This week in comments – Tesco, iPhone and HP

Tesco’s Big Price Drop

Author Dan Moore seems to be one of the only ones who can see any benefit to Tesco’s latest venture – Malcolm certainly can’t:

‘Tesco want world domination. The sooner their wings are clipped the better. Otherwise, once they achieve that, you who support them will suddenly find there are no cheap prices anymore – and nowhere to go as an alternative. I’d bet the suppliers are once again being squeezed to contribute the money for the price cuts.’

And you had lots to say on how this will affect Clubcard points, too. Penny feels it takes the shine off the reductions:

‘Just had a letter from Tesco informing me that they are dropping back to one point per pound spent (it was two) on the Clubcard in order to finance the “Big Price Drop”. The lord giveth and the lord taketh away…’

But John is looking on the bright side:

‘I’m glad Tesco will be reducing the points given on Clubcard in favour of reducing prices. It always infuriates me to be asked “Have you got a Clubcard?” every time I shop there.’

I go to the cinema to watch films – not 19 adverts

James thinks he has the answer to all the pre-show ads:

‘This is why on the rare occasion I go to the cinema I arrive half an hour late. No queue for the tickets as everyone has already rushed in, no queue for the food and drink as everyone rushed in early to sit in the screen and watch Ads. Usually timed just brilliantly.’

Tpoots, on the other hand, doesn’t see ads as a problem:

‘Call me weird but I actually enjoy the adverts before the film, especially ones where the creators actually go to the effort of making an effort for the big screen – surround sound effects and dramatic scenes, car adverts do this very well!’

Stop meddling with our favourite recipes!

HP sauce, Twinings tea, Mars bars… what is it with companies changing their recipes, asks Scott Murphy. For Nick, it’s a more serious matter:

‘Recipe changes can be disastrous for people with severe allergies. We used to be able to shop with confidence when we new that our particular favourite was “allergy free”, now we need to always check, in case the recipe has altered. Classic example: Heinz beans in 400g made in UK – gluten free, 200g made in Poland and not gluten free.’

And Wavechange may be having words with Her Majesty…

‘I have looked at a bottle of HP Sauce. The label proclaims it as The Original HP Sauce, implying (at least to me) that the recipe is original. I’m not sure Her Majesty the Queen, who has given a Royal Warrant to HP Foods Ltd., would approve.’

The new iPhone 5 – will you buy it ‘blindly’?

The iPhone 5 will be available in a few days, but how many of you are prepared to buy it before you’ve even seen it? Sammshine is, for one:

‘My current iPhone (8gb 3g) is on its very last legs (cracked screen with chucks missing and no sound), but yes I will be buying the iPhone blindly because their products work. The condition it’s in is down to my flagrant abuse of the phone – but it STILL works.’

Commenter What works? has reservations, but it’s not stopping them:

‘I’ve held off buying a replacement mobile phone although mine is on the blink. I’m waiting for the iPhone 5. I don’t like the hype or the highway-robbery prices. Especially since the product is made in China, but what are the alternatives? I would be happier if they were manufactured in Europe though. Especially at that price.’

As for FC360, our commenter of the week, the cost is just too prohibitive:

‘I find it funny, we’re supposed to be in an economical crisis and yet people are still able to afford a rather expensive phone rather then going for the cheaper alternatives. I will always be baffled by the people who go out and buy the iPhone 5 for probably £100 and then pay £50 a month and then they complain that food, fuel, clothing etc is so expensive.’