall, best episode of the series by a mile. Thought you were very professional through out and I think it's a really good idea that would definitely take off. Brilliant!!! (P.S. Ties can be tricky can't they!)
    Posted by Mark Harris on 17/06/2009 08:36:27
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  23. As a former Checkout/Customer Service manager, I am a little surprised that one of the key bug bearers - Queues - wasnt tackled here. Sainsburys operate THE most complicated and out of touch system when allocating hours to the checkouts. At busy times, the Q-busters( staff from the shop floor) are always called upon, meaning that they cant get their job done - which in turn, leaves empty spaces on the shelves. Even in this weeks episode, Queues were mentioned as a problem, which they will always be until they change the way they tackle them
    Posted by George Williams on 17/06/2009 08:00:36
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  24. It was really heartning to see that Sainsbury cares for the customers and was inviting them to complain. But does this attitude applies to all their branches. Definitely not. Sainsbury in Maidenhead is one such bad example where customer care comes last. We have stopped shopping there for last 1 month and hope not to go their again ever.
    Posted by amit on 17/06/2009 06:51:50
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  25. ohmygosh-i just watched episode 3 of this,the customer service in store idea. I felt Jacki Connor the director of customer service for Sainsbury was SO condecending & patronising to the young man featured.He was trying to resolve customer gripes in-store & when Ms Connor rang for an update she was very unprofessional ,saying .. "Well Nialls darling .....you can't have xxx ". If she had feedback to give it shouldn't really start "Well, Nialls *darling* . The poor bloke then got thoroughly demoralised & the exercise could well have come to a grinding halt. Come on Jacki- give constructive feedback in a professional manner & we may well all be a little happier .
    Posted by princess naughty on 17/06/2009 01:30:41
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  26. I work in a Sainsburys store and try to be my best in front of the customers as I know they are very important to our work (without them we'd have no job!) In our store we suffer from a lack of staff and customer service workers so whilst we make a heathly amount of sales each week customers can get frustrated so its good to know there is somebody they can report to. On the other 2 programme I liked Becky's idea and infact it was a shame the head office people made her change the dish as I think it would have sold better in the orginal form. The "walking tannoy" would not work in our store as its small and we don't sell everything like clothes plus as we are on a high street we get a lot of people who just want to pop in whilst doing other shopping or working and not get hassled.
    Posted by James on 17/06/2009 01:20:11
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  27. You will always get cumstomers who ask silly/awarked questions but you have to accept they have a right to ask and respond in a good manner and best as possiable because whilst you might not be able to deal with a problem they will like good manners and interest in their problem which this lad Nial clearly showed. I accept not everyone can be the same in life but remember Sainsburys is a public sector company and without the general folks lots of employees would not have a job.
    Posted by Mark on 17/06/2009 01:15:27
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  28. Just watched the I'm running Sainsburys episode with the customer surgery with great interest. I was Produce Manager at the previous Finchley Rd branch in the late 70's and judging by the programme nothing much has changed in the last 30 years,unavailabilty of certain lines,a cosmopolitan clientele(so hard to please everyone), shortage of staff,lots of complaining customers,indiferrent staff, out of touch head office staff, and dedicated store staff who want to make a difference for the customer and their working environment. Hats off to Niall for his idea and hard work with the project, no doubt there will have been plenty of people who would have loved to have seen it fail. Well done Niall, hope your idea goes from strength to strength. Just because a company doesn't get many letters of complaint, it doesn't mean all the customers are happy, and the surgery proved it. Must have been an eye opener for the top brass. On another point, I must agree with the customer who said the cashiers were unhelpful, I visit London quite often and have visited the Finchley Rd branch a number of times and every time have been astounded by some of the most miserable checkout staff I have ever met, no wonder the customers are still migrating to the nearby Waitrose, just like 30 years ago. Hope your project works Niall, and I hope that it improves the company, I have plenty of good memories of Sainsbury's and it's still my favourite grocer, I just hope that all it's old qualities come back, I'm sure they will with the customer surgery idea, good luck Niall.
    Posted by John on 17/06/2009 00:16:16
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  29. I have just watched Niall's Customer Services 'Surgery' programme & thought it was great, i would welcome one of those in the sainsburys i go to. I thought Niall was Very polite & funny. The best one so far. :D
    Posted by Sarah on 16/06/2009 23:29:12
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  30. Thought Becky's idea was wonderful but like so many others here, simply could not understand why they did not use a popular existing recipe from the Feed Your Family range and have all the required ingredients in one promotional area as she suggested. It was sad to see an enthusiastic employee so downhearted at the end of the programme through no fault of her own, she deserved to have her idea go forward. As for Barbara and her store host idea, if it comes to the Sainsbury store I frequent, I too will be saying goodbye to Sainsbury's and taking my custom to a competitor. It was intrusive and patronising, definately not a shopping experience I want.
    Posted by Mary on 16/06/2009 22:47:24
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  31. how could he say tonight that he fixed 55.8% of the customer complaints to the chief exec,this is not possible as most customers complain about availability and how long they have to wait at the checkout.these can not be fixed in a matter of days,for example availability can be down to a number of routines going wrong in-store i.e. waste not being scanned properly so the system thinks it has more in its boockstock or for a prime example fruit and veg gets put through the checkout as the wrong product so again does not adjust the boockstock,this looked to be the case in that store.all the ideas so far have been tried and tested in all big companys this is just advertising for sainsburys if they want good ideas ask us the customers.
    Posted by robert on 16/06/2009 22:36:51
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  32. I think Niall's idea is spot on. When is anybody there to complain to at the time? You are always left feeling very unhappy and not valued as a customer. He has shown that if time is taken to hear the customer complaints and make a change there and then the store would have more customer loyalty. I also think that it's the people in store and not in head office that realise what customer needs are. Well done Niall.
    Posted by lynn on 16/06/2009 22:14:29
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  33. FINALLY! Somebody young who actually cares about his job and ths customers he serves (and is paid by) rather than sitting around sour faced and grunting when asked a question. More like this boy please Mr King and I will feel much more valued by Sainsburys.
    Posted by Sally on 16/06/2009 22:12:41
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  34. I have just watched the episode of Store Customer Surgery, and think Niall is a lovely, proactive guy with an awesome idea!! I really think having a mobile surgery, rather than an everyday, static surgery will be much be productive. I think he's got a fantastic idea and i really hope this project is rolled out to new stores/new manager stores. The fact that complaints are dealt with immediately and effectively will have such a positive reaction from those complaining customers! However, I do feel you need customer service persons carrying out the surgery, not just people who work within the store, as it was very clear from the show that the 2 assistants were clearly not interested in making that change, like Niall was!! Welldone Niall and goodluck for future projects!!
    Posted by Daniella Gatt on 16/06/2009 22:12:32
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  35. The idea seems like a good onebut to be honest Sainsburys staff should always be available to answer customers issues although ofcourse they cannot deal with all straight away to the statisfaction of the customer. Ofcourse what doesn't help is the lack of staff or when there is staff they seem so unhappy and unwilling to help out but this Nial chap seemed really keen about customer service.
    Posted by James on 16/06/2009 22:10:11
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  36. Thought it was a good idea well received by Justin King who quite rightly thought that it would work well in a situation where there has been change to get the facility to it's peak perfomance straight away. Well positioned and love the idea of shop floor trying the ideas.
    Posted by Jon on 16/06/2009 22:06:47
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  37. My only worry with the idea displayed in Programme 3 is that Sainsburys' might use members of staff who should be dealing with the complaints anyway by physically doing somethint rather than just sitting around although its nice to see somebody take note of what the customers expect and wants because we do pay the staff their wages.
    Posted by Mark on 16/06/2009 22:06:32
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  38. After watching this programme I think that the clinic is a fantastic idea. It would be great to have your say and not have to queue to discuss something. I would normally just leave having said nothing and go home annoyed. After watching this programme has encourage me to have a say about my shopping. It is nice to see Niall is so commited to the company as staff like that are rare! I think it is great that the company are encouraging staff to have their say but after watching the programmes for the last 3 weeks I feel head office staff need to be more supportive to staff with ideas as they are not management and need encouraging and a little respect! They seem to be upset by management each week. There business musts but with staff there would be no company!
    Posted by laura on 16/06/2009 22:01:16
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  39. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not implement store greeters. It's the worst idea I have ever heard and is customer harassment. Even seeing this program has put me off going to Sainsbury's on the chance it has implemented.
    Posted by Sarah on 16/06/2009 21:40:15
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  40. I regularly shop at Sainsbury's and am frequently annoyed when I want to buy fruit or veg when, in order to pay a good price, I am invited to buy two packs to get a discount. As we are a small household this would mean creating wastage and therefore defeating the purpose if I bought two packs. I agree it is a good idea to do these offers on non perishable goods, but not with perishables. Please just reduce the price on single packs and I am sure you would sell more.
    Posted by Sheila on 13/06/2009 13:21:34
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  41. i think the store greeter idea is awful, we have a choice of four major supermarkets yet we choose to shop in Sainbury's because its hassle free and you are not bombarded with tannoy messages telling you what you should be buying. As an adult im able to make my own choices and do not require guidance on what is or isnt a good offer, if i wanted hounded i would shop in Asda or Tesco! please dont go down this route its cheap and tacky!
    Posted by eric green on 12/06/2009 18:49:31
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  42. I enjoyed watching the programme but having a store greeter or host is not a good idea I like to do my shopping with being hassled by people. I would more than likley if the stores when a head with this idea shop online.
    Posted by Kate on 11/06/2009 12:15:48
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  43. I thought the idea of a store host was DREADFUL. If someone like that ghastly woman came up to me in store and tried to direct me to buying something I never wanted in the first place, I would certainly be very annoyed. I always thought Sainsburys was a relatively classy supermarket chain, and this terrible idea just reeks of desperation on the part of management. The whole idea will only achieve even limited success if ALL the shop "hosts" are as pushy, common and persistant as the woman whose idea it was in the first place. Just observing the other couple of "hosts" was enough to make anyone appreciate that the only people who could make this work, even remotely, would be the pushy type of people who work in call centres trying to sell you double glazing! Apart from all that, the whole microphone system made the store feel like a holiday camp. Hi de hi - dont do it please, and dont send them to my store!
    Posted by brenda chamberlain on 10/06/2009 17:34:44
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  44. The first time I am accosted by a store host, I will walk over to Customer Services, explain politely why I won't be back and then leave the store. Being hassled to buy things is not what I want from a shopping experience. If you introduce this to your stores, then it would be a good idea to allow customers some way of opting out of being approached. I respect Barbara's drive, but she obviously wants to stay in hard sales and she should have picked an industry other than food vendors.
    Posted by Kate on 10/06/2009 17:23:23
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  45. I think the store greeter is a terrible idea it's bad enough being hassled by energy company salesmen. When i go shopping i don't want to be pounced on to buy something that i don't really want. I think i'm able to make my own decision as to what i spend my money on and i certainly would not liked to be called sweetheart. If this idea were yo introduced into my local Sainsburys I would serioudsly think about shopping elsewhere probaly TESCO
    Posted by Carol on 10/06/2009 13:12:17
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  46. Quote: "Asda do it by a meeter and greeter we go there my Sister especially just to hear his voice as he is so soothing .He tells u of the offers also .Morrisons do it by taste testing VERY GOOD IDEA " Nothing wrong with the odd bit of taste testing when the customer can choose whether or not to go up to the area and try items out (I've done it) but to have someone accosting you - actually coming up to you- is a very bad idea. I'd resent it as a customer. It's hard sell. It's bad enough that there are now TVs on sometimes in the store (and we now have them at dentists and doctors as well but that's another story). I would just like to be left alone and not have my senses bombarded by any of this frankly. The shops that let me shop in peace will be getting my money, thanks!
    Posted by Linda on 10/06/2009 13:00:28
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  47. Quote Dave: "I have watched the programme "I'm Running Sainsbury's" tonight, and I really liked it. Barbara is a Star and Sainsbury's should try her idea in all stores. With a bit of fine tuning they are on a winner. I bet a lot of businesses would love their sales targets to be exceeded by 50% as Barbara has just done. I just hope Sainsbury's look after her well...she really deserves it !! Will we see if Sainsburys have adopted her idea before the end of the series?? " Dave, it's not all about Sainsbury's profits!! It is surely about what customers want - and frankly I am sure many if not all of us are there to shop, not with the idea of boosting profits top of our list! I think the idea is appalling as a very long term customer, and cannot think of anything worse - I am truly disappointed.
    Posted by Linda on 10/06/2009 12:56:26
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  48. I worked for Sainsburys for more than 9 years in a variety of jobs including shop floor and back office admin. The store where I worked consistently traded above the average for its size and in our region. We never had anyone called a Store Greeter and I never even knew that such a job existed. I was surprised that it seemed to have been created especially for Barbara who had only been with the company for a short time, and could not possibly have wide knowledge of the supermarket environment. However the job as shown in the programme was certainly well suited to Barbara's outgoing type of personality. That will be the key to its success and I doubt Sainsburys will find it easy to get enough such people. Nowadays, as a shopper, personally I would run a mile rather than be hassled around the store by someone with a hand-held microphone trying to talk me into buying items I don't really want. As someone else has already written, if this sort of thing becomes the norm in Sainsburys stores I'll be off to Tesco or anywhere else where I can do my shopping in peace.
    Posted by Martin on 10/06/2009 10:57:50
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  49. I am not dream walking when I am in Sainsburys - I am actually choosing items carefully, looking for new products to try, reading labels,- in other words making a choice, my choice. I do not want to be interrupted by announcements or by someone pressurising me. It is intrusive and spoils an experience which I have time to enjoy. I am quite capable of finding any bargains or special offers myself. If Barbara comes to my local store (with her poor English grammar and brash attitude) I will go elsewhere.
    Posted by mary on 10/06/2009 10:40:42
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  50. HATE the idea and would shop elsewhere if it's introduced to my local store. Save us from these ASDA tactics please!
    Posted by Sleep shopper, Truro on 10/06/2009 07:59:08
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  51. I have shopped at Sainsbury's for a couple of decades now, but after seeing the programme on 9th June, TESCOS HERE I COME !
    Posted by Mark Chaffer on 10/06/2009 01:08:17
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  52. I have just watced the programme "I'm Running Sainsbury'S, and I would like to congratulate Sainsbury's on having such a brilliant employee in Barbara.She is a star, has wonderful ideas ans should be applauded. I just hope Sainsbury's are paying her well...she deserves it !!
    Posted by Margaret Stockbridge on 09/06/2009 23:15:39
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  53. I am utterly disgusted - if Sainburys introduce the hard sell Barbara's trolley technique, I am voting with my feet. I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN SAINBURYS AGAIN. Don't kid yourselves - I really mean this!
    Posted by Pat on 09/06/2009 23:12:39
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  54. Asda do it by a meeter and greeter we go there my Sister especially just to hear his voice as he is so soothing .He tells u of the offers also .Morrisons do it by taste testing VERY GOOD IDEA
    Posted by JEN on 09/06/2009 23:08:30
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  55. I am at this moment watching the episode with Barbara, I shop at Sainsbury regularly, not what I expect in your stores. It is absolutely awful and is customer harassment. You don't expect pressure selling of groceries, and it would really put me off shopping at Sainsburys. That method may be tolerated in selling other products, but not food, and Barbara comments to the man who said he was on a diet was disgusting, passing comment on the biscuits in his trolley-the contents of his trolley are non of her business and this is both invasive and rude. Great idea listening to you staff, but this one is not great in my humble opinion!!
    Posted by Dianne on 09/06/2009 22:52:13
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  56. I find shopping in Sainsburys an enjoyable experience at the moment and have tried the competition and return because of the atmosphere it offers. I find the "Host" idea invasive and agressive, when as consumers we are constantly being bombarded by sales calls at home, door to door, on our mobile phones and junk mail. Please do not take another pleasurable experience from us as a loyal consumer.....I'm dead against a Barbara in our store and I would choose to shop elsewhere if I was given the hard sell and stalked when shopping.
    Posted by sarah, cambridge on 09/06/2009 22:22:52
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  57. I have just finished watching Im running sainsbury and for me personally I did not like your idea at all. If any one approached me I would not like it..I go to Sainsbury to look and shop in peace I am a dedicated customer because your staff always look after me from the bottom up...Everything I have requested has been looked into and I have been informed..I do not think either a voice all the time over the intercom would suit me personally. I remain Your fan June Owens(Mrs)
    Posted by June Owens on 09/06/2009 22:17:21
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  58. Having just watched the latest episode, the idea of having a store 'host' is awful. Its cheap and tacky,the hard sell approach is inappropriate in a store like Sainsburys and I would be offended to be approached and spoken to in such a familiar manner as was demonstrated in the programme. I think its a big mistake and will certainly consider shopping elsewhere if they introduce it in my local store !!
    Posted by Eliazabeth Scott on 09/06/2009 22:10:30
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  59. Becky's idea was great but as others have said there is no need to put everything in a bag. I am afraid I fall in the catagory that would Hate barbaras idea, isomeone running round selling ms things would drive me mad. I hope my store isn't onevof the 20!
    Posted by Emilyjs on 09/06/2009 22:09:09
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  60. If anyone ever put something in my trolley that I didn't want I'd LEAVE THE STORE IMMEDIATELY. AFTER BEING SICK.
    Posted by silvery on 09/06/2009 22:04:38
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  61. I thought Becky's basic idea was fabulous, but JS made it too complicated by putting the ingredients in a bag. Many shoppers (me included) shy away from anything that looks like a "ready meal" and I would never be attracted to even look at prepicked ingredients in a bag. I would prefer to see a rack or simlar unit next to the recipe cards, where all the required ingredients could be displayed. The shopper can then select his/her own ingredients, all from one place - i.e. Becky's basic idea. I though Becky was terrific, and really felt for her when the bags had to be removed because some of the ingredients were past their sell by date (my suggestion above would avoid this problem). I thought she coped so well at London HQ - an environment she was clearly unfamiliar with. She appeared to be totally unfazed by the "top dogs" and was totally driven and set on making her idea work. Hope JS make the best use of Becky's talents in the future - otherwise someone else will!
    Posted by Mary H on 07/06/2009 21:28:01
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  62. Chief Executive, Justin King, has come up with a plan. He believes that somewhere on the shop floor, among the shelf stackers, cleaners, trolley pushers and checkout workers, may lie the next big idea that will give the supermarket the edge. so what about the online shoppers? as usual they are ignored!!!
    Posted by shona on 05/06/2009 18:19:57
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  63. Neither the first or the second show appear to be showing anything new. Asda had a scheme running at least ten years ago that encourgaed colleagues to adopt a product and increase sales using many kinds of promotions like tastings, tannoys, displays etc. They also pioneered the 'instore greeter' and their use of a mobile tannoy microphone, which looks to be the 'idea' for the second show, albeit calling it a "store host".
    Posted by Ian, Bristol on 05/06/2009 17:36:48
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  64. I also agree that there is no need for the ingredients to be packaged in a bag - that way if individual customers do want to upgrade products to make the meal (especially where cost does impact on quality - like sausages) they can easily do so without trailing all over the store looking for everything else. I'd be much more likely to try some of the 'feed family for fiver' recipies if everything was together on a shelf, most likely in addition to my normal shopping. I hope Channel 4 passes these comments onto Sainsburys as the idea was a good one hampered by a new recipe and packing the ingredients in a bag - both of which have extra costs which a display of loose produce would not have. If they don't take it up I'm sure one of their competitors like Tesco will.
    Posted by Food Lover, London on 05/06/2009 14:40:38
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  65. Becky's idea is BRILLIANT. I think Sainsbury's is missing a trick here.... with the likes of Marks and Spencer's 'Dine in for £10' and similar ideas in Waitrose, I feel that Sainsbury's could definately win with this budget 'Credit Crunch' version. I think that the items definately SHOULD be packaged together as there is no need for the consumer to choose items. I think the idea's downfall is trialing it with one recipe, there should have been a choice. Picking up on Rosemary's point, Becky is not a chef, there was no need for her to develop the idea herself with an already successful collection of recipe cards with the backing from Jamie Oliver. I would love to see this idea in the shops, it ticks all the boxes in today's consumer purchasing trends.
    Posted by Holly on 04/06/2009 16:19:03
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  66. I'm Really upset!! I recorded I'm running Sainsbury's but I've just deleted it from my recorders hard drive!! Can I please watch it again, some where please? (if this has to be read before it is posted can I have some help Please)
    Posted by Paul on 04/06/2009 14:59:21
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  67. I saw the show last night and they missed a trick. They should have asked Jamie to launch it. Also they failed to find out how many people that pick up the cards (£5 for a meal), actually make the meal. I think that they would be surprised with the answer!
    Posted by Adrian on 04/06/2009 13:59:08
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  68. I watched your programme about Becky's idea of putting all the ingredients for a feed your family for a fiver. I thought her idea was brilliant. However, I was surprised that she was expected to make up the recipes, I thought that would be done by one of the Sainsburys trained chefs. Once the recipe was chosen I was again surprised that all the promotion was left to Becky. She is not a salesperson. I feel that Sainsburys let her down as it was a very good idea.
    Posted by Rosemary on 03/06/2009 21:55:39
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  69. i agree with several others here. there was no need to package them together, just stack them together. we should all write to Sainbury to clear the error up. unfortunately with so many good ideas put to management, they have to make it 'sexy' or more 'sophisticated' and totally miss the concept
    Posted by neil68 on 03/06/2009 17:18:12
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  70. I think the idea was superb! - they should have used an excisting jamie oliver dish, that had been advertised - why reinvent the wheel with new food .. ?? - well done becky - I am a sainsbury customer - if the buy a bag from a fiver was in my store I would deffo buy it -
    Posted by pat pritchard on 03/06/2009 13:35:36
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  71. Couldnt agree more the idea was great..the flaw was in asking Becky to create a recipe. Why not the idea with the recipe cards that have been the most popular? That way it's easy to compare any increase (or decrease) in sales for the products.
    Posted by Pedro on 03/06/2009 13:09:20
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  72. Becky Craze's idea was not allowed to breathe. Her management and directors were limited in their ability to support her and had meagre understanding on how best to develop the sales of the product. She was let down by her superiors who insisted on "pushing" the product. Shoppers will not visit a display if there is a nervous looking member of staff stood like a pressurised saleperson waiting to "pounce" on passing customers. Shoppers would rather exercise their descretion, independently on their own time.
    Posted by Chris Cornish on 03/06/2009 12:39:37
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  73. i was sitting watching the show last night and exactly the same thoughts were running through my mind. here's a great idea but the 'challenge' that Becky was set was fundamentally flawed. the idea was the new way of shopping not a new recipe. call me crazy but if you're going to test a concept then you should actually test the concept. they should have simply taken an existing recipe that's fairly popular and tested the concept on it. the sausage cobbler, despite being tasty won't appeal to everyone because it contains sausage, a far better bet would have been chicken. also the product in my opinion needs to be fairly simple to make. not many people are going to want a pseudo ready meal equivalent (if that is how Sainsbury’s are marketing it) that involves making pastry. why they didn't go for something like Sainsbury’s existing Thai Chicken Noodles is beyond me. i had to laugh when the Sainsbury’s execs mentioned 'wastage' as a downside to the concept. there didn't have to be any increase in wastage if they didn't decide to bag up the ingredients as single product. as mentioned the ingredients could simply have remained in their usual containers with a small selection being located near the recipes. the recipes for that week can then be based on ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes so there's synergy between recipes and ingredients which translates to space saving. that seemed so obvious and i'm not even in the retail trade. don't get me wrong i think Sainsbury’s giving their employees opportunities like this is great but if they're going to do it they need to do it right. if they don't Tesco's will.
    Posted by Jimbo on 03/06/2009 11:15:42
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  74. i was sitting watching the show last night and exactly the same thoughts were running through my mind. here's a great idea but the 'challenge' that Becky was set was fundamentally flawed. the idea was the new way of shopping not a new recipe. call me crazy but if you're going to test a concept then you should actually test the concept. they should have simply taken an existing recipe that's fairly popular and tested the concept on it. the sausage cobbler, despite being tasty won't appeal to everyone because it contains sausage, a far better bet would have been chicken. also the product in my opinion needs to be fairly simple to make. not many people are going to want a pseudo ready meal equivalent (if that is how Sainsburys are marketing it) that involves making pastry. why they didn't go for something like Sainburys existing Thai Chicken Noodles is beyond me. i had to laugh when the Sainburys execs mentioned 'wastage' as a downside to the concept. there didn't have to be any increase in wastage if they didn't decide to bag up the ingredients as single product. as mentioned the ingredients could simply have remained in their usual containers with a small selection being located near the recipes. the recipes for that week can then be based on ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes so there's synergy between receipes and ingredients which translates to space saving. that seemed so obvious and i'm not even in the retail trade. don't get me wrong i think Sainburys giving their employees opportunities like this is great but if they're going to do it they need to do it right. if they don't Tesco's will.
    Posted by Jimbo on 03/06/2009 10:59:52
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  75. Overall idea was brilliant..but technologically not feasible in a long run..as fresh produce were packed and stored in the same condition with other ingredients..also HQ should have been more helpful.Obviously,HQ experts (in Packaging technology,product technology,R&D and consumer behaviour) team should have worked along with Becky or given some guidences and advices in the the whole process as certainly Becky has no technical knowledge.The important step of NPD process 'sampling trail' was not used at all in product launching and certainly the important fact that 'children hold the highest autonomy of making food decision in a household in the UK' was not taken into an account as FIVER is mainly targeted to family.I dont blame Becky for failing in first launch because as we all can see, she has tried so hard with all her capability and at her best.But HQ could have been more cooperative and should given a more helpful hand by providing insightful and useful advices.First person they should let Becky to meet is R&D team and Consumer research team who have specialized knowledge and idea on developing FIVER,not a commercial manager who has very little knowledge about product itself and its consumers but the profit generated from the product.And, 0.7 -0.75 hardle rate,it sounds alright but in my opinion,that's not high enough,they should have given her second chance of sensory testing to pass with at least 0.8.Based on the collected initial sensory profile,in a second trial,Becky can tailor the product to the needs of potential consumers who are HQ staffs.All in all,the programme left me with a doubt and conspiracy of whether HQ executive team were giving their highest attention and interest in Becky's idea,whether they were taking Becky's interest (providing all ingredients for a meal into one place) at their hearts.
    Posted by foodiegul on 03/06/2009 10:52:13
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  76. I, along with everyone else thought this was a brilliant Idea and think Sainsburys HQ missed the point of the pitch. Her idea was to put all the ingredients together to make them easier to find, something that would make me shop at sainsburys!!! I shall email Sainsburys HQ and say this to them, i encourge others to do the same! Julie- Glasgow
    Posted by Witch on 03/06/2009 10:18:22
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  77. i do feel that the management team,missed what becky's idea really was. it was to have the the ingredients all in one place. not for her to come up with a new recipe. At the end, they drop the idea totally. i do think they totally missed a very good idea
    Posted by gully on 03/06/2009 09:40:11
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  78. Disappointing. Becky's Big Idea was to put all the ingredients for a meal into one place. Instead, Sainsburys and the producers decided to trial one of her own recipes, not the concept. Surely a far better test of concept would be to have taken the most popular existing recipe card and make a meal from that. Unfortunately for this type of programme, the best ideas will always be simple and it'll be hard to fill an hour's worth of TV. So instead, in this case, they dumped the idea and made it a test of a sausage cobbler (which looked and sounded pretty grim).
    Posted by richard on 03/06/2009 08:44:58
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  79. I think Becky's concept was excellent and would encourage people to use fresh food to cook a simple and easy recipe - Sainsbury's let her down by choosing the wrong recipe!
    Posted by Pippa on 03/06/2009 08:20:51
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  80. I also think the FYFFAF bag is a good idea and it is a shame that it has not rolled out or trialled in other stores. Also the recipe cards never seem to be in the same place in all stores; Hoddesdon is by the deli counter where Harlow is by Customer Services in the front. You therefore have to search the store before you get the card and then go back to get your ingredients - subtle! Would you then give up because you cannot find what you are looking for. I definitely would buy the Bags and would suggest that this is looked at again. Especially now that it has TV air time and people would potentially be looking for them.
    Posted by Mandy on 03/06/2009 07:54:45
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  81. What a shame for poor Becky that Sainsbury gave her such an unfair trial. The idea of bunching the recipe ingredients together was great and just needed fine-tuning at HQ. It quickly became obvious that concealing the ingredients in a bag was not appealing to customers - but that's not to say that they wouldn't have bought into the idea of just grouping the ingredients in the same display. This would have been an obvious route to go down, but instead Sainsbury was insistent on continuing the original trial and then deeming it an utter failure, which was understandably humiliating for Becky. If I were her, I would go in search of a more supportive employer who rewards her ideas instead of getting her hopes up and then dropping her like a hot potato when things don't go to plan. Poor show Sainsbury - you clearly weren't prepared to 'try something new' this time.
    Posted by sunmaidgirl on 03/06/2009 00:07:44
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  82. I thought this was a brilliant idea and on the basis I assumed it was going to be rolled out I had decided to change supermarkets (I usually shop at Waitrose) because it would make my life really easy. I wasn't interested in the 'feed your family for fiver' angle - for me it was the convenience of having all the ingredients for a particular recipe in one place that I loved and I'd really like to see this idea re-considered. I wouldn't have bought the sausage cobbler because I don't eat supermarket sausages but I would have bought several different bags if there were mutliple receipes available. Like others I don't understand why they used a new recipe for this idea and I'd be happy if all the ingredients were in one place with a bag that I filled myself. I really think Sainsbury's should reconsider this idea because I genuinely would switch supermarkets for my whole shop so I could take advantage of it.
    Posted by maddie on 02/06/2009 23:19:09
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  83. like another poster on here I also didn't like the fact the ingredients were in a bag. it looked like one of those indian takeaways. i think if you are going to cooka meal from scratch type person, you would want tp pick your own ingredients. just put them all in one place. this would also save wasteage as some customers might just need some celery that day and pick it up from the end shelf. some might want to leave out an ingredients if they did'nt like it. what if you already has 2 of the ingredients at home and just needed say the other 3? the bag just disguised the fresh ingredients. a bit like a lovely bouquet of flowers in a bag instead of a vase. becky's idea of putting all the ingredients in one place was very good, I just can't understand how any of the head office staff could'nt see the bag idea was not good. it was obvious to me.
    Posted by louloulollipop on 02/06/2009 23:18:14
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  84. ATTN Mr Justin King, Great idea to get the TV airtime for the Sainsbury brand. Your employee Becky is certainly in the right direction. As one person has already suggested, having the ingredients on the open shelves, without bags would be better (on the basis that your trial was deemed unsuccessful). It would still allow 'buying atmosphere' and only be suggestive rather than prescriptive for the customer, which allows for a level or choice. One other comment - is the "feed Your Family For a Fiver' a credible project commercially? we're unconvinced that the price point is appropriate for the demographic that Sainsburys has. Perhaps feed your family for a tenner would be more aligned with your market... Do you have stats on how many people actually positively react to the FYFFAF campaign?
    Posted by Hayley & Ben on 02/06/2009 23:11:46
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  85. I have worked for Sainsbury's and think Becky's idea was good. Why put it all in a bag, though? Surely the ingredients could all be displayed in sections on one plinth, thus reducing the waste, as they would only have to take individual items off, not the entire bag, when sell by date is reached. Customers would find this system just as easy - ie. just take one of each. Please pass this on to Sainsbury's.
    Posted by janine hampton on 02/06/2009 23:09:19
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  86. What a shame this programme didn't go out at the same time as the product was launched. I rarely shop in Sainsburys, but would certainly go in more often for the Food for a Fiver bag. I often end up going into a supermarket for last minute meals and would certainly head to Sainsburys if they did a good mix of meals in these bags. Never mind, hopefully another store may try the idea too, they'd get my business.
    Posted by Richard on 02/06/2009 23:05:18
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  87. I watched the programme about Becky's idea and thought it was brilliant. What I can't understand is why did management have Becky create new recipes. Sainsbury's have recipies endorsed and promoted by Jamie Oliver and also an accompanying recipe booklet. Why were these meals not used in Becky's idea. The customer is aware of the Jamie Oliver promotion and coupled with Becky's aqproach the campaign may have been a lot more successful. I frequently up specific items for a particular meal when shopping. If the Jamie Oliver recipe book was alongside a bay with all the ingredients required for the meal thats the first place I would go to in the store, when Im in a hurry to get home and get a meal on the table. Perhaps Becky's idea should be given a fighting chance!
    Posted by frank o'loughlin on 02/06/2009 22:48:38
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  88. Come on Sainsbury's Beck's idea was brilliant but why ask her to come up with a recipe when you have Jamie Oliver to do that for you? If you put the whole feed for a fiver range on display would you sell more? Yea I think you would.
    Posted by John on 02/06/2009 22:31:18
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  89. Beckys idea was fantastic i am really gutted it didn't make it through to production as a young mum aged 21 with a two year old daughter this kind of product would have been perfect!!
    Posted by terri on 02/06/2009 22:29:30
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  90. Watched "Im running Sainsburys" Please pass on to Becky, great idea but instantly saw that costs packing bags was too high when never enough "colleagues" to do the work hence the reason you spend most of you time on shop floor or on tills, as I used to, If they had some basic bags with feed your family for a fiver on them next to display plinth with all the ingredients together in the cabinet, so customers can pick their own items and follow the recipe which you display along with the recipe card. Also feed family for fiver implies 2 adults and 2 children. The chosen recipe was not very child friendly, what child likes celery???
    Posted by ex sanisbury employee on 02/06/2009 22:20:42
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  91. I think the feed your family for a fiver in a bag was a brilliant idea! I am a full time working mum who would be mor ethan happy to buy that bag weekly. Although the recipies may need to be more varied in terms of tastes - the sausage cobbler is a not a common or well known recipie as it is and therefore that may have been the reason for the lack of sales. A chicken or pasta dish would be perfect and i would be the first in line to buy a Sainsburys feed your family for a fiver bag!
    Posted by Jenny Kohler on 02/06/2009 22:09:23
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  92. Becky, a great idea, except for the bag, why not just put the ingredients next to each other, but not in a bag. Advantages a) Less wastage as whole bag does not need to be pre packed / thrown away b) Looks less like a ready meal - a definete off putter. c) Customers can mix and match ingredients d) Problem of ingredients all in different places solved e) No extra promotion beyond the current "feed your family for a fiver" campaign required. Disadvantages a) the fat cats in the boardroom will have to eat their words, and your idea! well done, njoyed the program
    Posted by Oli on 02/06/2009 22:07:00
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  93. I have just watched Becky's programme and I just wanted to say I loved the idea! I went into Sainsbury's to buy the ingredients for one of the recipes that Jamie advertised and I couldn't find the card or the ingredients, so I left empty handed. I just wish you had put that recipe in a bag... Perhaps that is where it went a bit wrong, they should have let Becky use a pre-advertised recipe.
    Posted by Laura on 02/06/2009 22:06:12
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  94. why doesnt sainsburys introduce a database at the end of every isle detailing which isle products are on ? i always have the problem of not being able to find things. Also that could allow links to recipes for the item being searched !!
    Posted by james on 02/06/2009 22:03:57
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  95. Dear Justin. 2 things are required 2 get your company back on track. Beans on Shelves and Bums on Seats. Its not rocket science!!!!!
    Posted by Jason on 02/06/2009 18:24:01
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  96. ... notwithstanding this is clearly primarily about entertainment (rather than getting sainsburys on track) but... can't help feel the format will be undermined by the fact that simply not running out of basics & opening a few more checkouts would probably nail it...
    Posted by uberchump on 02/06/2009 12:35:51
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  97. I reckon this will be good, good watch
    Posted by chris49 on 01/06/2009 22:05:32
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