I don't agree but see where you are coming from they come accross all ethical but took over Sommerfield then closed most of them down.

I would say that "drive" is more smoke and mirrors than anything else.

A valid point.

But certainly if you see how the various supermarket chains advertise and market themselves, it's on the basis of cutting prices lower than their rivals.

Pardon me for being so thick when faced with such a detailed and cogent argument ... but still I have to ask ... why?

According to just about every ethical consumer site I have looked at, the Coop is streets ahead of Tesco.

[urlhttp://makewealthhistory.org/2009/03/10/which-is-the-most-ethical-supermarket/[/url

[urlhttp://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/902446/greener_grocers_six_great_ethical_supermarkets.html[/url

Some time ago I saw a program, it might have been a North West Tonight based one, about how supermarkets effectively expect dairy farmers to produce milk at a loss to supply to them. The worst offender of the lot was the Co-op. Tesco's have I believe since then taken a somewhat more fair attitude to buying milk. Don't know of the Co-op has followed suit.

The program makers went round to Co op Hq and tried to confront an organisation that is supposed to be founded on the cooperative principles as to how this could be. The Co-op staff were extremely embarrassed not to say shocked at being exposed.

Have you been in one lately? If you have then you'll know.

I'm not talking ethics here I'm talking shopping.

Rather more worryingly, supermarkets now take a whopping 58% of all UK retail sales.

What, specifically, about the shopping experience don't you enjoy compared to Tesco?

The East Europe c. 1975 feel. The miserable, more dopey staff. The lack of choice. Apart from that it's lovely.

Supermarkets, in general, are not remotely interested in the 'shopping experience'. They want you in and out as quickly as possible, leaving them with your cash.