Lidl supermarkets and unemployment in Gozo
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Hello to all my Gozitan friends,
Just as a matter of interest, I was recently reading the new supermarket Lidl’s webpage, where they were asking for staff in Malta. With the rising unemployment in Gozo, would it not be a good idea if a permit were issued for Lidl to have an outlet in Gozo.
It would benefit the people of this beautiful island, help the younger generation to gain work and of course last but not least the price index would be very, very low as compared to the prices in some local shops.
As foreigners living on Gozo, we often shop at Lidl in Malta, due to the fact that there are very good bargains every week direct from mainland Europe.
So all in all, a Lidl supermarket here in Gozo would be very effective and good for the people of Gozo, and they of course woudn’t have to travel to Malta as we currently do, it could be here on their own doorstep.
Just an idea.
Regards & Love to Gozo and its wonderful folk,
Derrick Young
The United Kingdom
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As a foreigner residing here on this beautiful island, I think we ought support the local economy in every way we can. That means at the very least, buying local, directly or indirectly from local farmers and producers.
So wouldn’t yet another big international heavyweight like Lidl, which can so easily out-price the local grocery shops, be in fact counter-productive to your job creation scheme? Not to mention the unnecessary environmental damage caused by all the shipping of imported goods from all corners of the world.
Personally, I would love to see McDonalds (with it’s homogenous, ugly signage that seems to be on the increase) and the like be chased back out of Gozo, in favour of more locally owned and staffed shops and cafes with a bit of unique character and culture, but when there is demand from foreigners, one wonders how many of the small local traders will soon be able to stay in business.
What employees are taken up by Lidl would lead to the eventual unemployment of local grocery and such small shops.
I’d prefer seeing such companies not infiltrate the Gozitan island.
But its a decision to be taken by the Gozitan public.
Hi Derrick,
what about the local grocery shops?
Why should one big, foreign-owned, storehouse-looking supermarket be a better solution to unemployment than several local grocery shops?
I’d rather miss on the convenience of mass production items and keep some of the cultural beauty of the local shops.
After all one of the reasons that many tourist love the island of Gozo is that it is not full of all the big franchises that you can find just anywhere else in Europe and North America. But maybe that’s only my opinion.
Best Regards
I agree with the others in here. I’m a Gozitan who has recently moved to Malta. I have also gone to Lidl and other supermarkets in Malta but personally I’m used to grocers and small shops and I didnt like my experience in these supermarkets at all.. too big, takes too much time to find what you’re looking for (until you get used to the place of course).
I actually spent some 10-15mins going round Lidl like a lost guy just to get a packet of cereal that I ended up not finding.. and finally but not least: the queue! It takes you too much time looking for stuff and waiting in the queue, so I prefer to have a much smaller choice of things and shop quickly and easily..
Conclusion: I dont think its any good for Gozitans to end up replacing these local shops we’re used to with these “storehouses” as Federico called them..
G’day, I actually agree with some of the comments made by the locals, however were these comments made by shop owners themselves protecting their livelihood or by the ordinary men and women who have to make ends meet with their very low wages as compared to mainland europe?
Unfortunately Gozo is not what it used to be – now we’re heading towards 2009, and things are changing faster then flash, due to the upside down world economy at its worst….now the rising cost of transport, foods and such like will effect everyone in the street regardless and there will be no letup for years to come.
I fully agree with these comments above 100%, if Lidl comes to Gozo all the small shops will close. It happened in Melbourne where I was for a couple of years. All the Milk bars had to close.
There is no way that small businesses are going to compete, it will be the end of our local grocer, which means we will have to travel by car to do our shopping.
Mr Derrick Young, have you not thought of all of these problems? Next time you suggest something like this please do your homework properly.
Yes I agree with you Swimmer and also with Jo Jo, but as far as doing one’s homework properly I guess its one’s free opinion in a democratic free country.
However, just as a matter of interest, please visit the latest BBC world headlines on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7424375.stm it might shed some light on the subject of food prices and the inevitable rising cost of fuel and so forth which will reflect on our daily cost of living.
Giving tax cuts to starting small shops might be better in the long run: for Gozo, for the customer, for the employees and for Malta as a whole.
Of course we need supermarkets like Lidl in Gozo, so that inflation will go down.
We cant keep on protecting, these small shops who are ripping us off, progress should come to Gozo as well, protection is expensive.
Hear, Hear, at least someone has got some sense.
Well said Peabo. We are having the same problems all over with these large supermarkets moving in with their massive buying power and putting the small shop owners out of business.
I have a Lidl store 5 minutes walk away from where I live and I use it ocasionally but as Daniel said the queue’s are a pain.
Some people say that the people of Gozo should have the option of buying their goods at the cheaper rates offered by the likes of Lidl’s. But take it from me those cheap prices will only last until they have smothered the local competition and then they will charge you what they like.
Does anyone remember when we joined the EU, pasta + wine came down to ridiculous prices. Have a look now that the main factory which used to manufacture pasta, it had to closed because of unfair competition. Workers lost their jobs and now we are paying much more for it.
The consequence is that Maltese workers lost their jobs to accommodate foreigners. Big businesses first throw as many people out of business as they can and then they will lift their prices again.
At the end we normal people on the street stand to lose
Completely agree. Companies like Lidls are the death of small business. Here in the UK, we’ve seen the same thing happen. There are absolutely no small local greengrocers anymore and you’ll be pushed to find a butcher. All because of big corporate companies.
I have to say I myself shop at Tescos, but try to support my local market, by buying all my fresh fruit and veg there.
Also, have you read the horror stories about the way Lidls treat their staff. This was reported recently in the London Times and I have to say I was appalled.
To the comment about feeling ‘ripped off’ by local small businesses- I would say, shop around. There are lots of small grocery shops with dedicated and hard-working employees that provide a great service, quality food and competitive prices. Often you will find these shops have great relationships with local farmers and producers, which in turn further stimulates the local economy. I can empathise with those of us on a local wage wanting to make every cent stretch further, but would urge caution to those that feel the introduction of international chains such as Lidl indicates some sort of ‘progress’. Perhaps we might want to re-examine what this kind of ‘progress’ really entails:
Is it really progress when the intensive farming methods that enable the supermarket giants to be so competitive result in BSE, avian flu, genetically-modified food and further deforestation?
Is it really progress when so many developed countries with these megastores now face health problems related to obesity?
Is it really progress when we allow our children to be barraged with advertising for unhealthy food? (Back to that clown again…I digress…)
Is it really progress when developing nations are economically exploited in order to produce the low prices demanded by the giant chain supermarkets?
My feelings are that progress would actually mean making Gozo more self-sufficient and truly this ‘eco-island’ now being referred to by politicians. It’s interesting that the big developed nations are now turning to methods of the past, such as organic farming, to take them into the future. Perhaps we in Gozo have the benefit of having this information now, and can act on it together, by supporting the agricultural industry we already have and further supporting it’s development, rather than filling the pockets of Lidl and it’s competitors.
I think a low cost discounter like LIDL is great. The money saved by shopping at the LIDL can be spend elsewhere in Gozo. I do not think it has that much of a negative effect on unemployment. Plus LIDL provides a greater range of choice, most small all sell the same limited product range.
I read with interest the comments from all sides on having a Lidl Store on Gozo. There will always be the corner shop/store in villages as it has its own persona within a village community and will always be used. Supermarkets need to be supplied with fresh produce which is where the farmers on Gozo can help. There is only one main supermarket on Gozo and that can only supply a limited amount of stock so another supermarket is the way ahead. There have been many changes on Gozo in the recent years any many more to come, The new roads benefit everyone, the new modern port also so why can’t a new modern supermarket, as I keep saying to people “why look back” when we should be focusing on the future.
John Profitt-White and all those who think that it is a good idea to have big supermarkets in Gozo,
I am sorry, you do not see the full picture, don’t you see that because of Gozo’s size, the small corner shop has no chance of competing with the big guys (large supermarkets). Even at the moment the small corner shops are barely making ends meet. do you think the big guys will get their produce from Gozo farmers or import? We have seen it happen in the last couple of years where the local producers are being killed off by all the imported stuff. Do you know for example that when the local oranges are in season and abundant here, more oranges are imported because they are cheaper and here the farmers are just letting it drop under the trees because they are getting peanuts for their product.
Look at the furniture industry, the local carpenters are trying to compete with the big guys from Europe. What chance have they got? How can they reduce their price since they do not mass produce like the big guys!!
Can’t anyone see what is happening in Gozo? We used to have our own small economy running smoothly. Now because the big guys have come in our economy is ruined. Look at the statistics from the ETC to see how much unemployment has risen in gozo. We keep getting promises that the big guys are going to create work, but in the end all that happens is that the big guys get richer while the small Gozo businesses are falling apart.
I would rather go to the local shop and let them make a profit and in the end they will re-invest it here in Gozo rather than some big guy who will get rich and leave Gozo when he has made enough money!!
Swimmer, You have made fair comments, I do not want small shops to close and as I have mentioned they will always be a requirement for them, not everyone likes the big supermarket. But I could say the same about new builds, houses and apartments are still being thrown up around Gozo and there is many that I could show you that have been shells for the last 4 years not sold but still new ones are being built. Lets imagine all of them were sold could all our corner shops and one main supermarket cope??
I will start by stating that I am a pensioner and a Gozo resident so all that is said concerns my way of living.
I have been reading through the comments on this site about LIDL coming to Gozo. I do not know where the people got their replies from. The cost of living is gradually rising globally and of course people need to find bargains to live as or maybe close to what they are used to. So it is obvious that they are going to be looking for discount stores to do their purchasing. Corner shops do not carry all that a household needs and over and above the fact that several, NOT ALL, carry goods on their shelves for a long period of time and end up with items out of date. Their prices are way above the service they provide and their turnover is not that good.The supermarkets have not and will not put the GOOD corner shop out of business as they are the backbone of the community, the place where the mother or residents or whoever forgets items on their weekly shopping or has run out, do their top up purchase.
I for one use both the supermarket and the corner shop but I must now say that if I did not use the supermarkets I could not make ends meet.I have only twice used LIDL’s and on both occasions on my return found that I had saved a considerable amount of money on my fortnightly purchase in comparison to the supermarkets here in Gozo. We need the likes of Lidl here so maybe the shop, supermarket,or department store owners think twice before they overcharge. Queues are no problem when you are saving money on your shopping, when the shelves are full or as in the case of LIDLs the stacks are well packed.
Finally it might come as a surprise to some people that the local corner shop gets several items from LIDL ans sells at an inflated price.
Paul Farrugia
This is to Paul Farrugia,
Sorry to tell you YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG, No more no less.
Have you lived overseas and seen how all milk bars had to close? So do we all have to go to Victoria to do our shopping? Isn’t it more convenient to shop by going ON FOOT instead of starting your car, driving and having to look for parking and above all you might get a ticket. What about the traffic congestion you will face in Victoria
Isn’t Petrol expensive enough or does Mr Farrugia get petrol cheaper. If so please let me know so i will start filling my car over at the place where you will tell me.
Why not Build ONE Large Supermarket Where the Heliport is situated with a large enough car park for everyone, then we can do our shopping once a week with no fear of getting a ticket and in a central place, maybe we can also get cut price petrol like the UK, Ha Ha.
Sorry dear Swimmer I have lived overseas for quite a period of Time and although milk bars have closed, according to you, I am sure this is not due to supermarkets which is what this discussion is about.
Mind you I had forgotten how large Gozo is that it is going to cost me a fortune to go to Victoria to do my shopping. If you favour the corner shop then do your shopping there but please do not force it on to me. It would be maybe an eyeopener to find out how many people go to Malta to do their monthly shopping when they have reason to go across. Also in comparison how many use the dreaded supermarkets instead of the more expensive corner shop.
I would hazard a guess that you are in the food business and have either a small supermarket or a corner shop.My experience after having lived abroad in several European and Arab countries is that peopled prefer the luxury of a large supermarket.
Sorry could not agree with you although I wish I could but under the circumstances I cannot.
Paul Farrugia
I am very much afraid that we have already lost our food culture through the tiny supermarkets we have on our tiny island let alone if a large supermarket invades our island. Obviously everyone wants to pay less for products but THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY!
I am only 29 years of age but I adore to choose from fruits, vegetables, fish and meat which I can smell. Most supermarkets on the island sell products that are packed in tins, plastic bags, boxes which obviously smell of carton, paper and plastic.
We have also lost the cooking rituals through the fastfood restaurants on the island. Although we are small we have a big and historical food culture and we can’t be taught how to cook by people who cook burgers! And what about frozen burgers ie. frozen bun, burger and cheese packed and just waiting to be heated in a microwave oven!
We also have lost our order which once was dictated by nature and its seasonal fruits and vegetables. Disorder is ruling through food prodcuts, fruits and vegetables which we can find all year through.
Obviously most people do not care about THIS PRICE TO PAY that is losing our food culture. Some people might also make simplistic arguments to justify their choice for ‘being modern.’ Nowadays there is no such thing as authenticity. Monotony rules.
I have read with interest the various comments about the possibility of a Lidl supermarket in Gozo. I have always lived in England and supermarkets are a way of life here. Why? Because we now have no other choice. The main reason for this is that over the years the big supermarkets have put small traders out of business. Its as simple as that. When I was a child (In th 1960s) we had green grocers, butchers, bakers and other small businesses in every small community. Now I can count on one hand the number of such shops within five miles of where I live (a very large, busy city in the north of England). And now the modern thing is to buy organic – at extortionate prices! I stayed in Gozo with my family for a fortnight this year and last year and truly envy the way of life you still have there. Why would you want to turn your beautiful, unique Island into a miniature version of every city in the UK and probably the rest of Europe? Why would you want to put your hard-earned money into the hands of some faceless, nameless businessman instead of your neighbour’s? Why would you want to turn yourselves and your lovely children into unhealthy, greedy, obese people? Don’t allow it!
Hi, I am a gozitan student living in Malta. I used to go to Lidl In malta, the prices are cheep but there is no choise. Apart from that you easilly do not find something which is a basic need.
At last and not least the majority of workers are from Italy. So how is going to decrease by emplying italian people and make more unemployment by shutting down local supermarkets and grocers?
thanks
karl
On the contrary Karl the Italians are here only to get the scheme going plus the fact Lidl is a German company, however it looks that you haven’t shopped long enough to notice that the majority of the Checkout staff are actually Maltese and to be able to operate in Malta by a foreign owned company according to the government manifesto that the management will operate but also employing maltese staff and thus grow further in other areas and employing more Maltese youngsters.- thats a fact however as far as i know there are NO plans of any Lidls’ coming or expanding to Gozo at this moment in time maybe? In the future Lidl employers hundreds of people in Holland, Germany the UK, Italy, France you name it and also another company of the same family Aldi.
The local importers and manufacturers have only themselves to blame for overseas supermarkets coming here, I remember many times you would go to supermarkets / corner shops and have to come back or shop around to other stores as it was not available, reason the importer had not ordered any this month!!
Also products would be out of date and still on the shelves, I personally have known many importers to go overseas and obtain stock that was past or close to its sell by date, how easy to put a new date!
Manufacturers used to add cheap ingredients to the products they made, how easy is it to make washing powder with salt as the main ingredient – look like good value as the packet is large and you get lot of bubbles.
Wake up and join the world.
I have been to Lidl in Malta several times. As a Gozitan who resides in Gozo i noticed the huge bargains there are at Lidl. You just try it and you will see. Some supermarkets on the island are just a rip off!. Besides some of the goods on the shelves are out of date!!!
Why all this fuss about not having such stores come over here? Everyone will have the choice to choose from where you make your purchase. Those who choose to have outdated goods with a dearer price can continue to do their shopping from the local stores.
Competition is healthy!!! I hope that Lidl will consider opening an outlet in Gozo and i can guarantee that it would be a great experience to shop there…especially the weekly offers!!!
LIDL please do come to Gozo!!!
Manuel
On a second thought, did the opening of Arcadia in Rabat eradicate the small groceries? Perhaps Lidl would be a good opportunity for many families to cut their weekly budget of groceries. At the same time, it would be nice to see the local groceries offering more specialised, quality local products at reasonable prices along with the daily food supplies. I can imagine many people doing their weekly shopping at Lidl, and supplementing whatever is needed daily such as bread and milk, and anything needed urgently from the local groceries.
Gozo is not a museum for foreigners but should continue to follow modern times.
MY HUMBILE OPINION WITHOUT ANY OFFENCE TO LIDL:
I have visited these news Lidl shop in St. Venera and San Gwann, but I was not impressed at all with the quality of the products offered or the services. For example you don’t find most of the other products that we normally find in good supermarkets that we already have in Malta. They present us only with products that they import, mostly from Italy and some from Germany. For example coffee of the normal brands, butter of the normal brands,such as the local or foreign mayonnaise brands,chilli papper/powder,indian curry staff,the normal marketable tea bags, peanuts, etc…. are not available, not even “Gbejnet” from Benna or from Gozo!!!
Both stores are of one floor, and the parking spaces are very limited to one or two floors only, yet when we asked about the new items that had just been introduced on the 26th February 2009 at San Gwann, a person told us that other persons had gone to the LIDL Shop at 7am or earlier to buy them and when we entered at 9.15 goods these goods had already vanished, as sold out. I admit that some of these are offered at a very low price and that why they take them quickly, but the Management should see to import further quantities or repeat the same order again and again. This gives us the impression that they neither do import big quantities, because when good finish from the shelves, no replacement are effected again. So they use the system first come first served.
About the amount of staff that they employ this is limited too, for I noticed two or three to put the goods on the shelves, and three or four cashiers. You don’t have a CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT, you are not provided with a phone number, and when you go to make a complaint, you are not helped at all…
If this type of Supermarket that you wish to have, my opinion could be wrong, but honestly in my humble opinion do forget it…… It won’t solve your unemployment situation…..Maybe have some new pharmaceutical factory or other type.
As for supermarket I would prefare if any of these supermarkets be offered to open in Gozo such as those run by SMART; TOWER; GS; and PAVI in Malta, that offer a wide range of products, with all the services of customer care for complaints,and other services such as places where one can have a meal or coffee shop or a light drink or meal. Besides the staff are very helpful and welcoming too.
I don’t see what is the fuss all about. So what? We got Lidl in Malta…..don’t you have so many other outlets, which more often than not are not frequented by gozitans but by Maltese>??? It’s very simple, fork out some of your precious money and come to malta, as we maltese do every christmas,carnival, easter, special long weekends,and the famous Santa Maria feast. We Maltese tend to love to come to Gozo to spend our money over there…….guess that it should be reciprocal.
If Lidl should ever come to Gozo, a lot of shops there will have to close. McDonald’s has already been an awful sin.
@ magaret
Please do not insult our intelligence!!
I am sick of hearing Maltese saying that Gozitans do not spend money in Malta.
Haven’t you seen the amount of Gozitans that come to Malta for weekend breaks, haven’t you seen the amount of gozitans that come to valletta, sliema, birkirkara and Mosta daily to buy clothes etc, haven’t you seen the amount of gozitans that come to Malta on a weekly basis to buy their groceries? what about all the students and workers that rent apartments in Malta to stay for the week? Do they not spend moeny? what about the young people that come to paceville on the weekends? Do they not spend money in Malta?
The list is never ending. so please can you stop saying that gozitans do not spend money in Malta!!
In regards to Lidl, I strongly believe that it will kill small businesses in Gozo. If anyone believes that Arkadia has not affected Gozo just ask the small shops in the rest of Victoria and see how they are coping? Alot of them are surviving because they do not pay rent and they work on their own, so they are happy to just get a small income anything is better than nothing!!
So Margret do you think that all the shopping centeres, restaurants,supermarkets and other outlets in Gozo are capable to pay all the year round their employees by opening in Christmas,carnival,easter,special long weekends and Saint Mary feast???? The year is made up of 365 days. By the way a good number of Maltese bring with them panini gobon and zalzet Malti ready to devour in some secluded Gozitan parking spaces.Perhaps you are not one of them.
So Margret do you think that all the shopping centeres, restaurants,supermarkets and other outlets in Gozo are capable to pay all the year round their employees by waiting for the arrival of Maltese during Christmas,carnival,easter,special long weekends and Saint Mary feast???? The year is made up of 365 days. By the way a good number of Maltese bring with them panini gobon and zalzet Malti ready to devour in some secluded Gozitan parking spaces.Perhaps you are not one of them.
Mr Young, don’t you know what a terrible track record Lidl has on treating its employees? I’m sure Gozitans deserve better!
Having said that I wouldn\’t be surprised if Lidl IS planning to open in Gozo as there’s a permit for a big supermarket that wants to occupy a plot running across the valley from Mgarr Road (near Caruana’s bathrooms) to the back road that runs to Xaghra. Can you imagine how terrible that would be? Given that Lidl in Malta has gone out of its way to ruin the environment, gaining a permit in ODZ and on a flypath, this might be Lidl’s application.
Please please please leave Gozo as it is. Do not spoil it by bringing big supermarkets over to Gozo.I had the great pleasure of living in Gozo for 2 wonderful years.I had no problem shopping at the little stores.Stay away you greedy business people you are not wanted in Gozo if i want cheap i can get the ferry to Malta but that is my choice.
I think it will be a great idea to open a lidl supermarket here in Gozo. As gozitans we will have more options where to do the shopping beside the so called supermarkets here in Gozo with there prices always going up and all the products covered with dust. We have to see the public point of view not just the shop owners who only cares about there pockets and have no idea of quality shopping with no airconditions in summer time.