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Sour grapes as Tesco puts cork in online wine club Sour grapes as Tesco puts cork in online wine club
(34 minutes later)
Tesco is pulling the plug on a popular online club for wine-loving customers – the latest casualty in its drive to concentrate on its mainstream business. Tesco is pulling the plug on a popular online club for wine-loving customers as part of its drive to concentrate on its mainstream business.
The supermarket launched the Tesco Wine Community in December 2011, luring high-profile wine experts and bloggers such as writer Oz Clarke and TV chef John Torode.The supermarket launched the Tesco Wine Community in December 2011, luring high-profile wine experts and bloggers such as writer Oz Clarke and TV chef John Torode.
As well as providing an online forum and special offers, it organised events and tastings including annual wine fairs, the last of which will be held in September and October.As well as providing an online forum and special offers, it organised events and tastings including annual wine fairs, the last of which will be held in September and October.
The website will close on 28 August, Tesco has confirmed, while its in-store and online wine range is being slimmed down as part of chief executive Dave Lewis’s quest to reduce the overall product range.The website will close on 28 August, Tesco has confirmed, while its in-store and online wine range is being slimmed down as part of chief executive Dave Lewis’s quest to reduce the overall product range.
News of the website’s closure was greeted with dismay by members of its forum, who accused Tesco of going downmarket and urged rivals to seize the opportunity to fill the gap.News of the website’s closure was greeted with dismay by members of its forum, who accused Tesco of going downmarket and urged rivals to seize the opportunity to fill the gap.
Along with other supermarkets, Tesco has been hit by the high-profile onslaught on the quality wine market by the discount supermarkets, and Lidl in particular.Along with other supermarkets, Tesco has been hit by the high-profile onslaught on the quality wine market by the discount supermarkets, and Lidl in particular.
The introduction of the German chain’s fine wine range last September, which included Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Château Latour at bargain prices, fuelled a 40% increase in Lidl wine sales over the last year and is regularly expanded with additions from new countries.The introduction of the German chain’s fine wine range last September, which included Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Château Latour at bargain prices, fuelled a 40% increase in Lidl wine sales over the last year and is regularly expanded with additions from new countries.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We have taken the decision to close our Wine Community website. We know the site has proved really informative for some customers, but we will now focus on providing information on our award-winning wine range in store and on our Tesco.com website.” A Tesco spokesman said: “We have taken the decision to close our Wine Community website. We know the site has proved really informative for some customers, but we will now focus on providing information on our award-winning wine range in store and on our Tesco.com website.”
Site members expressed their dismay and disappointment. One wrote online: “I suppose it was inevitable. After the scandal of the false accounting the ‘management consultants’ stepped in to cull the range and to focus on more profitable lines – this means bulk wines bottled in the UK. If you look in store the wine aisle looks more like stuff you’d see in Iceland these days.” Site members expressed their disappointment. One wrote online: “I suppose it was inevitable. After the scandal of the false accounting, the ‘management consultants’ stepped in to cull the range and to focus on more profitable lines – this means bulk wines bottled in the UK. If you look in store, the wine aisle looks more like stuff you’d see in Iceland these days.”