Aquarium, the old building
Bits & Pieces
City Centre Representatives
Consumer Diary
Devon T S Conference
Financial Services Regulator
Ford Park Cemetery
Group News
Here & There with the Editor
Join Plymouth Consumer Group
Labelling of Nutrition
Labels on Food
Leaves on the Railway Lines
Members Report
Milk Pricing
Moorland Desecration
Packaging
Phone Number Revision
Planning for 21st century
Recycling, official reply
Rip-Off Britain? differing views
Train Timetables
Which? Surveyed
Did National Consumer Week slip you by this year? It certainly did us. The only reason we knew we had missed it was that at the 2nd Devon Trading Standards Conference (see pages 6-7) it was mentioned as a coincidental event in passing. Instead of our usual exhibition stand in the Armada Centre we had decided to attend Green Week. Our theme was packaging and, judging by those who stopped to look at our stand, we had a successful display.
We also decided to hold our shop window competition later than previously so that we can award our cups for Christmas displays, rather than the mixture of windows as in the past two years. This year Plymouth has a new City Centre Manager who, in his presentation on applying for the job, suggested starting such a competition! We hope our cups may be presented by a celebrity.
The Group has supported the idea of a farmers’ market from its inception. However, a recent visit led to disappointment at the slightly smaller number of stalls, compared with the slowly increasing number we had expected. The idea is still welcome and presents no threat to the Pannier Market, which is due for a high-grade revamp. Perhaps holding it only once a month on a Saturday means that traders choose to go elsewhere for a more regular sales pitch. Some of the prices charged also seem high for pasties and other traditional items.
Those who have joined us for our Christmas lunch have always said how much they enjoyed the occasion, and especially so last year. Originally it was a dinner held in the evening but members who attend are increasingly reluctant to turn out at night. This year it will again be held at the College of St Mark and St John at Derriford. The cost is £10.
we asked how Plymouth can afford all the pubs and leisure centres being opened here. Kingfisher Leisure announces a £180,000 loss from its Plymouth discotheque.
Road Safety Plan 1999 - 2006
Plymouth City Council is in the 11 process of consulting on the five-year city plan which covers many aspects of our lives. The various publications can be obtained from the Directorate of Development in the City Centre. Here we look at just two aspects of the planning - Road Safety and the Plymouth Pedestrian Strategy - Taking Steps. In the centre pages we look at Packaging and Waste Disposal.
We reprint our picture of a present road danger in Ford Park Road, but repeated elsewhere by a policy of introducing residents parking on the cheap. There are many other instances of dangerous white lines too narrow to allow a car to squeeze into them.
Another problem arises at Crownhill where the left lane leads only to Whitleigh. Somewhere you have to move into the right-hand lane but there is no warning.
At least we have not reached the American extreme of travelling everywhere by car, or in some cities, by public transport. Yet we frequently hear from the traders that we are not willing to walk the length of our comparatively small city centre. If we start at the east end we apparently tend to stay there and do not venture far westwards. The illustrated 34 page report asks the question "what stops us walking?" and gives solutions for a city plan to the year 2006.
The highway is now seen as an unpleasant and dangerous place so parents take their children to school by car. This results in them getting less exercise from walking and cycling than did the older generation. The report says that safety measures such as barriers, underpasses and signalised crossings have been designed to keep the pedestrian out of the way of the motorist. The pedestrian has either to wait to cross the road or go round the long way. It can be dangerous as twice as many pedestrians are killed in road accidents as car occupants. Visibility is reduced by parked cars and other obstructions and 72% of car drivers are said to exceed the 30 mile an hour speed limit. There may be lack of maintenance of pathways and danger from cyclists avoiding a dangerous roadway. Fear of street violence is also a deterrent, especially at night Dog fouling can also be unpleasant
The plan is "To have a comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes across the City enabling both City dwellers and visitors to have efficient and safe access to residential areas, places of employment and education, shops and other community facilities and to explore and enjoy Plymouth’s natural and historical wealth and beauty."
About a quarter of our walking trips are for shopping and a fifth for entertainment with a seventh just ‘going for a walk’. Pedestrianisation, traffic calming and 20 mph zones are seen as needing priority over traffic movement in ‘Home zones’ with direct, convenient and accessible links between public transport and the ultimate destination. The need to travel also needs to be reduced.
Interestingly, the number of road related casualties has fallen significantly in the last 15 years, but speed reduction is still at the centre of the City’s plans. The aim is towards an integrated transport policy, whatever that may mean in a city that is only well served with buses in the more populous areas, linking public transport to the needs of the population and providing real alternatives to car use."
Reduction of collisions by analysis of the causes is at the basis of the plan. We may grumble at the number of new traffic-lights in Plymouth but they do allow safe access from side roads and help slow down the traffic. The policy of road narrowing with bus-stops pushed out into the road, as in Laira, seems to act against a policy of allowing safe overtaking.
Plymouth now has its own Environmental Health and Trading Standards Department but an invitation to attend the Conference was welcome.
Peter Mason, Director of Consumer Strategy and Safety at the Department of Trade & Industry picked out three themes from the recent Consumer White Paper. There is to be an emphasis on open and competitive markets and naming and shaming of recalcitrant traders. Pricing is to be transparent with clearer labelling, made so by a more effective Price Marking Order. This can only become effective by engaging the enthusiasm of local groups on the ground, not just by a national campaign.
There will also be a new emphasis on Codes of Practice with a new role for the Office of Fair Trading to make sure these are effective. In addition there will be more skilful advice and assistance for consumers using a network of already existing organisations, joined up through modern technology, but branded by a mark of assured quality.
There will be a degree of deregulation with regulation as the last resort. Deregulation is worth doing if the consumers do not notice when these regulations disappear. However, some new powers will be required to fill in the gaps that are apparent in present regulation.
Greg Birdseye from the Audit Commission gave a fuller explanation of the modern term ‘Best Value’ in relation to national and local government services. This had been defined by the Chairman of the meeting as a five year programme of examining everything Devon Council does. The idea is to stimulate continuous improvement and raise public satisfaction with local government services, involving a challenge to ‘get back to basics’. ‘Best Value’ requires that all local authorities consult their local communities, challenge current approaches, compare their performance with others (including the response to consumer complaints) and seek to be competitive in service delivery.
Peter Shears gave his usual dynamic performance. He described three types of scam. Counterfeiting is no longer just a few comparatively harmless goods but includes drugs, car and aircraft parts. These may lead to fatal results if their production has been below normal safety standards. As recorded in the Exeter Court, one Paignton trader alone ‘clocked’ 437 cars wiping off 2 million miles. How many of these cars were dangerous? He also described a number of ‘easy money’ schemes -easy money for those demanding payment - but worthless to those sending the money. Scams are constantly being invented.
‘The 21st Century - Consumers in Control’ by John Bridgeman, Director General of Fair Trading
"Yes, consumers are increasingly taking control. Let me begin here in Devon where you, the consumers, are leading the way and already taking control to a greater extent than almost anywhere else in the UK. The inspection of weights and measures goes back to Magna Carta but the trading standards service now has a wide range of laws to enforce. This it does by stopping actions which are illegal, and by educating and advising consumers and businesses alike, a mixture of prevention and cure, stick and carrot."
Trading Standards provide statistics to the OFT which highlight the causes of local concern. These are at present cars, electrical goods, home improvements and holidays. "We use that intelligence to help identify areas for investigation, research and consultation, some of which may result in recommendations to change the law. Timely intelligence can also prompt timely advice for any potential information project. For example, we ask ourselves:
You can decide which businesses then offer good value for money."
Stephen Butterworth, Director of Trading Standards & Consumer Protection launched the new consumer watch scheme that it is hoped will bring an early warning system to Devon. So far, after the first conference in 1996, focus groups were set up to cover food and product safety. Training was given. Now it is hoped to spread the ‘eyes and ears’ to cover all possible scams and illegal practices. This way it is hoped to limit the consequences before they have a chance to involve a large number of people. It may even scare the wrongdoers away from Devon.
"We now want to take this community involvement a step further and give the consumers an even greater say in how their communities are regulated. The ‘Consumer Watch Scheme’ will offer a simple but practical way of working together to make an impact on consumer protection in the community."
Things Said: You do not get a business man’s attention through his head or his heart but through his pocket."
"The present number of complaints are only the tip of the iceberg."
"One report can add tremendous weight to other complaints."
John Bridgeman
Have you spoken to a City Centre Representative and would you recognise one in the street?
This was a bold initiative to help shoppers and visitors and to guide those taking part into full-time employment. Unfortunately the present funding finishes at the end of March 2000 but it is hoped that money will be found to continue the scheme. Although the choice of ‘Plymouth green’, rather than a garish red used elsewhere in the UK, was unanimous there has been some difficulty distinguishing the representatives from other council employees. Nonetheless, 5,100 enquiries were received from members of the public, a third of them from foreign visitors. 120 pavement street furniture faults were reported. In addition 220 city centre businesses were regularly visited to find out their requirements.
In response to our concerns, Victoria Little, the City Centre Representatives Manager writes:
"We are currently looking at changing the outdoor jackets worn by the Reps to make them more visible. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find green jackets that are more visible and we need to stay with a ‘green theme’ to avoid changing the whole uniform. I am also looking into getting some signs made that will be affixed to tourist
information boards and will tell people who the Reps are and where and when to find them. These will hopefully be sponsored by a local business and should boost awareness of City Centre Representatives. The Reps currently stop at eight fixed points around the city, which are publicised in our leaflet. We also looked into the ‘help booth’ idea but were unable to find anywhere suitable.
"Over the next few months we hope to introduce some new services, including an assisted shopping scheme for disabled people and a ‘Clean Up Plymouth’ campaign and we also want to extend our services to the Barbican. Unfortunately, we have been working under a recruitment ban since August and have been unable to replace anyone we have helped into employment. Since we have now had nine people move into work, our numbers are dropping drastically and we are struggling to keep things running smoothly. I hope that this will improve as we recruit some staff under New Deal. I also hope to have some more newspaper publicity. Thank you for your comments and (look forward to receiving any other suggestions the Group may have about the scheme."
A possible extra role will be at the bus station helping the elderly with their luggage now taxis are no longer allowed inside. A city centre map of businesses may soon be produced to help further with directions to particular stores.
In 1896 the Honorary Secretary of the Dartmoor Preservation Association produced maps to show just how much of the open moorland had been lost to enclosure. This was followed in 1901 by William Crossing’s report ‘as to the damage to ancient monuments and encroachments on Dartmoor’. Today the dangers of ruination on the moor are just as great.
Nearly fifty years ago mineral planning permission was given to allow the construction of a large quarry in the Blackbrook valley on south-western Dartmoor, allowing the despoilation of Shaugh Moor (south of Cadover Bridge) and Crownhill Down by waste tipping of china clay spoils. The industry is very destructive of land as for every tonne of clay extracted seven tonnes of waste have to be disposed of. China clay is a valuable export and has taken over as the chief industry from the more ancient tin mines.
The result of the working will be a deep quarry in place of the Blackbrook valley and even more spoil heaps to add to those already present on the moor. These will obscure various hut circles.
The important historical aspects of Dartmoor cover a period of at least four thousand years. There are prehistoric fields and houses, stone rows and cairns, medieval farmsteads, boundary stones, pits made by stonecutters and tinners, leats, peat diggings and military trenches. Not all of these have been fully explored. Modern methods of clayworking obscure all these features. Most of the archaeological work has been done in the last 25 years and methods of recording and exploration are developing rapidly so there is still much to be done.
An American company also has outline permission to obliterate a square kilometre of Crownhill Down for tungsten mining provided a processing plant is built by 2001. Just how important is preservation?
We are always being reminded to consider how we can reduce the amount of waste that is sent to the landfill sites for disposal. However, It is interesting that in these times of great awareness about being "green", Pampers, the company which makes disposable nappies, has "invented" nappy type sheets which can be placed under the baby at night to absorb leaks, and a changing mat which can be used in and out of the home to lay the baby on whilst changing a nappy. Both items are disposable (and probably very expensive). How have parents managed before the launch of these items? Well, they used a sheet in the cot which could be washed, and a changing mat made of material which again was easily washed. At the same time other companies are bunching ‘wipes’ for use around the home instead of using a cloth. Again, the selling point is that they can be thrown away. It seems that making money is far more important to manufacturers than being green.
Recently, I ordered a book from a book dub. The book, about the size of a video tape box, was delivered via the post in a box about 6 times the size of the book. The book had spent its journey rattling around the box and hence when I opened the parcel the book’s paper cover was marked and ripped along the edges. I was disappointed as the book was a gift for someone. The book itself was fine and so I wrote to the company advising them of the problem and asking if they could send a replacement book cover.
Because the book was not damaged there seemed little point in sending it back, especially with the postage costs. The reply came today. It appears that they can’t send me a book cover, they have to send the book again. Then I have to send the original book back. Was my request so unreasonable?
There seems an increase, in my area, of door-to-door callers selling everything from regular deliveries of the Evening Herald to pizzas, lottery tickets and cheaper gas. These callers often call late in the evening - last weekend a man called on Sunday evening at 8.45 pm. With darker evenings it can be frightening for young and old alike.
How sad to hear that the first casualty, as a result of the opening of the new Barbican Leisure Centre at Coxside, is the closure of the Drake cinema, another loss to our city centre. The Warner Village Cinema has received praise for its large site, free parking and bright new large cinema complex, but for some the location is a problem. It is not on main bus routes and this can be a major factor for young people and others without private transport
The Drake cinema was in an ideal location for children to visit, especially on Saturday mornings whilst parents did an hour’s shopping in the nearby shops but it is now dosed. The management claim that parking charges deterred their customers. This is probably quite true. There is nothing worse than being concerned about a ticking meter nearby.
Have you put enough money in, what lime have you left? Then, of course, there is the cost of parking too. It all adds to the price of a night out
Last weekend I was visiting Taunton on a Saturday evening. We parked in a multi-storey car park and went off m search of the meter to get a ticket We were delighted to discover that parking was free after 6 pm. This meant that we enjoyed our evening without additional charge and time restrictions. Why is parking so expensive in Plymouth city centre? It is not as if all the car parks are manned. There must be little maintenance costs to the majority of car parks aid the income is extremely high. The local papers suggested that the council may sell them to the national chain of NCP (National Car Parking) who are known for their high costs per hour. The council could sell for a price, it is suggested, of £25m. A high price to receive once, but no further income ever again. There must be a workable solution. The city centre has been struggling for many years. This week it was announced that major changes will be made b Exeter city centre to make it "the shopping capital of the west. Can Plymouth really afford to turn shoppers away?
I was told recently that many restaurants in the city centre are suffering too. Many customers of these facilities use cars and are way of parking in the multi-storey car parks at night, and being charged for the privilege. One restaurateur stated that he had rates to pay of aver £32,000 per year. That cost had to be covered, along with staff costs, before he bought any food to cook and sell.
He also said that nowadays supermarkets so more ready meals that are of a high quality and there is a greater choice. Many ethnic food items are easily available allowing previous customers to cook their favourite meals at home. Not so often do they visit a Chinese or Indian restaurant to try something different.
Have you — received the new pricing rates booklet with your latest BT telephone bill? The new pricing rates, we are told, have been simplified to make it easier for customers to find a pricing plan to suit their individual needs. Most customers who have received a copy of the booklet have said that it is most complicated and that they do not understand the "choices" they are being offered. So much for simplification!
So, the Millennium is approaching fast, (although some of us still believe that it should not be celebrated until next year). The hours are ticking away. Parties, we are told, are being arranged all over the land; some pubs and restaurants will open, others will close; buses will stop running early evening and the taxis hope for a busy night. Will it be traffic chaos or a cash bonanza? However you spend your New Year’s eve I hope you enjoy it
A gloomy view of the present? The turn of the century raises expectations. The end of a millennium promises apocalypse and revelation. But at the close of the twentieth century the golden age seems behind us, not ahead.
Robert Hewison, historian.
Exploitation of the toy buying public does not wait for Christmas. In late summer a member sought out a Knuckle the Pig Beanie wanted by her granddaughter, finding it at Solagoe in Totnes. "You can have it", said the sales lady, "if you buy two others". "I was furious", says our member. "I didn’t need three, I couldn’t afford three and a child could not have afforded three either." On complaining to Ty Europe, the UK suppliers, a large print standard letter was received referring to other matters as well and suggesting that there had been many other complaints.
"Unless we get the names and addresses of retailers who don’t comply with our policies there isn’t much to go on," says the letter but no indication of what those policies are! "Also, many of our store owner’s [the dreaded apostrophe!] hold auctions and donate proceeds to different charities, some personally trade at fairs and bring retired’s [again!] in to their stores and sell them at a higher rate. Some of our customers have set up collectors clubs, where after the local customers have purchased a certain number of beanies then they allow them the option to buy some of the more sought after Beanies like Spangle or Britannia." Should we blame the stores, the distributors or the children for joining the latest craze for ownership of popular items?
The unsatisfactory I and confusing state of affairs when you use a cash point machine has also been brought to our attention by a member who is unhappy about using the machines at Safeway Plymstock. Customer Services Department replied that the charges are set up by the banks and not by Safeway. Our member reports that Sainsburys have a cash machine without charge and as far as we know the same applies at the special Tesco cash points. He continues:
"The other reason for this letter is to express concern about poor old Plymouth which has so many natural assets including the Hoe and its amazing waterfront, but which is going downhill. I understand the Drake Circus development is ‘on ice’ if not worse. Smeaton’s Lighthouse is on English Heritage’s list of buildings at risk, the Tinside swimming pool is in a state of collapse, and the King William Yard is in vacuum. High car park charges deter visitors and shoppers on whom the City’s prosperity depends, and the centre needs an imaginative rebuild, preferably with people living there.
"My suggestion would be a visionary supremo who would take all these factors in hand and do something. He/she would need power and would probably tread on someone’s toes but if Portsmouth can achieve so much why not Plymouth?"
[The new City Centre Manager may help]
I refer to my visit with my family land friends to your establishment on the Saturday just gone. During that visit I attempted to pay for American Pool by Airmiles vouchers. The first member of staff I spoke to seemed to find the matter highly amusing and thought that I was joking when I attempted to pay by such means. It was only after I pressed the point that she made further enquiries and was apparently eventually told they could only be accepted for games of Bowling. I attach a copy of the Airmiles Brochure from which it is quite apparent that Plymouth Superbowl purports to accept Airmiles not only for bowling but also for American Pool and Quasar.
[A copy of the brochure was enclosed: "80 miles for one game - Plymouth B,Q,AP"]
Has the Devon based Truprint service deteriorated? It seems they no longer wish to implement their 7 day door-to-door guarantee. Our correspondent wrote to Truprint: "I am quite literally appalled at how you are seeking to evade your responsibility. What you say is not accepted. You are challenged to produce the envelope I sent my order in to verify that the 7 day door-to-door guarantee was not mentioned. I attach a copy of a fairly recent envelope, which to the best of my recollection was picked up in Taunton a few months ago. This has low prices, shows your new Newton Abbott address, includes two free films per one sent and does mention the 7 day door-to-door guarantee. You have over a number of years made heavy promotional play of your 7 day guarantee, notwithstanding the more recent amendment from a cash refund to provision of a voucher This has been a heavy selling point and certainly has always been- a significant determining factor in me sending my orders to Truprint."
[It was suggested newer envelopes should have had a notice of the withdrawal printed on them]
Recent offers from BT have caused confusion for our readers. The "BT Together" seems unclear as to who will benefit. Line rental is increased but cheaper calls are offered at certain off-peak times. Only big users appear to save. Another enquiry for "Caller Display" was eventually, after a long wait on line, followed by the message that the offer was cancelled because supplies were exhausted. Although asked several times if more would be available the BT receptionist avoided the question. [See Bits & Pieces p.27]
A slow cooker was on display on a stall at a Mount Edgecumbe Car Rally marked "Deep frying pan, hardly used, £3.50". It had an old fashioned plug on the flex but no sign of a thermostat or timer. Underneath was inscribed "National Rice Cooker, Approved to Malaysian Standard". An electrician advised against using it. This was a case of ‘buyer beware’ but we advised the member to let Plymouth Trading Standards have it as an item for one of their future warning displays!
This remains a controversial subject. We repeatedly hear about over-packaging but find it difficult to produce examples. This was why we chose the subject for our exhibit at Plymouth’s Green Week Eco Expo Exhibition in the Guildhall. Most examples are of food packed in too large a box to give the impression that the content, such as a chicken pie, is bigger than in fact it is. At Christmas extra additional outside ‘gift’ wrappings are used, often as a way of increasing the selling price.
In one test, sweets and crisps were put in really boring packets while dried dates, nuts and fruit juice were wrapped in smart fancy packets designed to make the contents look really delicious. The sweets and the fruit were given to kids and teenagers to eat. When asked which they preferred, most of the tasters said they preferred the fruit juice, nuts, and dates. The packaging had influenced them, showing how products can be sold by their packaging. Although individual servings cereal packets are attractive, they use much more card and plastic inner material than a large packet.
Our grandparents threw away 17 kg per week in 1936 (mainly ash from domestic fires, hence the name ‘dustbin’). Today the weight of waste in our dustbin is 12 kg (regular bag or bin) or 15 kg (wheelie) and we don’t burn waste at home in uncontrolled conditions.
Weight of packaging in the dustbin today is roughly the same as 20 years ago: 2 kg to 3 kg per week, despite many more packaged items, because the packaging for the same volume of goods has decreased.
Packaging is typically 25-30% by weight of dustbin waste.
|
Cost of packaging as % of total |
|
|
Soft drinks |
22.4% |
|
Perfume, cosmetics |
22.3% |
|
Soaps, detergents |
17.4% |
|
Biscuits |
10.7% |
|
Chocolate, sweets |
10.0% |
|
Wines, cider |
9.2% |
|
Paint |
8.2% |
|
Milk, milk products |
7.9% |
|
Bacon, meat |
6.4% |
|
Bread, flour products |
6.3% |
|
Beer |
5.2% |
If you eat and live alone you probably use more energy and waste more food than couples or families. Demographic trends show there will continue to be more single person households in future. Number of people per household is likely to continue to decline from 2.4 in 1991 to 2.2 in 2006. Small households need small portion sizes to meet their needs - this means more packaging but less food waste and less waste overall.
Weekly household waste per person in different size households:
Single household 11 kg | Two people 7 kg | Four person household 4 kg
At present rates of disposal Chelson Meadow will be full by 2006. Recycling will extend this period when it spreads to the whole of Plymouth by 2001. This is only possible after the new recycling facilities have been developed at Chelson Meadow. It will then be possible to extend the possible types of recycling, though this depends on the ability of the firms that can use the raw materials, the economic worth of these and the fuel miles involved. It may then be possible to recycle foil and plastic (at present only milk bottles and lemonade bottles and margarine or yoghurt cartons). The 22-page Don’t Waste - Our Future booklet gives a very good idea of the problems, including incineration (expensive), but not the solutions.
On our stand we asked for information on recycling certain products. Does anyone take milk bottle foil tops any longer? We are told that charities previously taking them have stopped.
We also enquired about photocopier expired cartridges. Large firms are able to return them in bulk. No one seemed to know but we later discovered that Canon supply a booklet with each cartridge containing a supply of free return labels. In the UK you return them through the parcel post
Do you know of any special ways of recycling goods?
The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment was set up in 1974 as a research organisation to study the environmental and social impact of packaging. It sets out to study packaging throughout the supply chain. Members include raw material suppliers, packaging manufacturers, packers and retailers. Stout packaging may appear wasteful at first sight but we are not happy when we receive broken goods. INCPEN provided some of the booklets and display material for our exhibition. Many of the facts on these pages are derived from their leaflets and other sources.
The average price per litre to retailers for April 1998 deliveries varied from 15.75p per litre (8.97p per pint) from Milk Marque, to 21 .8p (12.47p per pint) from a Midlands producer. Farmers refer to the dairy processors as ‘cherry pickers’, offering lucrative contracts to large producers whose milk is easy to collect and conforms to required profiles. Milk Marque claims that 6,000 farms produce half the milk in the UK, that the biggest six dairy companies buy half the UK milk and the biggest six supermarket chains sell half the UK milk. Milk Marque is a non-profit making farmer’s co-operative which replaced the Milk Marketing Board in 1994. It is responsible for 48% of the milk produced in the UK.
Milk is packaged and processed in the main by a small number of large companies. It is estimated that in 1996 just 14 companies accounted for over 90% of liquid milk production. The remainder of the market belongs to a very large number of smaller processors. Of these 14 companies, 6 account for almost all supermarket business, usually also running a doorstep delivery service themselves in direct competition to the supermarkets.
A further factor affecting the milk market is the continuing decline in demand for milk. Over the decade to 1996, the National Food Survey estimates that consumption of milk has fallen by 12% with a shift away
from whole milk to semi-skimmed and skimmed. Milk flavoured drinks have been introduced as well as milks with additional vitamins, proteins and folic acid, and a long lasting milk ‘that tastes like fresh’.
Margins are undoubtedly being squeezed by the supermarkets. Milk is one of three staple commodities bought by practically every household, the others are bread and potatoes. Supermarkets place great importance on their sales of milk. Dairies and farmers accuse supermarkets of using milk as a ‘loss leader’. Supermarkets claim that no product is sold at a loss but it would seem clear that at the time the price of raw milk rose so dramatically in 1995 and 1996, profit margins on milk were shaved to a minimum. The farm gate price of milk rose by 13% but prices in the supermarket were slow to rise and then only by just over 6% and they were reduced as soon as the farm gate price returned to its previous level.
The supermarkets have kept prices low by streamlining the production, distribution and storage of milk. The processors usually fill plastic containers blown on their premises, resulting in a very high level of hygiene, leading to long shelf life (1 bought a 4 pint container of milk in Tesco on the 29th June with a sell by date of 3rd July and use by date of 7th July"). The filled containers are loaded into wheeled crates which are loaded onto refrigerated lorries, delivered to "hub" depots and then to the local "spoke" supermarkets without ever needind the use of a fork lift truck.
Compare the supermarket system with that of the doorstep delivery operation. Fresh milk is delivered in bottles. Sterilised washing of the glass and foil topping is not, apparently, as hygienic as plastic containers, so its shelf life is not as long. The crates are constantly handled, often more than one middle man is used and floats have to be individually loaded. Refrigerated storage facilities vary.
(An edited version of a paper prepared for the MAFF Consumer Panel)
A retired member writes: "Years ago, I suggested local funeral concerns form a company, to take over Ford Park Cemetery, refurbish one of the buildings still standing, to become a much needed third Plymouth crematorium and cemetery, thus enabling Ford Park Cemetery to play its full part again. This could provide a larger, modem garden of remembrance, enabling people to have the funeral service at Ford Park Cemetery followed by the burial, or scattering of the sacred remains after cremation. At the moment there are many occasions when it’s not possible to have the day the family would like, let alone the hour. (During bank holiday periods the delays can be more than a week). This would give the people an invaluable third choice of day and time. This is a project that perhaps Plymouth City Council could take up, as they already own Efford and Weston Mill Cemeteries and Crematoriums. It could be beneficial to everyone".
To produce extra revenue there could be a separate burial section for pets. At present owners have to go a long distance to bury them. A portion of the cemetery could be completely set aside for this purpose
[SCI, the American firm runs 17 crematoria so this is a possibility][From The Times Weekend Supplement]
The Government has established the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to become the single regulator for the UK financial services industry - regulating banks, building societies, financial advisers, fund managers, stockbrokers and insurance companies. It is an independent body and has been set four main objectives by the Government which are to promote public awareness, secure appropriate consumer protection, maintain confidence in the financial system and reduce financial crime. It will improve the protection available to consumers of financial services and help them make good decisions about their savings and investments.
A consumer "Helpline" has been established 0845 6061234 providing information and guidance on financial services. Calls are charged at local rates and the service operates between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on weekdays. The same number can be used to obtain copies of consumer guides, ranging from providing information on whether a firm is properly authorised, to giving guidance on consumers’ personal finance problems or concerns that need clarifying.
"One-stop-shops" are to be established for both an Ombudsman and Compensation Scheme. The Ombudsman Scheme should prove less confusing for consumers and provide a simple, flexible service for handling complaints. The Compensation Scheme will deal with claims quickly and efficiently but it is anticipated that it will be two years before the Scheme is fully operational. A series of Town Meetings are being organised throughout the UK to provide consumers with details of this new Authority. Details of venues and dates can be obtained from the "Helpline".
Since 1888 this has been the home of the Marine Biological Association. The old aquarium shop has been taken over by MarLIN, the Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland for which it provides
open-plan office accommodation. The lecture hall provides laboratory facilities for visiting students and a new seawater hall has been created. The old aquarium hall has been gutted and remains as a cavernous space to be converted into a marine life resource centre.
00 |
International ISDN access will change from 000 to 00 |
01 |
Existing area codes |
02 |
New 02 codes for Cardiff/ Coventry/ London/
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03, 04, 05, 06 |
Reserved for future area codes |
07 |
Find me anywhere: mobiles, pagers & personal numbers |
0800 |
Freephone and special rate services. |
0808 |
For up to local rate |
0845 |
For up to local rate |
0870 |
For up to national rate. |
09 |
Premium Rate Services |
| Area | Old Code | New Code |
| London | 0171 | 020(7) |
| London | 0181 | 020(8) |
| Portsmouth | 01705 | 02392 |
| Southampton | 01703 | 02380 |
| Coventry | 01203 | 02476 |
| Northern Ireland | 01232 | 02890 |
| Cardiff | 01222 | 02920 |
From Kim Howells, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer and Corporate Affairs, to Linda Gilroy MP:
"Thank you for your letter of 27th August about the electrical goods survey. I found the survey report very interesting to read. I want to endorse the basic message that individuals should shop around to find the best deal. This is one of the fundamental pillars of the White Paper Modern Markets -Confident Consumers. The survey report also mentions the Government’s work on the APR. I am pleased to tell you that we expect to introduce new regulations shortly."
Chairman of the National Federation of Consumer Groups, has a personal point of view in a letter she wrote to The Independent newspaper:
Every day we read and hear about ‘Rip-off Britain’. It is a slick and understandable phrase. I would suggest, however, that this is one sound-bite which may well bite back.
Hanging a ‘Rip-off Britain shingle around the necks of the country at large is doing no favours for our hardworking industrialists who try to keep the economy healthy, nor is it helpful for those companies struggling to develop export markets in this ever-more competitive world. Besides the phrase can hardly be said to be true across the board.
May I suggest the spin-doctors turn the record over and see what may be on the other side? The ‘Rip-off Britain’ tag may prove to be very expensive indeed.
While Steven Byers, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, announces the appointment of contractors to survey the prices of 100 or so products across the UK, France, Germany and the USA, more and more examples of price differentials are produced.
A member quotes F49.95 (f5.20) for rump steak in France compared with £8.95 per kilogram in Tesco. A newspaper has found a similar chicken in a UK supermarket costs £4.62, in Spain it was £2.97 and in France £1.80, though in the last case we do not know what it had been fed on! Similar checks on DIV goods were £21.52 in the UK, £17.54 in Germany, £13 in Spain and £11 in France. Even if the assortment chosen may be biased, there still seems to be a great difference for which it is difficult to find an explanation despite the unconvincing reassurances given by supermarket bosses.
Now is the time that the supermarkets expect to make their profits to help them through the quieter parts of the year. A Sunday newspaper quotes £369 for a selection of Christmas items in France compared with £452 in the UK. Our Editor was unhappy to see the inflated prices of food items specially packed for Christmas on sale in the Plymouth Safeway.
A little of this difference may be accounted for by exchange rates and different taxes. However, our own stores not only have to keep the shareholders happy but they also have to put aside large sums for expansion and store building here and elsewhere in the world. This also applies to IKEA where a visitor to Norway noted £300 difference in one suite of furniture. Where cars are concerned a member says he bought his company car for the price his firm paid for it, and it was still a good bargain. Fleet cars get the big discounts
.
A Friends of the Earth printed postcard urging the Government to concentrate on more recycling rather than new incinerators brought a response from Linda Gilroy MP detailing Party policy.
In July this year the Government published A Way with Waste. At the heart of our new waste strategy is tackling the growth in household and commercial rubbish. We have already made a good start in this area:
Household waste is a relatively small part of the overall amount of waste produced, but it is important that we make progress towards managing it more sustainably. At present just 8% is recycled and a further 6% has energy recovered from it. The government has therefore set a goal of recovering 45% of municipal waste by 2010 and of recycling or composting 30% of household waste by the same date. In order to achieve these goals, it will be important to meet the existing targets of 40% recovery and 25% recycling or composting as soon as possible. We aim to achieve this by 2005. Beyond 2010 we will need to make more progress.
I would like to thank you once again for sending me the postcard. We believe in greater public involvement in decision making. Thank you for doing your bit.
[Condensed from a two page letter]
You may recall that in our last issue (No. 134, page 21) we indicated that we were writing to the Railway Regulator seeking clarification on how railway companies operate in relation to the Passenger Railway Timetable. We asked if train companies drew up the vain timings without regard for connecting trains, and whether they are discouraged from waiting at stations for a connection by having to pay Railtrack extra money for every minute a train overstayed its time at a station.
The Rail Regulator thanked us for our letter and stated that they had," ... stated to examine the current function and status of the Great Britain Passenger Rail Timetable (GBPRT), the format Railtrack has adopted to comply to its Network Licence Condition to ‘publish or procure the publication of a national timetable of railway passenger services’ because of the importance of timetable information in achieving the Governments objectives of increasing the use of the rail network"
The Regulator went on to say "We have recently written to Railtrack with a request for information in order to accumulate more quantitative data This will allow us to analysis it more fully. Your insights are very interesting and I will communicate them in my forthcoming meetings where GBPRT [is] on the agenda"
You will note that there was no direct response to our question on what amounts to secrecy of railway timings between companies and neither to our query about penalties for waiting too long at stations.
Nevertheless the Regulator seems to be making the first steps towards analysing the current procedures with a view to increasing the use of the network.
This we feel is not a moment too soon, for as we write the new winter timetable has come into use. And guess what? Well, for example, while last winter six trains left Exeter for Tiverton Parkway between 2 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., this winter there are only three trains stopping at Tiverton Parkway between these times; yet there are the same number of trains as last year leaving Exeter between these times; it’s just that they do not stop there any more.
Why not? Well to quote a spokesman for Great Western Trains: "we need to get the trains to London faster and this means no longer stopping at certain stations along the way."
So there we are: never mind how smoothly and pleasantly passengers can be moved through the British railway system, its all about how quickly they can be got from big cities to London. And for those at, or wanting stations en route, the Devil can take the hindmost
Says Tony Benn:
When all the world knows all about the current argument, Parliament is the last place to get the message.
RECENTLY we have been hearing opinions suggesting that Which? magazine is not as helpful when we are seeking new appliances as it used to be. We wondered if there was any truth in this and, if so, why. One of our members carried out a survey of early issues and more recent ones. Despite the doubling of pages from an average of 30 to 60 over the years, there seems to be some truth in these opinions.
This new presentation leaves the reader with less information on which to draw his own conclusions and no guidance or aspects to look for to compare the reported item against one not in the samples chosen for tests. In addition the range of available appliances has increased to such an extent that only a comparatively small selection is tested and does not always include a sufficient number of the cheapest models. Later magazines contain 2 or 3 articles on computer subjects.
Year |
Total Reports |
Total Tests |
Home/
|
Leisure/
|
Special
|
Tests
|
1996 (6)
|
30
|
27
|
24
|
3
|
3
|
90%
|
1994 (12)
|
138
|
64
|
47
|
14
|
74
|
46%
|
The FOOD MAGAZINE has been examining foods fortified with vitamins and minerals, and usually prominently advertised as such on the label. They judged the majority of the foods as being of poor nutritional value. Included were biscuits, sweetened breakfast cereals and soft drinks. Half the products exceeded Department of Health guidelines containing over 10% of sugar by weight. Over a third contained over 0.5g of sodium per 100g (multiply by 2% to get the salt content). In all three-quarters had excessive fat, sugar or salt. European countries are much stricter in their limitations for fortification, particularly the Scandinavian countries.
Health workers suggest we should reduce our intake of sweet, fatty and salty foods with nutrient-rich fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and lean meat and fish. Fruit drinks (often containing as little as 5% fruit juice) are put on shelves next to the juices with a similar appearance. Regular Ribena is 15% sugars compared with Coca-Cola’s 10 1/2%.
1925 - Vitamin A voluntarily added by manufacturers to margarine.
1940 - Calcium carbonate added to white flour and products. Later thiamine and iron added. Iodine added to salt to prevent goitre.
Disruption of train services by leaves on the railway lines is not the big joke it has sometimes been made out to be. It is also a problem in Europe and North America. Railtrack has produced a leaflet on the subject that makes the situation clearer. Leaves are swept onto the track by the slipstream of passing trains. Light rain falls. Trains crush the wet leaves at a pressure of over 30 tonnes per square inch. This carbonises the leaves, forming a hard, Teflon-like coating on the rails which is the equivalent of black ice on the road.
Trains have to operate at slower speeds, drivers have to brake earlier for stations and if a train gets stuck this affects all the trains behind it. A fleet of specially designed £40 million multi purpose vehicles will use high pressure water jets to clear leaf mulch and apply sandite, a gritty paste which allows trains to get a better grip, and de-ice with steel scrubbers.
The Food Magazine also has a feature ‘Loopy Labels’ (The PCG has provided some in the past). The latest includes Kia-Ora’s claim to include a 20% increase in fruit content. After dilution this means an increase from 2% to nearer 3% a glass. Sweetening is by sugar, aspartame and saccharin!
What a surprise! Ten years after I retired from medicine I was treated to another retirement party when my 26 year spell on the Executive Committee of the Guild of Voluntary Service came to an end, the last ten years as Chairman. This set me to thinking about the difference in our Plymouth society during the last quarter century. Age Concern and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau were then merely committees of the Guild. Life seemed so much simpler with fewer bodies, and this included the Plymouth Consumer Group which was established ten years earlier. Now the Plymouth Community Partnership has over 600 voluntary organisations on its books.
The other big change is the spread of professionalism. In my early days of voluntary effort most of the work was unpaid. Now a plethora of officials run and organise so many of the organisations created for almost every condition and ill of mankind. Few meetings are held in the evenings as the professionals prefer to meet during working hours. I must say I find myself increasingly reluctant to venture out at night more than one evening a week, and these days it is not usually the lure of TV. Have programme standards really deteriorated, especially those meant to be humorous, or is this just a sign of age and not acquiring the modem sense of humour?
We have just received our latest Sainsbury’s Rewards. Interestingly all the items for which coupons were enclosed are for the expensive brands we would normally avoid. What happened to the idea that our club cards were to partly tell the issuing supermarket what we buy and what type of products we use? What a waste of paper!
The recent reports of an increase in hidden taxes merely confirms the worry that some of us have had about the difficulties imposed on low income families and pensioners. Many of the latter thought they had made reasonable provisions for old age but the present low interest rates have not helped. So many things are going up beyond the 1.1% shown by the RPI. The Community Charge, petrol, various insurances and professional services are just a few of the items increasing at more than the official rate of inflation.
Utility companies are slowly improving their services. Since the French took over, complaints have risen at London Electricity. It is hoped they will not make changes to the way SWEB operates.
How St Michael must be weeping. The British public may have lost its appetite for Marks & Spencer food and its liking for M&S clothes but the nation’s premier store can boast one big seller: its shares. If ever a company were in need of a guardian angel it is Marks & Spencer. But no one knows if St Michael is up to the job.
(Richard Miles in the Sunday Times)Surely the main purpose of ‘best before dates’ is that one may spend a happy hour ceremoniously examining every packet and tin in the kitchen cupboards condemning approximately a quarter to the bin, whilst simultaneously feigning disgust that this would not happen if you were in charge of the kitchen.
(Simon Le Couteur, letter to The Times)"Hutton Commission Report, Association of CHCs in England and Wales daft interim report of the Commission on Representing the Public Interest in the Health Service" (Plymouth CHC Minutes)
Seen at the Marlborough Classics clothing store at Covent Garden in Central London: a sign advertising a closing down sale. Below it another: "Experienced staff wanted".
If you ever have cause to doubt the power of a clever slogan even more cleverly delivered, Coke is the ultimate example. It has cost them billions but "It’s The Real Thing. Coke is it" has convinced the world to buy. In the USA nearly as much Coca-Cola is drunk as water. They even convinced Father Christmas. Originally he was dressed in green until Coca-Cola got into the act and dressed him in red in adverts around 1900.
If you are offered free money or a prize in a competition where the envelope comes from Canada, Australia or Holland (or possibly any other country) and have to send money to be eligible, your chances of winning are less than your chances of teaching a hedgehog to juggle balloons. Plymouth People
Plymouth 2020. Reducing the number of people considered to be living in the most deprived wards" - an unpleasant fate? Yet there are plans to hem them live longer.
BT Staff Confused - Our complaint that the BT Together scheme is too complicated has been confirmed by The Daily Telegraph which relates that the present 9 separate discount schemes have 30 possible combinations. BT has been calling customers who they think may be interested in changing. Staff have become confused over which scheme offers which discount over calls at a particular time of day. In addition the’ discount for paying by direct debit will be withdrawn from users of BT Together and calls to mobile phones are discounted differently. Directory enquiry calls and time checks have also been increased for everyone.
Curtain cleaning - If your curtains have reached the stage where they need some attention, a member suggests that you consider taking them to the launderette, some of which provide a service. The quotation for dry-cleaning and pressing of three fairly large curtains was £24.60. The cost at the launderette was £8.40 for washing and pressing. You must be sure that they will not shrink or otherwise be damaged by washing as opposed to dry-cleaning.
Outside Toilets - A member reports that on visiting Toys R Us she and her children were directed to toilets outside the store which were closed, according to other staff, because "they were being vandalised by customers". As they are outside anyone could have caused the damage. They were then escorted to the ‘staff toilets which those with long memories will remember were customer toilets when under Homebase. They still bear the signs ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ and include a disabled toilet. Surely there must have been other staff toilets under the previous owners.?
Insurance Policy Forecasts - A member reports that the estimate on his policy has been "revised" from £7,500 to £3,400. He has been offered the opportunity to pay 2% times the previous instalments to revise the policy. Where mortgages are concerned there appears to be a tax penalty if you increase your payments in the last ten years. It may be better to take out a separate new policy.
Charles Norrington - We have received more information about the Norrington family mentioned in connection with the non-working fountain on the Hoe. The 1881 census showed that Charles was listed as a widower and JP aged 60. He had three sons (11,17,20 years) and two daughters (13, 22). There were a live-in cook, housemaid and parlour-maid, only one of whom was born locally in Devonport. Cook was from Stratton, the maid from Lincoln.
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