Petition urges Tesco to drop controversial greetings card

A petition calling on Tesco to remove a controversial greeting card from its stores has gained nearly 400 signatures in just 24 hours.

The petition, entitled ‘@UKTesco Remove this card’, was sparked following a series of tweets sent by students and customers outraged by a greeting card sold by the supermarket chain.

The card, which shows a female secretary at her desk, along with the caption “Glenys had heard all about sexual harassment in the workplace and deliberately wore a short dress with a plunging neckline to ensure she didn’t miss out”, “trivialises sexual harassment” according to Kent Labour Students.

Signatories on the online petition – which currently has 389 signed names – called the card “unacceptable” and “inappropriate”.

Julie Webster, from Hucknell, wrote: “It perpetuates the idea that women can be bought, that their bodies are somehow commodities.”

Nick Cooper, from Oxford, said: “Tesco should reflect on how this reflects on them as a company. Sexual harassment is a serious issue; can’t imagine they’d have a card making light on racial harassment, so why sexual?”

Meanwhile, Medwire readers have been sharing their views. Commenting on our Facebook page, ex-University of Kent student Holly Stewart said: “It’s making light of the sexual harassment thousands of women get each day at work? It’s saying to victims of sexual harassment that it is their fault which is obscene.”

However others have suggested the card is ‘humorous’.

Kent journalism student Sophie Wentworth said: “I really don’t see the problem with it, it’s obvious it’s not meant to offend anyone.”

Sarah-Jane Foreman added: “All its saying is as a woman, she would like some attention, and to be fair isn’t that what every girl does on a saturday night with the smallest dress and highest heels?

“I loved working in a male dominated environment and the boys “sexual harassment” was the funniest bit of the day… sure made working in a warehouse a little bit more enjoyable.”

Liam Powell said: “Not really funny, but you’d have to be pretty daft to get offended by it.”

The campaign has also been criticised by former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, who attacked the Kent Labour Student twitter account yesterday.

The 44-year-old, who won the first series of The X Factor but was later dropped by his label, tweeted: “Ignore the students Tesco. Commies don’t want any fun. #Censorship””

He later added: “If Labour students had their way they would ban happiness and we would all have to wear grey and eat cardboard.”

The Medwire are still awaiting response from Tesco on the matter though a previous twitter response said that while “the subject matter is serious”, the “card is knowingly a joke that many find humorous.”

Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls comes to Medway

With our High Street’s disappearing and businesses going bust, business is far from usual in Kent, so can shadow chancellor Ed Balls save local retailers?  Kieran Watkins joins him on a tour of businesses in Kent

“Times are really hard for every retailer at the moment” was the warning from shadow chancellor Ed Balls yesterday, after visiting local businesses in Kent.

Meeting owners in The Vintage Dove ‘shabby chic’ store in Elm Court, Capstone Road, Gillingham, the Labour MP for Morley and Outwood stressed the importance of small, micro businesses in the current economic climate.

Mr Balls said: “The image of small businesses is not important enough. We need a different way of doing things to make things work for small businesses.”

Figures released by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) show that in 2012, small businesses accounted for 47% of private sector employment, and 34.4% of turnover.

But despite the promising figures, small business owners still feel under pressure, with no one to turn too.

“You feel like you’re on your own, you don’t have the support of the banks,” said Stephen Clarke, 44, owner of The Vintage Dove.

Mr Clarke set up his vintage gift and furniture business from his home, with help from business partner Stephanie Nicolson, 35.

The business started as an internet retailer, and has since expanded, moving into its first business premises on December 1, 2012.

But despite their success, the couple said: “Small businesses are the backbone of the country, yet we need support and help from local government and the banks to survive.”

By his own admission, the shadow chancellor agreed that banks were not doing enough to help small businesses.

“Twenty years ago people thought about going to the bank for help an support on lending.”

“But times have changed, we [businesses] would not go to them now,” Mr Balls admitted.

Labour councilor Tristan Osborne, of the Luton and Wayfield ward, attacked Medway council for not assisting local businesses more.

“Micro businesses are an example of a business which has built up from nothing. But these businesses need more support.

“Medway needs to improve; local councilors do have a responsibility to help.”

Listening to the concerns of Vintage Dove and others, Mr Balls suggested that farmers markets and community projects would lead to more customers heading to the High Street.

“Farmers markets and community projects are not just a shopping experience,” he said in front of business leaders from companies including Produced in Kent.

“Making families comfortable and putting them at ease is the way to building a service and gaining customer loyalty.”

The shadow chancellor praised the work of Produced in Kent, jokily saying that “produced in Surrey or produced in Hertfordshire isn’t quite the same as produced in Kent.”

“Produced in Kent is a big opportunity, it says a big thing about the quality of goods.”

Produced in Kent was formed in 2005, and was formerly known as the Kentish Fare. A not-for-profit organisation, the project is run by Hadlow School and Kent County Council, and aims to “champion and support the growth, development and future of the food and drink sector in Kent.”

 In an unprecedented move, Ed Balls praised the work of Conservative-controlled Kent County Council, stating that KCC have “always been innovative” when it comes to business.

“They have always believed in business and believed in public service.”

Other points raised by business owners included the growing problem with trying to employ members of staff.

One business owner said it was a “minefield to employ”, as businesses struggle to understand the complicated rules and guidelines surrounding wages, taxes and legislation.

Other ideas raised to promote local businesses included internet advertising, with businesses calling for the government to launch specialist websites dedicated to promoting local shops.

Mr Clarke said: “It would be great if the government had a website supporting and advertising local businesses.”

Mr Balls backed the idea, stating that social networking and online advertising was “just as important” as setting up shop on the High Street.

“The internet has led to shops moving off the High Street.

“Being based on the High Street is not as important anymore.”

With the meeting coming to and end, Labour’s Vince Maple, Chatham Central councillor, praised the meeting for “making the voices of small businesses in Kent heard”.

“It is clear that we want to see the economy growing, and micro businesses will make the economy grow.”

By Kieran Watkins

Pictures taken by Kieran Watkins

Fashion: how to shop the sales

This week, rather than showing you the latest collections, I’ve decided to reveal all my knowledge of the sales and help you invest your time and money wisely when shopping the sales.

The High Street seems to be full of sales at the moment, with many shops hoping to make up for falling profits during the year. The traditional sales have usually been the big Boxing Day and Summer Sales, but generally now most stores will have a sale at least four times a year (one after Easter, before the start of the summer, and another usually one in October, before Christmas). But don’t presume the sales only happen at regular times in the year; they can run whenever. Unless your DFS (where you’re guaranteed to find a sale every day of the year), stores will pick and choose depending on the retail climate and how much profit they have already made in the year. If a store is losing money, then it’s guaranteed they’ll start their sales early or have them at varying times in the year.

So what does this mean for the consumer? Well, it means you’re guaranteed a bargain. But what constitutes a bargain, and how do I know if you’re saving money? Follow these tips to save as much money as possible:

1) Check the season - generally, most stores will put last season’s unsold clothes in the sale, and these are the ones that are cheaper. Yet increasingly stores are putting current collections in the sale too. When you look in the sales, make sure you’re clothes match the season. Generally, this seasons clothes will be reduced towards the end of the sale

2) Be patient - like I mentioned above, it’s best to wait to the end of the sale to bag yourself a bargain, particularly if it’s a current season item. Most sales will only start with modest discounts of 25-50%, but towards the end, you can get discounts nearing 75% or more

3) Shop around - when shopping the sales, always make sure you visit different shops to compare prices. Sales can be competitive, with stores marketing their discounts so that more customers visit. In the Boxing Day sales for example, a price war between shops can result in some fantastic bargains

4) Check all items vigorously - make sure the clothes aren’t damaged or broken. It’s really important that the quality is still perfect and you should check your clothes before you pay for them. Also, make sure they fit you…there’s been many a time where I’ve gone to buy an item which was on a ‘small’ hanger and taken it home to find it’s a ‘large’

5) Find out about exchanges - a nasty marketing tactic by stores is usually to close their fitting rooms during a sale period, meaning you can’t try before you buy. Many stores don’t offer refunds for sale items either, meaning many of us have to presume it will fit us if we buy it. Check the returns/ exchanges policy. Some stores may offer refunds/ exchanges or even a gift receipt if you’re unhappy with your purchase

6) Check online - bargains are not just confined to the High Street. Many stores offer discounts online too, with a much wider selection of clothes available, all from the comfort of your own home. Be careful though, delivery charges can often be expensive on sale items, and you’re guaranteed to find a cheaper bargain in-store

7) Keep on looking - you’ll find most stores nowadays have a continuous ‘sale rail’ which is full of bargain buys. New Look, H&M and Primark are just some of the stores I’ve noticed that have a continuous sale. Keep your eye out for any one-day promotions too

Picture courtesy of cardsave. net