Why Tesco Keeps Failing Abroad

[@maccaj6565]

I'd love a Tesco where I live. I think part of the problem re: international expansions to the US market is they always start out by expanding to cities they've heard of because they think they'll make more money due to population density etc. The problem with that is, few people are going to bother going to a new store when there are already 5-6 known quantities within the same mile. If Tesco and the other big international supermarket brands would research the many American "food deserts," they could make a very tidy profit, by virtue of being, literally, the only place the locals have to buy actual food. ... but they repeatedly make the mistake of "poor/working class areas = no profit" instead of realizing "wait, everyone needs to eat, so if we come in and offer affordable food, *everyone* will shop with us (there are no other options!) and we'll be heroes for saving a community - and then we can build our US brand around "X supermarket is eradicating food deserts!" and then we can expand to big cities because rich people will love how virtuous we are."

[@jorceshaman]

Take away the international aspect and that's exactly what Dollar General's business model is.

[@familywilliams4058]

I want to do this... with Aquaponic farms that will also provide jobs... I first need a research facility to expand the selection of aquatic species and various plant cultivars that are practical in aquaponics (leafy greens and tomatoes will only go so far).

[@washingtonradio]

Aldi has been doing something like what you suggest, go into markets that are underserved by the US chains and develop customer loyalty then branch into the bigger markets. Going into a major market that is highly competitive and has several well known chains already competing is a recipe for losing money by the barrel.

[@miles_thomas]

Dollar stores more likely to cover food deserts, would be hard for a full service midmarket grocery to make a profit in "desert" urban/rural locations. Some analysis indicates that the dollar stores wind up creating "deserts" for healthy food because local full service groceries (even small ones) can't compete.

[@xenialafleur]

@@miles_thomas Several US cities have tried passing zoning laws to limit the number of Dollar Stores for exactly that reason.

[@ksc1406]

Their excuse for failing in Japan was that Japanese prefer a "personal touch"? Tell that to the massive vending machine industry.

[@tadgmcloughlin6061]

try doing your weekly shopping in a vending machine!

[@--enyo--]

Actually that makes sense to me. I’ve lived in Japan and self service type set ups are only now making inroads (and not by choice, but due to lack of employees). Service in stores is generally expected to be done to a high standard. More than almost anywhere ‘the customer is god’. Unfortunately rude customers are a very common complaint.

[@Jordan-Ramses]

Their excuses for failing in America are even worse. Self checkout and healthier foods are a big success. The truth is that it's a tougher market and they weren't ready for it. American groceries are a low margin high volume business.

[@Stupid_Rabbit]

@@Jordan-Ramses in all fairness they did enter in 2007 one year before a financial crash which is not the best time for more expensive alternatives.

[@doperagu8471]

And the 7/11's everywhere

[@zmanjace1364]

I think the problem in the US had more to do with the price than the fact it was healthier. People will get "healthy" food but not if it costs more than the alternative.

[@orangebpumpkin5676]

Zman Jace I agree. The food was pricey and everything was set up for single servings. This didn’t work for my family of 5. Also I found several items moldy on the shelf, that was unpleasant.

[@jonnunn4196]

Looking at any grocery store in the US, there must be somebody buying the frozen foods marketed as "healthy" at that higher price than regular frozen food ; otherwise that section labeled as "healthy" wouldn't take up so much of the frozen food section.

[@PRDreams]

@@orangebpumpkin5676 that's what I heard that they failed because it was pricey and small servings. Whole Foods was a better alternative to many, and that grocery store can be expensive

[@familywilliams4058]

@@PRDreams Whole Foods was exactly the store I was thinking of when he was describing the strategy they tried in the US. I've never shopped there, and I probably never will (I have... issues... with the way the organic industry presents itself, and can't afford to even if I did want to), but I do pass by one regularly.

[@PRDreams]

@@familywilliams4058 I had some specific things I used to buy there because it's the only place that would sell it "per lb" like quinoa and oats. Their breakfast and lunch buffet-style selection is also by weight and was delicious, so I ate there constantly until the company moved the headquarters to Boston proper

[@zappawench6048]

How many loyalty cards can you have before you technically become disloyal?

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

ínf

[@timothyneiswander3151]

I recall hearing about Fresh and Easy on a financial format radio program around 2009-10. They stated it was a lower cost version of Whole Foods. I like to eat healthy if I can afford it so I was interested and looked them up. I thought perhaps I could interest them to come to my town if I added it to a list of good locations in a nearby city. A major supermarket pulled out of my town because Walmart moved in. A few years earlier, a large local supermarket went out of business and left many prime locations empty all over the state. I compiled the list complete with addresses, realtors and phone numbers. Emailed them and received a cookie cutter response thanking me for my interest. I think they would have done well in my state. The lesson here is you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him ice skate.

[@mageyeah7763]

Instead they mostly placed them directly between a whole foods and a trader joes.

[@timothyneiswander3151]

No wonder they were having trouble getting established. Too much competition. At the time I sent them the information, there was very little competition in my state for natural/organic markets. They could have made a fat stack of cheddah here.

[@theflyingscott1]

“I don’t think there are any Walmart’s in the UK”. Walmart owns Asda!!!

[@jarzz3601]

didn't they have that they were owned by walmart on there signs for a while

[@petercarioscia9189]

Isn't Wholefoods an Asda subsidiary?

[@mpf1947]

@@petercarioscia9189 WholeFoods was bought by Amazon in 2017.

[@WmAHughes]

@@jarzz3601 "Part of the WalMart family", originally they were going to have the WalMart side of things more prominent in the UK via signage but realized the British don't really like WalMart.

[@chrisstoner15]

@@WmAHughes Walmart has been trying to leave the UK market for a while, despite Asda's continued growth they know their style doesn't work that well over here. That's why they tried selling Asda to Sainsbury's.

[@mikanmandarin]

This is like the most personal of all your channels lol, like this is the first I’ve ever heard of your wife 😂

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@destructoidreaper3]

Just wait until you find out he also has a daughter. Biggest twist since the last avengers movie.

[@darshfulford]

And an affinity for CENSORED

[@marissabones]

Simon's sassyness is killing me In a good way though 😂🤣

[@sagesheahan6732]

Right? 😂😂🤣

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@jur4x]

try Half As Interesting. It's run by the same guy as Wendover Productions but he puts more jokes and more sarcasm in HAI videos. Rather entertaining and quite interesting

[@johnkean6852]

@@jur4x RE&QI exactly 🤠

[@marissabones]

@@sailingsolar I enjoy watching all of Simon's channels. Different strokes for different folks

[@elizabethtorres3491]

I'm thinking of ALL the channels Simon does, this is his fav!😉🐩 and I FULLY agree! Love it all! Thank you!

[@jennylawrenson1712]

Agree....this light-hearted, more goofy and sassy Simon is a joy to watch 😁

[@brainblaze6526]

Thank you :) :)

[@randijohnson3806]

Agreed! Surprisingly, if you listed all the subjects covered on those channels, business would probably tend toward my least favorite to learn about.

[@ogihcI131]

That's kinda why I started watching this one. I started with Today I Found out then Biographics and geographics. And all of those had some amazing well worded scripts but I wanted to see Simon's like a bit unscripted.

[@DanielFlores-ku8os]

Nearly all of the Fresh & Easy stores that were in my general part of the Los Angeles area were in rather economically depressed sections where the people were not real interested in Trendy "Healthier" shopping options. When it first opened I told my wife, "this chain will not survive because it seemed to choose store locations based on cheap per square foot prices rather then focusing on the demographics that would appreciate what it has to offer." We shopped at the Fresh & Easy that was closest to us and really liked it. Though it did mean driving out of our way and past 3 other well known Supermarkets to get to the smaller Fresh & Easy store. Also, while most stores in the greater LA area do have self checkout. Those sections have been scaled back because of customer complaints. So now many supermarkets where I live offer a self checkout section while staffing far more checkers at any given time then before the advent of the self checkout sections.

[@miles_thomas]

F&E got the locations they could rent in some cases, not always the locations they would have ideally liked. Perils of entering a competitive market. Personally I think Tesco made a mistake by not joint venturing with Long's Drug, to divide up existing stores where there was footfall and underutilised space.

[@GeorgeVCohea-dw7ou]

I didn't like it much. Many comparable items were way more expensive than Vons, and people were required to total up their own bill. It was not a totally bad concept, except it needed some tweaks and moderate changes, but it was already too out of touch during a severe downturn from the beginning. The markets they chose to test were not the best. California is definitely not a great place to test anything that you would want to bring out elsewhere in America. It's expensive and inflexible to accommodate different and new business models. The culture is also substantially different and is the butt of many jokes from other Americans. Had they targeted an area with a significant amount of expats, they might have been able to weather a slow start with only a familiar base, but this would have required branding and advertising changes. It was doomed before it even got started and is an extreme example of how not to start up a brand new concept in the US! I have no doubt that this fiasco is subject matter in business schools today. This is why you seek out experienced locals who know the market and business conditions through and through but aren't so rigid that they won't suggest or try radical concepts.

[@smooshiebear80]

I think most people would prefer fresher, healthier options, but the reality is that those do generally cost at least a little more up front and when people are barely getting by they will go with what is cheapest in the short term.

[@Tfin]

Well, you know "organic" in the US just means "double the price for the same thing."

[@puirYorick]

...same thing plus brown spots and insect damage too.

[@johnathin0061892]

A fool and their money...

[@useodyseeorbitchute9450]

That's the general definition all over the world.

[@ObeyCamp]

I mean, nah... There are plenty of empirical articles floating around the science world that show how various insecticides used on the food you eat can have effects like making your testicles smaller and causing you to produce less testosterone and you end up with erectile distinction, just for one example. And even if you just don't care about erections, they also cause Alzheimer's disease, so you're still not good. So yeah, definitely not "ThE sAmE tHiNg" lmao. Science is true whether or not you believe it, bro.

[@Tfin]

@@ObeyCamp Have you ever heard of water?

[@sandrarose881]

This makes me think of Target’s failure in Canada. Some of which was due to the fact that “ the deals “ just did not feel like they were on the same level as the ones south of the border. Side note: this channel is very funny.

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@miles_thomas]

There are great articles on the internet covering why Target failed in Canada. Botched IT systems (unique to Canada, not shared with US) had a lot to do with it. Personally, I think Tesco and Target should do more joint ventures (in the same way that Tesco now does some joint buying with Carrefour). Or maybe even merge. Similar stores and customer offer in their home countries, similar customer demographic, complementary strengths and weaknesses.

[@davidjames4915]

@@miles_thomas It's kind of ironic but had Tesco set up in Canada their US strategy may well have worked; the Ottawa-area chain Farmboy was and is doing something vaguely similar with decent results. When Simon mentioned the stores at transit stations I was like "well that would be great here where enough people take transit in the large cities but that'd never work in the US". Our grocery store market is like a cozy little virtual monopoly with the assorted Loblaws empire and not a lot else of any size - Metro and Sobeys combined never amounted to Loblaws alone, and at the time of Tesco's US misadventure Walmart hadn't really got into selling groceries in Canada. Tesco could have picked up Sobeys or Metro as a starting point and might have made a go of it.

[@AD-df5tm]

Target failed in Canada because it was absolutely awfully run. Their supply chain was a mess which led to many stores having literally no stock when the opened. They also paid like a billion dollars to lease a bunch of retail spaces that were in need of renovation.

[@fangoram29]

@@AD-df5tm one of the targets where I live forced the mall it joined to renovate which raised the rent causing a bunch of the other stores to close. At least they filmed a Stephen King movie there because the mall was empty

[@Ottocide]

God I love this channel. Getting to see you be so genuine and real is so entertaining. You seem like a genuinely awesome person. I'm a fan of all your channels, but this one is by far the most unique and I just love it. And we do have self check out, which I use as often as I can lmao. Unless I'm buying a large amounts of groceries, in which I find the rather small space self checkout provides to be inconvenient for a large quantity purchases.

[@brainblaze6526]

Thank you :). This is the most fun to make, glad to hear you are enjoying it :)

[@Ottocide]

@@brainblaze6526 :D! Thank you for replying!! I'm glad you're enjoying making these videos as much as we enjoy watching them ^-^

[@amb163]

See, I just asked Siri the same thing you did, and she gave me an answer: "In 2019, the population of Luxembourg was 613, 894." I think Siri just hates you.

[@MatthewStinar]

Apple hates everybody.

[@brainblaze6526]

The feeling is mutual.

[@ZipplyZane]

Are you British? Siri does best with General American. Even when they try to tailor it the most generic accent in a non-US country, it still never seems to be as good as it is in America with its generic accent (basically Midwestern).

[@amb163]

@@ZipplyZane I'm Canadian, but my accent is odd because I'm hearing impaired.

[@Fozzy1776]

Walmart owns ASDA, However they did attempt to sell it to Sainsbury's but I believe they weren't allowed due to monopoly laws

[@TheYoungVeganUK]

It was more that sainsbury's tried to buy asda rather than Walmart tried to sell it. Either way it fell through, thank goodness.

[@TheYoungVeganUK]

@Stephen Hill really? That's not what I heard. Just glad it was stopped. There isn't enough competition in the market.

[@robertcumbie2815]

Walmart is like Disney, they'll soon own everything.

[@brainblaze6526]

@Hungarian Guy Woah Hungary doesn't mess around.

[@bkobbkob4382]

No it was because the CEO of Sainsbury’s was filmed on the news saying “we’re in the moneyyyyy”

[@randallflagg9498]

There are Walmarts in the UK. They are the owners of Asda.

[@TammyJerkChicken]

Yea! Its sooo weird!

[@fanfeck2844]

Randall Flagg , pretty basic research would have found that out. Not sure I’ve got much faith in the information in this video

[@fanfeck2844]

Empire Entertainment , when did they sell it, and to who? They’re still the owners on Wiki

[@fanfeck2844]

Empire Entertainment , they still own it

[@DizzyDisraeli]

@Empire Entertainment It was blocked by the government because they saw it as monopolistic

[@sagethephoenix7494]

All our Walmarts in the US have automated self-checkouts now Personally, I still prefer the personal touch.

[@jonnunn4196]

In the US, basically every major retailer and grocery store now has both automated self checkout sections (for people like me who just want to pay and get out) and traditional lines (for those that want to wait in check out lines.) Except that Home Depot might be 100% automated self checkout now. One limitation in self checkout section I saw yesterday was the process coming to a halt every time someone buying alcohol went thru them and prompted for the supervisor to wait and check their driver's license.

[@ewestner]

I far prefer the automated self checkout and I'm from the US. So I'm an aberration, maybe? (I'm pretty introverted and I think the US's personality is a lot more extroverted.)

[@sagesheahan6732]

Name thief.

[@stephjovi]

@@ewestner we have those in many stores in my country too. I love them. In and out of a supermarket without having to talk to anyone Perfect!

[@chrisstangler3513]

I personally hate the automated checkouts in Walmart because they only have a few and not enough cashiers to deal with the high number of people. I've waited longer at the automated ones over traditional checkouts. Other company's like Krogers or HEB in Texas do it a lot better because they are not sacrificing customer satisfaction for a few bucks and having all regular lanes closed.

[@johnpbishop8145]

Healthy foods expensive bruv. Rent is nearly 70% of my check, stateside.

[@HollandInk]

"get ready for a heart attack" lol.... Seriously this is my favorite Chanel / person on KZbin. Keep it up, always there for a good laugh 😊

[@nicholaslewis8594]

Are we really surprised Tesco had a hard time understanding other cultures? British history is full of that. 😂

[@brainblaze6526]

Hah, indeed. My alternative title for this episode was "Tesco's: Colonial Style Expansion"

[@GutnarmEVE]

@@brainblaze6526 same comes true when looking at why walmart basically failed in europe - just the other way around.

[@johnmccallum8512]

Tesco has a patchy rep in the UK as well they tryed to expand into Huddersfield where I live only to leave about 18 months later, they had to buy a local supermarket Co. to enable their return about ten years later.

[@swanpride]

Frankly, Walmart did even WORSE trying to expand into the German market, so Tesco is not alone there.

[@davidharshman7645]

@@swanpride Doesn't Walmart own Britain's #2 grocery store brand, Asda?

[@jessrose4301]

As an American who lived in Glasgow for awhile, I fell in love with the ease of Tesco/Tesco Express. Honestly the idea of getting a decent sandwich at a "gas station" blew my mind. Also I'm all for self-check out and not interacting with people. I think that's an older American thing to want a personal touch.

[@chrisleneil]

Seriously, the sandwiches! U.S. citizens in the U.K. are always impressed by the inexpensive, quality sandwiches. If I could bring anything back to the U.S. from the U.K. (well, healthcare) it would be the ‘meal deals’. Including Simon’s hated prawn crisps!

[@Cedrickr]

I live in a condo in a suburb of Montreal, Qc and in the storage part of the building, we have a Tesco trolley... Every time I walk by it I wonder how the heck it ended up here...

[@SergiuD.]

Happy New Year Simon, the rest of the team and all your wonderful writers!

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks, to you as well :)

[@FirstName67]

My suggestion is the failure of Target stores in Canada.

[@tirex3673]

Reminds me of when Walmart failed in Germany, because they were ignorant of local culture, laws and underestimated the competitiveness of the market.

[@YardenJZ]

I cannot believe how much the quality of BB videos has SKYROCKETED in just 3.5 months. Everything has: the scripts, Simon's reading them and the editing. Gorgeous.

[@charlescrocco7896]

Warren Buffett: The Oracle of Omaha

[@brainblaze6526]

That's the badger.

[@skydivekrazy76]

Which isn't saying much. If your met people from Omaha... 😉

[@frmcf]

I think you’ll find he has always been known as ‘The Sage of Utah’

[@frmcf]

Not to be confused with the ‘Wise man of Wyoming’

[@HovektheArtist]

@@frmcf or the mage of michigan

[@chrisstangler3513]

Warren Buffett is from Omaha, Nebraska and still owns the 2 bedroom house he grew up in.

[@brainblaze6526]

@Stephen Hill Hahhaha.

[@alexdhall]

@Stephen Hill He still *lives* in that two bedroom house in Omaha, Nebraska. He doesn't flaunt his wealth...

[@zbcrazy]

Stephen Hill nope, I live near him. He’s very low key.

[@mammajamma4397]

@@alexdhall then what's the point of making all that money? Seriously? What's he gonna do with it if he's not gonna use it?

[@strangestecho5088]

@@mammajamma4397 Buffet doesn't care for the lavish lifestyles many of the rich and famous lead. What he enjoys is frugal living and managing a highly successful business empire.

[@CaptHollister]

An interesting case study is why Target failed miserably in Canada. Perhaps a future video ?

[@RichardBaran]

I love how much more raw these videos are VS your other channels. Also I couldn't agree more about your feelings on really self check, why would I want to talk to anyone?

[@nathanheuft5575]

Do one on the Hudson bay company, they once had canada on lock down now they struggle while their old nemesis the northwest company is still going strong. The fact that these 2 companies were literally at war with one another is reason enough. By the way, I'm pretty much subscribed to all your channel's, you guys do fantastic work, thank you for that.

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@BonkedByAScout]

We're not fat over here, we're doomsday prepping for when we get stuck in snowy woods for months during the winter, happens all the time.

[@jacobhuff3748]

Or when we get layed off, tyranny or just to shorten lives because of political reasons.

[@ConservatEV]

Buying in bulk saves money too. The more you buy the cheaper per unit price so if you can store 100 lbs of meat and you know your family will eat it before it spoils you’re simply better off stocking up.

[@brainblaze6526]

Most American's I know have had this most years.

[@Tob1Kadach1]

People say American's are fat... yet here in the UK we have a bigger obesity problem than America

[@angieautio-mowrer4193]

" Fat fuck"? Really Simon? America does love it's fast food, but I have three large natural food markets within 10 miles of where I live, and shop for organic food frequently. Many Americans can say the same. Even Walmart has some of that now.

[@patricksanders858]

"Oh no darling! I could never shop at Safeway, I only shop at Whole Foods!"

[@jessicaseyfried7888]

Oh Simon, nothing you and Danny serve up to us is boring! Happy New Year to all 🎉💜🌟

[@sagemarie.]

From what I've heard of Tesco, it's basically the Walmart of the UK. Tesco failed here in the US because they tried to be a healthier Walmart, but in worse locations and in big cities with saturated markets. A lot of comments have suggested Tesco try opening in smaller, rural towns. But they'd still have a lot of competition with Walmart, local grocery stores and farmer's markets, small grocery/home goods stores (like Dollar General) and pharmacy/convenience stores (like CVS and Walgreens). Btw... Loyalty/club cards and self-checkout are very common in the US. Some older people are opposed to more self-checkouts, but it's less about the human interaction and more about the free labor they're "forced" to give.

[@baum6721]

10:48 Germanese I was on the fence before, but this is absolutely my favorite channel on KZbin.

[@helenajones2212]

You saying ‘Hey Siri’ activated my Siri 🤦‍♀️

[@brainblaze6526]

I'm gonna troll you with this some day.

[@thriftyfreebies]

Hah, during phone calls I have to avoid mentioning “the S word” in case I accidentally draw his attention and he interrupts. Much confusion ensues when I’m talking to non-Apple people.

[@taylorr.s8082]

When I was an international student in the UK I remember the first thing people told us is that we needed to go to Tesco. I still miss their great value ginger biscuits and Jaffa cakes. Asda is owned by Walmart btw.

[@Tob1Kadach1]

"I don't think there are Walmart's in the UK" They've owned ASDA for a couple of years now Simon

[@chrisstoner15]

A bit more than a few years, just over 20 years now.

[@spencermonteiro1319]

We have self checkout in Canada, still my favourite thing to go to the Home Depot and watch people try to scan lumber themselves

[@brainblaze6526]

I love it. You just grab the scanner thing and hit all the barcodes without even taking it off the trolly!

[@brainblaze6526]

trolly = shopping cart

[@Terri_MacKay]

I like using self checkout when I only have a few items. I live in Hamilton, ON and one of our Dollaramas has a new self checkout. It was amazing, the nicest and most high-techy one I've seen in any store...the next generation of self checkouts I guess. 😁

[@spencermonteiro1319]

Business Blaze yeah they have finally started introducing the handheld scanners at places with big items. Was a bit of a learning curve.

[@KaBoomStock]

Fresh and Easy failed yet Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, etc use essentially the same concept and are succeeding?

[@jonnunn4196]

Location, Location, Location.

[@robanybody4064]

Fresh & Easy targeted low income and immigrant neighborhoods. Whole Foods and Sprouts are found in upwardly mobile areas with yuppie gentrifiers & such.

[@PRDreams]

They were expensive and offered single serving foods on neighborhoods where poor families lived in. Why buy something for one person at $10 a pop when you can buy grown beef, sauce, and a box of pasta at Whole Foods/Trader Joe's to feed five people for a few bucks more? They needed to go where the single trendy crowd eat their avocado toasts and drink their kombucha.

[@brainblaze6526]

I think this is kinda what the video is about...

[@280685MR]

Trader Joes is one half of Aldi if I remember correctly, 2 German brothers that fell out. It’s an interesting story of business. It’s Aldi in Europe and Trader hoes in a lot of the US

[@grahamjudge9336]

Asda is owned by Walmart in the UK

[@butternutsquash6984]

Ah, memories of shopping at Tesco in Scotland... It's the store that rearranges itself every 6 weeks so you never know where to find what you desire.

[@HadToChangeMyName_YoutubeSucks]

That makes you spend more time walking around looking for that thing that used to be right here, during that time walking around looking for the new location you're more likely to make an impulse purchase.

[@cynthiasimpson931]

The grocery store I shop at in Oregon is employee owned and operated, and has low prices with a good selection.

[@erishinto4906]

I worked there. I was a “baker” at one of their stores. *they had stores everywhere and it was ridiculous... and there were actually more snacks and stuff then only had one aisle of fresh produce, and the self checkout was ... interesting

[@KenwayJoel]

A Baker? So you defrost doughnuts and bread and "modify" use by dates? At least that's what my store does.

[@erishinto4906]

Joel Kenway basically. Except the last part. “Baked “ fresh daily then taken to a food bank.

[@KenwayJoel]

@@erishinto4906 really? Ours gets wasted off and eaten by rats out the back lol

[@claireh2667]

Love all your channels, Simon! Thanks for making so much informative content so accessible. I would love to see a video about some of the large corporations who have purchased and profited off of the artisanal image of local, craft, and small businesses (e.g. Heineken’s craft brewery acquisitions).

[@wreckingopossum]

Warren Buffet is "The Oracle of Omaha", he is from Omaha, Nebraska

[@fatcat6984]

Yay another episode! Great script Danny! And Simon I was watching your other channels and was gonna leave a comment but didn’t think you’d see it.. great video tho!

[@vanessasmith5227]

I love Dannys scripts, must be the influence of Cornish humour 😂

[@fatcat6984]

Vanessa Smith Danny’s scripts writing fits perfectly with Simons humor! I love it lol 😂

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@jennieeveleighlamond]

To be fair, as a Canadian I wouldn't shop in a place called Fresh and Easy because it sounds suspiciously sleazy and creepy to my Canadian ear.

[@doranconall9995]

The only thing I remember about Fresh & Easy in Los Angeles is the Local Union picketing outside of it. Its ideas may have just been ahead of the times.

[@derekwhittom1639]

I remember my grandmother telling me all about how Fresh and Easy is both Fresh and Easy. I was just like "I'll just go to Ralphs". That Fresh and Easy is long gone at this point. I think it might be a CVS now. The name is weird. Not quite hipster, not quite boomer.

[@Xanthelei]

Add to that the fact the generation that grew up on the internet will find a bunch of ways to make it into a NSFW joke, and they really had no reason to change the name. Aside from "Tesco" sounding like a gas station name, it would have worked better in general. Costco certainly has done well for itself.

[@jennylawrenson1712]

Yasssss, Simon and Danny are at it again 😁 The ASDA is part of Walmart group...if you are from Liverpool then the ASDA is always called "the ASDA", and not just "ASDA"... fun fact!

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

Next: Tesco is going to sell pizzas on the north pole, no competition!

[@RickSwartz]

This was an awesome video, Simon. Could you do another one on the utter failure of Walmart in Germany?

[@brainblaze6526]

Will look into it!

[@samanthar1214]

I will stand in line twice as long just to use self checkout. Lol

[@Chetglass_]

Nice, you are making less jobs in your community, paying the same or more for the groceries, and wasting your own time ;D

[@jalinolin2179]

There was an Fresh and Easy right down the street from my house. They built a new building in an already dying shopping strip. They were there for less than a year.... Now, it's a plasma donation center... Was not in the right part of town for raking in the "Healthy Food" premium they were peddling.

[@Simonsvids]

Was in Hungary last month there were Tesco stores everywhere.

[@ridingweeb4801]

In germany and austria we have Payback which is basically a tesco clubcard but it works with like every store even non-grocery and online purchases.

[@brainblaze6526]

That's cool. I could get into that.

[@macsnafu]

"Thankful for her fine fair discount, *Tess co* -operates"

[@brucebartman4782]

I shop in Lotus and Tesco Express here in Thailand and yes, I use my club card. It is only accepted when the total bill is over 100 Baht. Years ago, I shopped at Carrefor which was a French competitor to Lotus, and now gone from the scene in Thailand. Another good vdo Simon!

[@robaba89]

Most supermarkets are self-check out now with very few actual people working registers...

[@MariAsherahRose]

Here in California, you can buy alcohol in grocery stores BUT you cannot use self-checkout when buying booze. I usually buy at least one bottle of wine or whiskey just because I hate automated check out.

[@namja01]

I'm loving this new channel, and all the videos have been great so far. I absolutely loved how much fun you had with this video, and I think it's your best so far! Could you do a video on the diamond industry, the diamond cartel De Beers and their marketing that impacted society?

[@brainblaze6526]

Thank you :). I considered De Beers, but I feel like its already been done to death by other creators.

[@burtbackattack]

No Walmart in the uk but they do own British retailer asda.

[@AZFlyingCook]

I remember when there was a "Fresh 'n Easy" nearby where I lived, which was actually close to a bus stop. As I recall, there were few choices and those which were there were higher in price while not clearly better in quality than nearby stores. I think Tesco's problem in the U.S. was, as was briefly touched on, entering a highly saturated market including such U.S.-focused megamarkets as Costco. As an aside, I actively avoid the two stores in the entire state of Arizona which do *not* have self-checkouts (and this was before the current health crisis) (PS I am glad you knew how to pronounce "Levi's" because I always watch your videos to the very end and smash)

[@lukeboyuk83]

Walmart own Asda. thats why u dont see walmart here in the Uk

[@lifedelay]

Another badass video! Love when you show this side of your personality! Cheer's mate!

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :)

[@queentara2423]

Dollar General in America. They have a goal of one store for a 5 mile radius.

[@lux.illuminaughty]

Heh, it's been a while ago now, but I worked in downtown Seattle where there was a Starbucks on three corners of an intersection at one point. The 4th corner was Tully's or Seattle's Best Coffee.

[@613aristocrat]

I specifically go to the Walmart further away because it has a self check out. I spend less time overall, because there are 10 stations for that one clerk, rather than a measly 6 overall at the other store.

[@rhyslogan6490]

Healthy food? This is America, we don’t do that here bro

[@HadToChangeMyName_YoutubeSucks]

Whole Foods: Really? Hold my beer.

[@TheVirtualObserver]

@@HadToChangeMyName_KZbinSucks Also, club cards? We don't do that here! *Costco has entered the chat.*

[@nickmoney]

In US, there isn't any one grocery chain. There are regional ones and we buy in bulk for one trip vs Tesco's UK daily shopping style.

[@dobypilgrim6160]

Utah, Omaha, meh same difference to a Brit. Lol. Happy New Year

[@brainblaze6526]

Omahaaaaa, somewhere in middle America...

[@Markle2k]

@@brainblaze6526 Which Utah isn't. There's a huge mountain range separating Nebraska from Utah. Silly Simon.

[@brainblaze6526]

* gives myself 70 lashes for not knowing US geography *

[@SG-bs6dm]

In the US we have self checkouts (which I use whenever I can). We also have club cards (at least the supermarkets where I shop), however, instead of rebates, we get discounts on certain items. Also, when Tesco tried to enter the US market, those of us who wanted healthy and/or organic foods would shop at Whole Foods or local organic markets.

[@marianoperezromero3277]

I went to Tesco with my friends in the UK a while ago I wish we had something like it here earlier

[@pjnewton3943]

One point you brought up about the U.S. is that we don't take public transportation. Speaking as someone who lives in a small town (population 3500) broadly available public transportation is not available unless you live close or in a large population center.

[@shaunlenton8865]

Walmart is in the UK, Walmart is ASDA's parent company. You can pick up the ASDA George clothing range in Walmart stores in the USA...........

[@brainblaze6526]

Well, the more you know!

[@AdZS848]

I wish they'd open stores in Europe.

[@miles_thomas]

@@AdZS848 Wal*mart tried and failed (Germany), Tesco already had (Eastern Europe) and briefly France (but won't compete with big european chains like Carrefour, Auchan, Metro, Ahold Delhaize etc.)

[@AdZS848]

@@miles_thomas Shame! I love George clothes especially for my kids. I know you can order them online from Germany but they are more expensive. I buy them from the UK site using my UK bank account and mum ships them to me. These clothes are nice, inexpensive and long-wearing

[@ixorix]

5:39 So I was looking at the background and was like, “hang on a second, isn’t that..?” and yep, I have the same lamp on my bedside table thing lol

[@Locutus]

1:48 I think you mean billions, not millions.

[@brainblaze6526]

Yes. Misspoke. Apologies.

[@lainwired3946]

thought so lol

[@MatthewCampbell765]

With automated checkouts in the US: They definitely exist, and I can find one. Personally, I prefer the regular check-out though, since I'm too lazy to scan and bag everything myself. It's easier to just sit in line a while and go through the scripted conversation of "Hey there, how are you? -> Good, I'm fine too/Oh, sorry to hear that -> Thank you, have a nice day".

[@simon3162]

Walmart is called asda In the uk

[@serephita]

As someone who lives in Vegas (Nevada): There was a Fresh and Easy literally down the street from my house, and it was there/still running when I moved in. It ended up closing a few months later, but it was also across the street from our local Kroger brand grocery store - not a great placement.

[@Ayns.L14A]

Has Simon become an American teenage girl?? "like whatever"

[@DirgeTV]

Come to think of it, he does say that while also sporting apple products. Now to figure out where he's hiding that fancy handbag...

[@sbennett2435]

I love your sarcasm in all of your videos :) Keep up the great work!

[@brainblaze6526]

:)

[@adamfrazer5150]

If I ever return home to the shores of England and see a Wal-Mart, I'll get right on a plane to Bentonville to set the hq of that bloated, greed-fueled, merciless monstrosity 'ablaze' ;)

[@rosyclaire]

Walmart own Asda!

[@adamfrazer5150]

@@rosyclaire So what you're telling me is that A) Don't return to the UK, and B) Wal-Mart is and always has been....The Phantom Menace ?!?

[@rosyclaire]

@@adamfrazer5150 come home to the UK, it's a fabulous place to live, just avoid Asda if you want to 👍

[@adamfrazer5150]

@@rosyclaire that's the first 'rosy' comment on home I've heard in ages - mind you, I grew up in a small, inconsequential town in West Yorkshire, which apparently has since become a small, inconsequential "sh@t hole".... 😒

[@rosyclaire]

@@adamfrazer5150 there are, as you know, many other, very nice places in Yorkshire 😃

[@antoinettefrance4953]

I hate automated checkouts, every time I've used one I end up having to call one of the staff as the bloody machine does something really stupid, like ask me to put checked item into my bag, which I have already done, or I've bought something from the fresh veg/fruit only it's not on the list............ give me real people every time. Also isn't Asda kinda Walmart in as much as Walmart bought Asda out?? I also remember something about them also wanting Sainsbury's but they weren't allowed, and there was something about the Sainsbury's DIY store called Home Base or something similar, being bought buy someone then they had to pull out. The one that was next door to our Sainsbury's got turned into "The Range" or is that "The Grange" can never remember lol. Love the channel Simon you always give me a giggle, nice one. Oh and belated Happy New Year.

[@paulqueripel3493]

Other way, Sainsbury's were going to buy Asda. Homebase was bought by Bunnings, who invested millions of £s then sold it for £1.

[@antoinettefrance4953]

@@paulqueripel3493 Thanks I knew something had gone on just couldn't remember, though I am intrigued how do you spent £s then sell it for £1.00???

[@paulqueripel3493]

@@antoinettefrance4953 easier to link to the story. www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-6648045/How-new-boss-Homebase-walked-DIY-disaster-plans-rebuild-broken-chain.html

[@cascadianrangers728]

Fresh and Easy sounds like a feminine hygiene thing

[@karenz3853]

He asked Siri about the population of Luxemburg and my phone’s Siri answered

[@kwitchabichen]

Costco uses similar logo at a quick glance, and it sounds like Costco sells the same products. Thats my guess before end of video as to why it did not do good here in the USA.

[@mattgies]

Costco is a pretty different kind of store, though. You have to buy a membership to shop there, and most things are sold in large, bulk package sizes.

[@jonnunn4196]

Indeed; there's definitely a market for Costco like items in smaller quantities that is sold there for those not wanting to buy an 8 month plus stockpile at a time.

[@randijohnson3806]

I'm typically uninterested in business related videos, but the sassy, quippy, sarcastic delivery is what makes me watch. Also, Buffet is from Omaha, around an hour from where I live in Iowa. The general attitude of people here is genuine niceness, but most of us lack the bank account that makes that particular trait surprising.

[@brainblaze6526]

Thanks :). Yeah, this channel is supposed to be like 60-70% entertainment, while throwing some facts in there, because that's what people know me for :)

[@Noah_E]

When it comes to self check out I flat out refuse. If I do the work of an employee I should get an employee discount. I walk out of a store when there aren't enough normal check out lines operating.

[@JS-pondering_reality]

The first Hypermarket was opened by the French retailer Carrefour in Caerphilly in 1972, then branches in Chandlersford, Telford centre, Minworth, Patchway and Swindon were opened (Chandlersford, Minworth and Patchway are now owned by ASDA).

[@kfraser3783]

Greetings from Australia!

[@brainblaze6526]

g'day mate.

[@Kadeo-ms6qw]

Self checkouts have made a huge comeback in the US. Almost every Walmart now has more self checkouts than actual lines.

[@briancrawford8751]

Happy Hangover Day, everyone!

[@kpounders7437]

I love self checkouts! Ibak from the American South and enjoy checking myself out. I feel like a kid playing grocery store. They are more common here in Walmart.

[@salient_one]

"Americans aren't known for their healthy diets" Well; Brits aren't known for their personalities, but here you are. You sassy queen!

[@swanpride]

I actually doubt that this was a problem, since Aldi does really well with its fresh and biological products in the US. They sell it to an affordable price though, which might be the real problem Tesco had. Tesco is mostly in the business of ripping off their customers.

[@pamelanapierrice1394]

Love Tesco: there's one close to where we always stay when in London. 🥐🍺🍷

[@synone4013]

Now do Publix :)

[@miles_thomas]

Publix...sort of the US Waitrose (both employee owned, sort of).

[@Mike-DuBose]

In Thailand Tesco is known as Tesco Lotus. They have large super stores that remind me a lot of Walmart and they also have Tesco Lotus Express which is more like a 7-Eleven. The latest news is that Tesco will be selling off their Thailand stores, one of the possible buyers is CP Group (Charoen Pokphand Group) which is a Thai conglomerate based in Bangkok.

[@Mike504]

I use self check out all the time. Live in Michigan (USA). I only use it because the store I shop at, Meijer, has the slowest cashiers on Earth. Coincidence that they are union? If anyone from Meijer corporate reads this please fix. Make your managers actually train the employees instead of standing around with a damn clipboard doing nothing productive.

[@elizabethashley42]

Same location, same experience. I can get through the self-checkout in about half the time it takes a cashier to ring me up (and inevitably ring an item twice, forcing me to take even more time at Customer Service). Besides, with the jobs that have been created in creating, installing and servicing self-checkout machines, AND the fact that all the stores are perpetually short-staffed and always hiring, I know they're not taking jobs from anyone.

[@ConservatEV]

Ditto (in Michigan even!) unless I’m buying booze or have a lot of items because it’s just easier to go to a regular cashier then. I don’t shop at Meijer all the time, they’re often more expensive than WalMart/Sam’s Club in my experience (but not for seafood of all things!)

[@m1ster_h597]

Yes Simon in the US almost every big name market and store has alot of self checkout now