No mercy for ruthless grocers

It seems to me that the big supermarkets are now firmly into dangerous territory. As George Pitcher rightly points out, we should be asking ourselves where we want to shop (MW March 24). But the double headlock of convenience and lack of time makes exercising any form of consumer choice increasingly difficult.

What impact will the superstores’ current behaviour – squeezing suppliers until they squeal, defacing high streets up and down the country, raking in enormous profits and splashing out on excessive remuneration for directors – have on the long-term health of their brands?

In the unlikely event of OFT action – or, more realistically, competitors that address these concerns breaking the monopolistic stranglehold – supermarkets, which have displayed what Pitcher describes as “butch ruthlessness”, will pay the price.

Don Williams

Chief executive

PI Global

London W11