New supermarket will punish corner shops, wails Tesco

TESCO has been accused of hypocrisy after it objected to a proposed Aldi store – because it would harm independent shops.

The supermarket giant has three stores around Stroud, Glos, but has written to the local council to oppose plans for a rival store, citing concerns that it would harm local businesses.

Michael Purton, the editor of the Stroud News and Journal, said: “Tesco claiming that an Aldi would harm the traders in the town centre is surely a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”

He said Stroud needed a budget supermarket such as Aldi or Lidl to compete with the “generally more expensive Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s”.

In objecting, Tesco said a similar application had already been refused by the council because of its “impact on Stroud, Nailsworth and Stonehouse town centres” and therefore should be refused this time. Sue Scott, a resident, said: “What hypocrites. Tesco refuted they would affect independent retailers when they wanted to build at Stow-onthe-wold but now they don’t want another supermarket.”