could there be any more reasons to shop there? (Morrisons)

Member Name: sandra_dee

Product:	Morrisons
Date:	27/07/03 (5376 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good value, good choice

Disadvantages: not everywhere

William Morrison who is the father of the current chairman Ken Morrison founded Morrisons Supermarket PLC.

The company began as an egg and butter merchant in Bradford, West Yorkshire. In 1958 a small shop was opened and then in 1961 the first store opened in Bradford.

There are currently 121 stores in the country with another 6 opening this year. The company is predominantly in the north but it is spreading. And hopefully this will be dramatic if they acquire Safeway's.

Morrisons is the 5th largest supermarket chain with a turnover of over £3.9 billion with more than 3.25 million customers each week, served by over 46,000 employees.

One of the unique features of 'M' is that they do not operate local pricing. Many companies, in areas with a higher cost of living charge more, but not in 'M'. The prices in every store are the same, which is why the company is such a big hit when it heads further south

Every year 'M' have a 'Charity of the Year', this year its Marie Curie, this was voted for by the staff. There are many fund raising events and the sale of the thicker carrier bags where ALL the profits from this go to the charity. Last year was Save the Children and the money raised was £467,000

All the following information if based on my local store

The Car park

Parking in 'M' is free to customers and offers the usual selection of spaces, parent and child, disabled and the rest for everyone else. There are recycle bins and 3 cash machines.

They have a large selection of trolleys.

Standard size with single child seat, Daily Shopper (its like handbasket on wheels) Single baby, Twin baby, Baby + child, Twin child, Disabled child (it a hard one to explain but an older child can sit on a bench seat on the front of it), Baby carrier trolley (holds car seat), 2 sizes of disabled trolley that attached to wheelchairs. And in store you will

find the handbaskets.

For all trolleys you will need a £1 coin, I know many people find this annoying but its keeps the car park tidy, how many time have you thought you had found a parking space only to find a trolley dumped in it, you can either get out of the car and move it or find another space. This way makes sure the customers put the trolleys back, this can either be to the store entrance where the majority are stored or one of many trolley bays.

If you don't have any change, this is not a problem just go into the store to the customer service desk, located in the foyer. If you don't have a £1, no problem, go to CSD and they will lend you a £1, all you have to do is leave your name and address, surrender your passport and promise not to leave the country.

The store

'M' is famous for its offers every week they have over 1000 offers of which over 150 are BOGOF (buy one get one free). You can save a lot of money by checking out the offers. Look out for the yellow rectangular signs these will tell you what the offer is, on the left, what the offer is and on the right the prices of the products included and any exclusions. I find that the things on offer are on everyday item, not the weird and wonderful that no one would buy anyway. Some of this week's bogof's are bread, pop, shampoo and conditioner, biscuits, cereal, they even have alcohol Carlsberg 8 x 275ml, everyday items for everyday people.

My shopping last week was £52.64 and my multisaves were valued at £19.21, so the total shopping taken home was £71.85. In anybody's book that's value.

On entering the store through one of two sets of rotating doors you will find the kiosk, where you can purchases the usual, cigarette, newspapers and magazine, sweets, drinks and this is also where the national lottery and electronic mobile top-up is situated.

Produce

In front of you will be the produce depart
ment, which runs for the full depth of the store and has the usual selection of fruit and vegetables both loose and prepacked. And an organic selection, which is all together, so if you do buy organic you don't have to hunt through each section to find the organic range. The fresh flowers are also situated in this department. 'M' is well known for its fresh flowers, which are delivered every single morning, even Sunday's.

Fish bar

On your left will then be the fishbar, there is a chiller where you can pick up prepacked fish, prawns, etc or from the counter where the fish is kept in ice. You can select the piece/fish you want and this can be gutted and boned by the fishmonger if you wish.

Salad Bar

Next is the salad bar where you can get sandwiches freshly prepared every morning. There are also salad trays, which many people buy for lunch; you can get salad items, coleslaw, and pasta salad to name but a few. These trays come in 4 sizes. Unlike some other supermarkets 'M' don't weigh them, the price is set, so to get the best value for money make sure you fill the tray up. In the next chiller are the freshly made pizzas

Deli

Continue on the left-hand side to where the Delicatessen is situated here you will find loose bacon, sausages, cooked meat, cheese, mini pies, Indian and Chinese meals, quiches. On an island chiller you will find some of things that are available on the deli already packed, so you can help yourself if you wish.

Pie shop and Oven fresh

Turning right along the back wall you will find the Pie shop, which has a great selection of both savoury and sweet pies. Many come in individual and family size. All freshly baked instore that day.

Directly next door is Oven Fresh, here are whole chickens (these come in 'normal', extra tasty and garlic). You can buy half a chicken, just ask the staff they will be only too happy to do this for yo
u. There is also ribs, ham shanks, pork crackling (but you have to get there early this goes quickly), stuffing to go with your chicken. And made to order are chicken nuggets, chicken dippers, onion rings, garlic mushrooms, battered sausage, potato wedges. So place your order continue your shopping but don't forget to return, you'll find them freshly cooked and piping hot

Cake shop

The next area is not for the weight watcher. Here you will find boxed birthday cakes, which are not made instore, there is the usual selection - Barbie, plain, caterpillar, harry potter or what ever is the favourite with the kids at the moment. Thornton's cakes to name but a few. Other things include cookies, muffins, doughnuts, and gingerbread men. On an island chiller are the fresh cream cakes these are prepared each day instore and range from a single cream doughnut through to a large Victoria cream sponge cake that is over a foot across.

Bakery

All the bread here is baked instore each morning with the bakers coming in at some ungodly hour in the morning. The choice is far too many to mention but they range from French sticks to a large tin loaf. If you wish anything to be sliced just asked the baker and if possible this will be done (if the bread is still warm it can't be done as the slicer squashes the bread)

HSBC bank

The bank if open for the majority of the trading hours including Sundays.

Butchery

With the exception of a small amount, the meat sold by 'M' is British. If what your looking for is not available speak to the butcher and to the best of their ability they will try to sort it out for you.

Now to the main aisles. In this store they are numbered. If you walk down the middle aisle the back of the store is what would be on your left and the front on your right.


Aisle 1
Back of the store - baby products, nappies, baby food, clothes
Front of t
he store - beers, lagers, alcopops

Aisle 2
Back of the store - toothpaste and brushes, deodorant, feminine hygiene,
Front of the store - wine. (If you have any problems selecting your wine speak to the wine advisor they will help)

Aisle 3
Back of the store - medicine, toilet rolls, kitchen rolls
Front of the store - spirits, bottled water, and squash

Aisle 4
Back of the store - light bulbs, car care, paint, mops, brushes,
Front of the store - carton drinks, bottle pop, canned pop

Aisle 5
Back of the store - washing powder, dishwasher powder, washing up liquid, and cleaning items.
Front of the store - newspapers and magazines, greetings cards, CD's, video's and DVD's.

Aisle 6
Back of the store - pet food
Front of the store - books, electrical, sweets and boxed chocolates

Aisle 7
Back of the store - biscuits, crackers, pot noodles,
Front of the store - sale items, what ever is in season, gardening at the moment.

Aisle 8
Back of the store - tea, coffee, prepacked cakes. The 'free from' range for people with special dietary requirements, free from wheat etc.
Front of the store - crisps, children's sweets.

Aisle 9
Back of the store - prepacked bread, Warburton, Hovis etc
Front of the store - canned fruit, breakfast cereal.

Aisle 10
Back of the store - international, cooking sauces, spices, rice, pasta and lentils, gravy mix, stuffing mix,
Front of the store - canned fish, soup, baked beans, and spaghetti

Aisle 11
Back of the store - homebaking, flour, sugar, eggs, cooking oil, salt and pepper. Cookware (pots and pans)
Front of the store - sauces, ketchup, canned meat and a bank of freezers that has the deserts and ice cream in.

Aisle 12
Back of the store - butter, milk, and yoghurts
Front of the store - freezers that contain burgers, chicken, vegetables. On
a shelf above
the freezers are food bags, cling film, tin foil

Aisle 13
Back of the store - prepacked cheese, prepacked meat, picnic th
ings, sausages rolls, pies, quiches
Front of the store - chips and potato products, waffles, etc. on the shelf above the freezers are custard, rice pudding, and jellies.

Aisle 14
Back of the store only - ready meals and the balance of the butchery department.

Now you've packed you trolley to the rafters head for checkouts, there are 24, 3 of which are specifically for handbaskets and daily shoppers if they have the equivalent to a handbasket, as 'M' appreciate that many people are only buying a few things but for many reasons are unable to carry a basket and 2 for cash only.

At the checkouts you can also get mobile phone top up cards, postage stamps. You can also buy saving stamps, these are a pound each and a card to stick them on is available at the checkouts. People collect these to save up for Christmas. Most of us loose a £1 on the lottery each week, buy one stamp per week and that extra £50 at Xmas will make a huge difference.

Don't forget to look at the bottom of your receipt here you will find total value of the offers you have bought.

Customer restaurant

Once you've finished you'll need to have lunch or at least a drink in the customer restaurant. Between checkouts and the customer restaurant you will find some lockers to put your trolley in while you have lunch. These lock and you keep the key yourself. 'M' prefers not to have trolleys in the restaurant as they take up too much room, and you can't enjoy your meal if your always wondering if it's in someone's way. So locked in the bay where it's safe and sound until you finish your meal.

On the wall next to the restaurant are the menus, it is also there in Braille. There is an excellent choice of hot meals, many come in two siz
es - full size, (which are big) or half size (for children with big appetites or adults with small appetites). These are especially popular with the elderly as they find a full size meal too big. At the first till place your order for any hot meals you require. You will be given a disc with your order number on, continue onto the second till, where you pay, on the way you will find, sandwiches, drinks and cold desserts just help yourself. Once you've paid take a seat, the number you were given is placed in a stand on the table, so the staff can find you when your order is ready. All hot meals are made to order, so you will have to wait for it to be cooked, but at least you know its fresh, and hasn't been sat in some heated cabinet for goodness knows how long. The restaurant is divided into to halves, smoking and non-smoking, there are also two large circular tables marked for the disabled, one in each section with loose chairs, the chairs can be removed to make room for a wheelchair.

On the back of checkouts you will find the customer toilets and the baby changing room, this also contains a feeding room, which is great as other people, (including men) can come in a change their baby and you can still feed your child in private.

The first aid room is also situated on the back of checkouts. If you have any problems get any member of staff, they will either be a first aider or will get you one. The best place to head is checkouts where there will always be staff around.

Other services include a photo booth and a post box, which is situated in the foyer.

And finally visit the petrol station and fill up. Here you can collect the 'M' miles, you get 15 'M' miles for every full litre of petrol you buy. Once you have 4995 on your card you will be given a £5 voucher to spend at the checkouts. These have an expiry date on them but it will be a year from day of issue so plenty of time to spend it.

So if y
ou're lucky enough to have a 'M' near you go and check it out. And see how much you can save.

I know it's been long but there's a lot to tell you.

Check out www.morrisons.plc.uk where you will be able to see what are some of the be
st buys that week.

Thanks for reading

p.s i wish they would sort out this capital letter things and having to edit it to get ride of the question marks.

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