Word on the street over Supermarket changes

If there is one thing that gets the people of Jersey talking above anything else - it's whether the island needs a third supermarket chain or not.

There are currently two large supermarket operators in the Island - the Channel Island's Co-Op and Sandpiper CI who run Checkers, M&S and Safeway.

It was announced on 23 June that the UK chain Waitrose would be buying the Checkers and Safeway stores from Sandpiper.

When the press release for this story came through there was a buzz in the newsroom - we know this would mean a lot of debate and discussion.

A BBC Jersey reporter was sent to Checkers to ask people in the supermarket what they thought about the deal and the reaction was as mixed as the one in the newsroom.

One couple said: "Waitrose is more expensive than Checkers and Safeway are, we got back from the mainland and the prices are sky high."

Another said: "Checkers has improved a lot but I think with the extra Waitrose products it will be absolutely fabulous, they do such nice food."

And a third couple said that there was a lot of Waitrose food in Checkers anyway and that the competition would help

But will this really mean a third supermarket operator for Jersey?

Well arguably yes - there will still be co-op, then Waitrose who will replace the big Sandpiper operated stores and Sandpiper plan to expand their Iceland and M&S franchises.

Tony O'Neil is the Chief Executive Officer of Sandpiper CI and he thinks that the stable of Sandpiper brands (M&S, Iceland...) are enough to keep people loyal.

"With our stable of brands, and by that I mean M&S who has been here for 40 years and has a got a very strong and loyal following, together with the fact that we will be upgrading our stores locally and we're extending the Iceland fascia.

"I would point out that Iceland continue to sell Iceland branded products at UK prices, all the prices are marked on the packs, the only difference is we apply GST to these products.

"I think yes it is more competition, yes that has to be good for consumers in the island by giving choice and obviously the competitive challenge is there but we feel reasonably confident that customers will continue to shop with us."

On the Channel Television article on this story Lorraine is hoping a John Lewis Store will follow behind Waitrose: "I think thats the best news I have had in ages and cant wait for a John Lewis Department store to follow"

And Teri doesn't think it's a good thing at all, in fact suggesting it could make things worse for the lower earning islander.

"So that's what the survey was about pretending to ask the locals if they wanted another food chain on the island, all the time they had already sold out to one of more expesive food stores in britian, what a farce with gst on top not really what the average earner needs."

In the Jersey Evening Post version of the story Kev questions whether this will lead to UK prices.

"So then, the island is getting what it has always asked for, which is the arrival of a UK supermarket chain. Quality may improve, and without doubt a larger choice will be available.......but there is no way of getting mainland prices !!"

On Twitter anne_f replied to a BBC Jersey tweet of the story saying: "This is fantastic news for us in Jersey!"

Of course the final decision over whether this deal goes ahead still lies with the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority.