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EnergyTesco launches Christmas in August
Filed under: Shopping & Deals
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magnumlady on Twitter
So just why is Tesco doing this, and will it backfire as shoppers get tired of shops cashing in?
Money-saving guide
Supermarket Sweep - Tips & Advice
Trouble at Tesco
Christmas comes in August
Asda's Christmas stunt in August was met with a shocked response, after shoppers saw Santa in store. At the time Asda explained it was only a short-term publicity campaign, and that normal service would resume.Tesco, on the other hand, has started Christmas for real, with festive aisles launched as early as 29 August, and across the country by the beginning of September.
Money-saving guide
Supermarket Sweep - Tips & Advice
Trouble at Tesco
Twitter has been alive with shocked users complaining. @DarrenHoles said: "Christmas trending? Saw tins of celebrations and roses in Tesco yesterday and I just thought not already please not already!" @LianneTicehurst said: "tesco have put christmas stuff in there shops! the world has gone mental". @Samantha__22 added: "Omg! They have a whole aisle of Christmas chocolate in Tesco?! Shouldn't it be illegal to have it out so early! Crazy!"
Tesco's view
The supermarket is defending the move. It said in a statement: "We often have some limited early seasonal products in store, as that allows our customers to stock up when they choose, and manage their spending over time. Our customers appreciate having that choice."Of course, it works for Tesco. It knows that if it puts the particularly tempting stuff out early, we will find ourselves buying and eating all the festive goodies in September, and then having to buy it all over again - at least once.
Not alone
And it's not the only one. While it may be the first high profile supermarket to brand the Christmas stuff, plenty of other supermarkets have started placing tins of chocolates by the door, in the hope of making people consider a purchase.They typically put large and heavy things by the door, to tempt people with a basket to trade up to a trolley. This year it seems the charcoal has made way seamlessly for the Christmas chocolates.
The supermarkets are unapologetic. Tesco, in fact, started working away at us to start planning for Christmas in July, with its release of the 12 top toys for Christmas. It decreed that we would all be snapping up the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer 2, Barbie Puppy Play Park, Web Shooting Spiderman and an Octonauts Octopod Playset.
No change
In fact, Christmas is not starting any earlier than usual. The retailers all continue to show off their seasonal lines to the press in July (known in the trade as Christmas in July). The goods start arriving in September, and the music and tinsel hits the shops in November.This year, retailers are actually trying to be reasonably creative in building Christmas lines with longevity. So, for example, B&Q has been working on Christmas decorations that can be used all year round as children's bedroom decorations. So we won't just have Christmas in August - it'll stay with us for the rest of the year.
And for every angry Twitter user, there are those who are delighted. For some people, the arrival of the festive season before the holiday suitcases have made it back to the loft is a welcome relief from the misery of retiring to work.
James Knock @JamesKnock1 tweeted "YAAAAAAY Christmas is in the shops!"@IrishEmmyLou agreed: "Christmas stuff in Tesco!!! Yes, I know it's early but I really do love all things Christmassy and seeing Lindt".
So what do you think? Let us know in the comments.
10 of the biggest consumer rip-offs
- 1. Mobile data roaming charges<p> <span style="text-align: left; ">Using a mobile phone to make and receive calls, send texts and browse the web while abroad can be extremely costly – especially if you are travelling outside the European Union (EU), where calls can cost up to 10 times as much as at home.</span></p> <div> </div> <div> To avoid high charges, Carphone Warehouse suggests tourists ensure a data cap is in place, use applications to check data usage, turn off 'data roaming', avoid data-intensive applications such as Google Maps and YouTube and use wi-fi spots to update social networking sites.</div>
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- 4. Budget airlines<p> No-frills airlines such as EasyJet may promote rock-bottom prices on their websites. But the overall fare you pay can be surprisingly high once extras such as luggage and credit card payment fees have been added - a process known as drip pricing.</p> <div> </div> <div> Taking one piece of hold baggage on a return EasyJet flight, for example, adds close to £20 to the cost of your flight, while paying by credit card increases the price by a further £10.</div> <div> </div> <div> It may therefore be worth comparing the total cost with that of a flight with a standard airline such as British Airways.</div>
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- 10. Premium rate phone lines<p> Numbers starting 0871 cost 10p or more from a landline, while those starting 09 can cost more than £1 a minute <a href="http://money.aol.co.uk/2012/03/21/call-0800-0808-and-0870-numbers-for-free-from-your-mobile/">from a mobile phone</a>.</p> <div> </div> <div> And the operators of these high-cost phone lines, some of which are banks, often get a cut of the call charges.</div> <div> </div> <div> Most 09 numbers are linked to scams and should therefore be avoided at all costs, while 0871 numbers can often be bypassed by searching for an alternative local rate numbers on the saynoto0870.com.</div>
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