Tesco Wine

Tesco is huge. £1 in every £3 spent in supermarkets in the UK is spent in Tesco. That's a lot of cash. They operate 2,300 stores in 13 countries and are expanding into China.

They've moved away from their original "Pile it high, sell it cheap" mission, offering expensive 'gourmet' products alongside their value range. They have such power with their suppliers that they can demand offensive discounts, and insist that suppliers foot the bill for twofer promotions.

You can buy £2.99 a litre 'Value Red Wine' in a plastic bottle, alongside £100 Penfolds Grange in the wine aisle. That means a lot of choice for the consumer, but only within the ranges they stock. To be in one of those ranges, you have to produce a lot of wine and be willing to play ball.

Tyrells, a potato chip manufacturer, recently requested that Tesco stop stocking its products, which they'd acquired through a wholesaler, because it was damaging to their independent retailers, and damaging to their brand.

The price focus can be good news for the wine consumer. Tesco do insist on good quality product and drive down prices. They encourage bulk buying so you'll always get 5% off 6 bottles or more. You can buy online, picking up half cases remarkably cheaply. This is great news when they're clearing stock, or if you have a party or event coming up. The £5 delivery charge is waived if you spend over £100 and they'll deliver within a specified 2 hour timeslot to home or work. They are never late, and with wine, they never bring a duff substitute.

Customer service matters too. If you get a corked bottle, or one that's just not very nice, they'll take it back, replace it, and give you your money back. I'm sure they'd get bored of doing so if you drank half a bottle of Krug each weekend and returned the other half on a Monday for a refund, but I've never tested that theory.

They do play silly buggers with pricing, offering 'Half Price Deals' by inflating the price at one or two stores for a few weeks before 'slashing' it in all stores. Buying only the half price offer is a sensible way to drink a variety of New World wines that you might not otherwise try at a realistic price.

Loyalty points can add up at Tesco. A particularly sociable friend went to South Africa recently on the air miles he'd racked up over the year. Sign up to the Food Club and Wine Club to get regualr double and bonus points offers on all your shopping, not just wine.

Tesco is a mass market retailer, and the staff don't offer good advice. The wine isn't lovingly cared for, but they turn over stock so quickly that it doesn't have time to deteriorate much. I often pick up a bottle or two with my groceries, it sometimes pays for itself with Clubcard bonuses, and the fast turnover makes it a good place to pick up Tio Pepe.

If you want to enjoy shopping for wine and learn motre about it, support your local independent. If you want to have fun, save money and try some new and interesting wines try Majestic. If you want to save money, buy at home, or with your groceries, and pay for tretas with points, Tesco is a reliable, solid choice.