A question (Alan Robertson)

Two weeks ago I highlighted the role Tesco plays in the problems experienced by Shetland Farm Dairies. Some people predictably responded that Tesco is not to blame and all blame should be heaped on the shoulders of consumers.  Consumers certainly have a part to play, but I would just like to pose this question. If Tesco was to follow the example set by the Co-op in Lerwick and Brae and stock Shetland milk almost exclusively, how many more pints of milk would Shetland Farm Dairies sell?

Alan Robertson
Turrifield,
Sandness.

COMMENTS(12)

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  • Douglas Young

    • August 1st, 2012 11:00

    That it took a private individual to set up a Facebook campaign to boost sales speaks volumes about the marketing strategy of the entire dairy business. Deny consumers the choice and you will lose their loyalty forever. Best to persuade us of the benefits of buying the product. Nothing to do with which retailer stocks the product.

    REPLY
  • Laura jamieson

    • August 1st, 2012 11:37

    well Brae co-op certainly don`t just stock Shetland milk…where did you get that idea?..and the Lerwick co-op..not sure, but I doubt that too.

    As Co-op have until recently been guilty of paying the lowest rate to milk producers,they should hang their head in shame..don`t believe all the “fair trade” and “ethical” hype from the co-op.

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  • Kay Wiseman

    • August 1st, 2012 12:08

    Like some other shetlanders you will find you are wasteing your breath ,shetlanders have had the fight knocked out of them thay cant give or stand bye a opinion ..untill it is too late .With very few exceptions .Me for one .I do agree the shetland milk should be sold exclusivly in tescos and other stores ..
    Like the windmill feasco it will be realised the blunder untill too late and a few million pounds down the road.People cant seem to see what is stareing them in the face.Our buitfull shetland is going to be destroyed along with our last income .tourisem..who wants to come to a country and look at hundreds of windmills and i thaught it was going to be too costly to import to the mainland ,,maybe for once that would have worked in shetlands favour.

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  • phil smith

    • August 1st, 2012 12:17

    In response to Alan Robertson.

    I take offence to being told what brand of milk i should or shouldn’t be drinking.

    i don’t want to drink milk from cows that are fed silage for 8 months of the year, hence i drink Cravendale or Tesco’s organic milk, this is my choice on an Island that is becoming more akin to a Communist state than the British Democratic society that wer’e supposed to be living in.

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  • Johan Adamson

    • August 1st, 2012 12:18

    I think the Co-op also has cravendale but I dont think thats cheap(er).

    The Co-op quickly backed down on the national price reduction last week

    And he did say ‘almost exclusively’

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  • John McPhail

    • August 3rd, 2012 10:55

    To insist that you must only stock Shetland milk and no other is illegal. Simple.

    That along with the boring “Shetlander” call to arms is small minded an parochial.

    There is an element of chip on the shoulder throughout such parochial viewpoints and a hint of anti-anywhere else. It’s a dangerous view to take. Live in a bubble, discriminate against anything or anyone who doesn’t fit in to your narrow definition of “Us” and everything will be hunky dory. Sign of people who have no real idea how the world works nor much experience of anything than their small insulated bubble.

    There are clearly problems and have been for years problems in the dairy world but protectionism and quite frankly xenophobia does not help this. It only antagonises those who could help and show those who hold these “Shetlander’s are best” views as the hicks that they are.

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  • Ron Stronach

    • August 3rd, 2012 12:00

    @ Phil Smith, get real, Shetland becoming like a Communist State, have you ever seen a Communist State, believe me, they are nothing like our lovely Shetland Islands.
    As for being told what milk to drink, I’m sure Alan Robertson said “almost” exclusively, so you would still get your choice.

    Tesco said they would sell local produce, therefore Shetland milk is a local produce, do they sell it?

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  • Paula goddard

    • August 3rd, 2012 14:35

    In a communist state you do not have a choice .Mr Mcphail and Mr .Smith have a choice of the type of milk they drink ,And,were they live . As Shetland seems to them to be so awfull, can i suggest they could always move .

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  • Al Ball

    • August 4th, 2012 17:03

    Ron,

    Please enlighten me, what communist countries have you “seen” apart from the ones on the telly.

    It seems to me that you like to tell people to “get real” and to “live with things” when their ideas and thoughts do not align with yours.

    I think you would make a good communist – open thinking and discussion will not be tolerated – Big Ron is watching.

    Regards

    Al

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  • Ron Stronach

    • August 6th, 2012 9:17

    Well Mr Ball, sounds like you are on a different tac to the rest of us, this is about buying Shetland milk and no one saying you do not have a choice.
    As for communist counties I have visited – apart from those I have seen on TV, are:- Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Estonia, will they do? Oh, I forgot the Czech Republic as well.
    Shetland life has no resemblance to any of these, certainly not when they were REAL communist counties. As for you “quoting” me, I never said live with anything.

    I was wondering if you live in Shetland at all, and if you do, is it at the South End near Clousta?

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  • Ron Stronach

    • August 6th, 2012 11:07

    Well said Paula!

    REPLY
  • Al Ball

    • August 6th, 2012 12:11

    Ron,

    If you want to know where I stay, just ask me directly, I’d actually like to meet you myself because I think we would some great conversations on all subjects.

    My point was about when people have differing views from yours on what ever subject and the comments you use. It was me you told to “live with it” a couple of weeks ago. So lets drop the personal digs and discuss the issues.

    In Shetland, at present, people can live in peace, with freedom of speech and choice , but the milk issue attracted some comments about removing choice, which in my opinion is the slippery slope to a “communist” era central control. I actually fear that we are steadily moving to a point where we will make new laws about things we must do rather than what we should not do.

    So back to the subject – the milk issue – in our household we stopped buying Shetland milk because we were fed up getting back from the Coop to find a puddle of milk in the back of the car no matter how carefully we packed it because the packaging was sub standard – this I believe has been acknowledged as an issue. There is nothing wrong with the milk, the producers are being let down.

    I think I preferred the old days when you got fish and chips in news paper and a pound of mince in grease paper and milk came in bottles.

    Regards

    Al

    REPLY

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