Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[french frank]

So I was wrong about them re-naming their stores.

Our only local Morrisons - a new small 'local' - opened very recently, closed even more recently and has reopened as a Coop.

[Ferretfancy]

Our only local Morrisons - a new small 'local' - opened very recently, closed even more recently and has reopened as a Coop.

Nice chickens?

[french frank]

Nice chickens?

:-(

I doubt it. I gave up buying chicken when our Coop (a bit further up) stopped selling Scottish free range chicken pieces. The chickens they have aren't free range; they're called something else like 'farm assured' but they're raised in sheds.

[Lat-Literal]

Our only local Morrisons - a new small 'local' - opened very recently, closed even more recently and has reopened as a Coop.

What a pity. They are my favourite food store other than M and S and Waitrose with a homely, British-in-a-good-way, atmosphere reminiscent of the 1970s. They have pleasant, talkative shop assistants who laugh a lot and most of the managers seem steady. Perhaps the reason why there are few if any in your area is that they started in the North. They were a part of my the-North-and-the-Midlands-are-different experience in the early 1980s along with Sam Smith's bitter and Walkers crisps. These brands were only known later in the South when they expanded sporadically. There was in York a Hillards with narrow aisles as the supermarkets in the South had in the 1960s. I can recall one in the South called Pay and Take c.1968 but can't find it on Google. Those were the days when there were also shops like Macfisheries. Oddly, the new small locals are something of a move back to that sort of shopping. The M and S local which I am guessing is still in Victoria Station is a bit of a challenge for a trolley. I like Coop locals but find them surprisingly expensive.

This has probably been mentioned before but a man on the radio said "levverage" today for "leverage" and it is quite common to hear that pronunciation. I am not keen on it.

[Stanfordian]

Many people are saying 'good to go'. For example Julian the 'Yorkshire Vet' often uses it on prime time television. It's a useful term but I haven’t used it yet. I guess it won't be long before it begins to grate.

[Serial_Apologist]

Many people are saying 'good to go'. For example Julian the 'Yorkshire Vet' often uses it on prime time television. It's a useful term but I haven’t used it yet. I guess it won't be long before it begins to grate.

Hadn't come across that one. What does it mean - "ready to go"?

[Stanfordian]

Hadn't come across that one. What does it mean - "ready to go"?

It certainly does! 'Good to go'.

[jean]

Oddly, the new small locals are something of a move back to that sort of shopping...

Not really odd!

The big supermarkets in their rise to dominance almost wiped out small independent groceries, but when shopping patterns began to change (probably influenced by an increased awareness that people were buying so much on this gross 'weekly shop' that they were throwing half of it away), they jumped in and scooped up the trade the now defunct smaller shops had specialised in.

[teamsaint]

Not really odd!

The big supermarkets in their rise to dominance almost wiped out small independent groceries, but when shopping patterns began to change (probably influenced by an increased awareness that people were buying so much on this gross 'weekly shop' that they were throwing half of it away), they jumped in and scooped up the trade the now defunct smaller shops had specialised in.

This change in shopping patterns seemed to coincide with the last recession as well.

[french frank]

I like Coop locals but find them surprisingly expensive.

If you are member you get 5% off all Coop branded goods and anoyjrt (sorry, I need to switch the light on - 'another') 1% for your community

[P. G. Tipps]

Not really odd!

The big supermarkets in their rise to dominance almost wiped out small independent groceries, but when shopping patterns began to change (probably influenced by an increased awareness that people were buying so much on this gross 'weekly shop' that they were throwing half of it away), they jumped in and scooped up the trade the now defunct smaller shops had specialised in.

Ah yes, the good old days of having to visit several small shops for various foodstuffs from 9.00 -5.30 (Half-Day Saturday, Closed Sunday) and then there was always the dowdy, fusty over-priced old corner shop in the evening! A bit like the interviewee on the radio this morning who said the only way to stop rail strikes is to 're-nationalise the railways' He clearly wasn't around in the 1960/70s or is instead suffering from a very bad memory!

The UK consumer has never had it so good, the retail choice these days both on the High Street and online is positively overwhelming. Most of us are able to purchase foods today our parents would never even have heard of never mind consume.

The local 'convenience stores' have certainly taken the place of the old retail independents quite simply because these are able to supply more and at a keener price for the consumer.

The very phrase may well set some sensitive forum teeth on edge but 'what's not to like' about that?

[Lat-Literal]

Interesting comments all for which thanks.

Maybe I should try for a less controversial subject, not that I realised shopping was controversial.

Religion.

I think most of us realise that the phrase "Oh My God" can mainly be blamed on the American television series "Friends" but this year the phrase has morphed into "Oh my gosh" - preferable if quaint. It is everywhere. Only today as teenagers were leaving their college I heard it mentioned several times among f words and c words and s words which made it quainter still. My theory here is that the recent rise of religious sensitivities has led to a toning down of what was a mild phrase from a non-faith perspective, albeit irritating. In contrast, considerably more colourful language with no religious connotations is now deemed acceptable in many places. Yet another example of the world turning upside down.

[Dave2002]

The UK consumer has never had it so good, the retail choice these days both on the High Street and online is positively overwhelming. Most of us are able to purchase foods today our parents would never even have heard of never mind consume.

Indeed, though some of the arguments are now getting bonkers. I heard someone in government the other day arguing against having Boxing Day as a non shopping day. The basis of her argument was that when she worked in Comet the store took £100k in one day if the store opened on Boxing Day, whereas on a normal or even a normal "sale" day they would only take £15k - so very significant. What she didn't mention was that if no shops selling non essential goods were allowed to open on Boxing Day, then all the big retailers would be in the same situation, so effectively the day after Boxing Day would be the big sale day, and workers could have one more day (perhaps) to relax with their families.

I was, however, interested to note the comment from someone from Dixons recently (Today programme?) that stores plan for event days like Black Friday a year in advance, and that for technology goods the demand predictions are such that they can arrange for special factory runs to satisfy demand. That wasn't something I had expected. It obviously doesn't work for bananas.

Broadly I'm in favour of limited regulation for shops/retail outlets - and I can remember years when there was a really boring dead week after Christmas, but now "everyone" seems to either be spending their time on Christmas or Boxing day doing online shopping, or goint out to sales - rather than enjoying the peace for a day or two. The argument that the workers benefit by getting their wages/salaries paid because of the higher turnover is also pretty specious - all that is required surely is a level playing field for similar organisations.

Things are generally better now than 30-40 years ago, but commercialism is becoming over emphasised.

[Dave2002]

Sorry - the last post was really a comment and arguably off topic. Maybe there could be a list of words and phrases discussed to date.

I'm guessing that one of my pet hates would be on the list already: "hard working families"!

[P. G. Tipps]

p. g. tipps

Interesting comments all for which thanks.

Maybe I should try for a less controversial subject, not that I realised shopping was controversial.

Religion.

I think most of us realise that the phrase "Oh My God" can mainly be blamed on the American television series "Friends" but this year the phrase has morphed into "Oh my gosh" - preferable if quaint. It is everywhere. Only today as teenagers were leaving their college I heard it mentioned several times among f words and c words and s words which made it quainter still. My theory here is that the recent rise of religious sensitivities has led to a toning down of what was a mild phrase from a non-faith perspective, albeit irritating. In contrast, considerably more colourful language with no religious connotations is now deemed acceptable in many places. Yet another example of the world turning upside down.

Well if 'PC' is at last becoming all-inclusive surely that is something more logical and comprehensible, Lat? Not that I have noticed the particular change in social attitudes you mention.

Not, also, that I am in favour of protecting the sensibilities of anyone including myself. The price of free expression is the probability of being personally hurt by the comments of others.

IMHO, any curb on 'offensiveness' will inevtably lead to many too scared of expressing their true opinions due to possible sanctions.

My only exception would be incitement to violence against person and property and I readily concede there can be 'grey areas' in such matters which make hard and fast rules somewhat problematic.

Still, we're going way off topic and I'd best resist further chewing on the bait ...