G. Shaw, Andrew Alexander, Adrian Bailey and Dawn Nell Reconstructing Consumer Landscapes: shopper reactions to the supermarket in Britain

Project Aims and Objectives Aim: To provide a detailed explanation of shopper reactions to the arrival of self-service and the supermarket Objectives: 1.Examination of socio-economic variations in consumer reactions 2.Patterns of consumer reactionsat a regional level 3.Role of gender in structuring shopper habits – changing role of men 4.Develop a large-scale survey of past shoppers Time period c1945 –c1975

The Project and the Media County Record Offices and public libraries in key case study regions Media outreach Six local BBC radio stations Extended interview on BBC Radios 5 live Liaison with BBC Radio 4 Today program with interview Today website provide a link with our project web site

Survey Data 1107 biographical questionnaires c , ; oral histories drawn mainly from Stage 1 Use of witness groups via Age Concern

Non-adoptors “I first encountered a self-service shop in 1962/3 when one suddenly appeared in the outer limits of Andover. I had no idea what to expect but there were a few ‘special offers’ (new to us then) as an opening promotion so I went along to see what it was all about. On entering the shop I was handed a large basket and an information sheet and was faced with the now familiar aisles of shelving. I felt sort of lost and very apprehensive, it felt almost like stealing, putting items into a basket with no reference to an assistant. I do NOT like the experience and it felt so unfriendly and robotic…I never went back after that one experience.” (Anonymous Respondent, January 2007)

Selective adoptors “Sainsbury’s was near Newberry Park Station several miles away and I couldn’t have got down there and shopped if I hadn’t had a car. And I did occasionally go down and buy big things, soap powder, heavy stuff and big packs of toilet rolls, that sort of bulky stuff that was a nuisance even to get up the road. But I didn’t put my main emphasis on shopping in supermarkets at all, I don’t all that much like them.” Lily, aged 72, talking about West Berkshire

Adoptors “Once married and working, as a couple we did our shopping on Friday nights, straight from work, at Macfisheries, a lovely new supermarket. We used to allow £5 per week for all our needs!” Sheila, aged 62, talking about Solihull, Birmingham.

Key Impacts Academic Pioneering the use of witness groups and also the so-called biographical questionnaire – this is now being used in other projects High impact publications three of which in 4* journals In progress monograph Book chapters Community /Public Strong engagement with the public raising the awareness of changing behaviour Post-survey media talks on the long term impact of the supermarket on society – policy agenda papers High degree of knowledge transfer between the project and the general public Impact on the very elderly to raise importance of memory recall