Yesterday's riots in Bristol triggered off by proposals to open a small Tesco indicate a problem. Despite being Britain's most prolific retailer, Tesco is also pretty much its most hated despite all it does in providing lower food costs,local job opportunities etc. It shares the same sort of problem as Ryanair which has brought low cost travel to more people in more places around the UK and Europe than any other. Partly by being almost everywhere, it is brilliantly successful at selling its product but it is lousy at generating love, affection or even neutrality.
For a while McDonalds teetered on the edge of the same precipice. Many others have been there and either managed to turn back or fallen over the edge. It's not a place you can be for ever,- unless maybe you are a retail bank. Some have arrived at there accidentally and as an unforseen byproduct of their own success while others such as Ratners have , by saying very publicly "our product is crap" have put themselves firmly there. McDonalds in the UK have come back spectacularly thanks in no small part to their former Marketing Director and now CEO, Jill McDonald. Maybe Tesco should go have a word with her accompanied by a delivery van load of cash.In a previous life she was with British Airways, another business currently wandering in the branding wilderness although a relaunch is planned for the autumn. Maybe they should send their van round to her too.
