Morrisons offering 10% discount to students, but not to OAPs when many will starve to death this winter

[user1474095534]

I think this is a really bad idea for Morrisons to offer 10% off to students, but fuck all to pensioners. This comes just as the winter arrives and respectable charities like Age UK are warning that 1/4 of pensioners are living in poverty and many will have to starve or freeze to death this winter.

[IcedVanillaLatte]

It's not a charitable decision. It's a business decision. Morrison's have decided to offer students a discount because they think it makes good business sense(maybe luring them away from Aldi/Lidl, maybe fostering brand loyalty early on in their "shopping career" the way sanitary product companies give free products to teens, maybe something else). But they don't think it makes good business sense to give a discount to OAPs.

[lostincumbria]

Pensioners get massive government support, triple locked rises in their income, heating allowance, free bus fares.

Students get landed with £50k debt.

This is nothing to do with either, but I'm sure students appreciate the discounts they're offered by many retailers.

[IcedVanillaLatte]

However, if other people see this news and react the same way you do, it may turn out to be a poor business decision, as it's negative publicity for them.

[BewtySkoolDropowt]

It's a business decision.

With students they can attract people that may have brand loyalty and a good income for many years to come.

BTW they are not the only supernatant to do this.

[Unicornsarelovely]

Morrison's business - their choice. Would you be happier if no one had a discount?

[BewtySkoolDropowt]

Supermarket.

Wtf autocorrect?

[someonestolemynick]

Morrion's are a business and are at perfect liberty to offer discounts to one group but not another. This is not to say that a discount for OAPs would be nice, but why not disabled people, unemployed people, working poor? There are many groups "deserving" of a discount, but your OP seems quite entitled and the wording sounds a bit manipulative.

[user1474095534]

Yes it is a business decision, I agree 100% with that. But what I'm saying is this could give them very bad PR and be very bad for business!

[user1474095534]

Someone I think the long term unemployed and disabled should get a discount also, as they are unable to improve their situations.

[Sirzy]

Why would it give them bad PR? If anything it will be good PR amongst a group they have obviously decided is a good target market.

[HermioneJeanGranger]

I think it's a sensible idea.

[Sirzy]

Better give people on low incomes a discount too? People who are off sick short term? Etc etc.

You could go on forever with your logic, maybe just knock 10% off everything in store? But then that redcudes the profit of the store which would have a knock on for the staff - increasing their chances of struggling themselves!

And why the focus on morrisions?

[TheHubblesWindscreenWipers]

1/4 Of pensioners in danger of starving or freezing to death? Where is that statistic from exactly?

[JudyCoolibar]

Loads of businesses give discounts for students, so there is no reason why Morrisons should attract bad PR any more than any of the others do.

I know people who count as OAPs who are on 5 figure incomes or who have large amounts of capital. Should they get discounts?

[BewtySkoolDropowt]

I haven't heard any backlash against the coop who currently offer 10% off for students with an nus extra card.

[Bountybarsyuk]

I don't think many older people starve to death because food is too expensive. It is usually people who are very vulnerable or suddenly get their benefits cut off who may have mental health problems who are likely to go without food, and it is unusual.

You may be starved if you go into hospital and are near to end of life care.

This rhetoric is so exaggerated, I don't think it will increase sympathy for your point of view, as there are many wealthy pensioners.

Older people do die of no heating though, fuel poverty is a very real issue. That is better taken up with the fuel companies/government, Morrisons are not in control of that issue.

[TheFairyCaravan]

There are hundreds of shops that give students discount. I think it's great that Morrisons are doing this.

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

1. Morrisons supermarket aren't a charity, they aren't offering a discount out of altruism or because they are trying to become an arm of the welfare state, it is because they think it makes business sense to offer a student discount.
   
   'Many' is a bit of hyperbole. Yes poverty is a problem for some pensioners, (but it is for every demographic group) but on average pensioners have enjoyed a huge growth in their income and have benefited from the 'triple lock' which has seen their incomes rise when most people's have fallen dramatically in real terms. The average weekly income for pensioners is now only 7% below the average for the working age population and when you factor in the fact they don't have transport or any of the associated costs with working. I remember a teacher on here saying that they'd started giving harvest festival donations to the food bank. Before that, they'd invited pensioners in to help themselves and the people taking the food were far better off than the people who donated it.
   
   Of course there will be big disparities in income, but to think of pensioners as being overwhelmingly poor and struggling to make ends meet doesn't reflect reality.

[nancyblackett80]

Actually there is support already out there for the long term unemployed and disabled. Many students aren't even getting nmw if they do manage to have a job.

Bad PR? This is good PR!

Its a bit like saying I shouldn't donate to an animal charity if there are disabled children charities who need the money more.

Why are you so angry about it?

[BabyGanoush]

Quarter of Pensioners starving and freezing to death?

And Morrissons is responsible for this?

[whattheseithakasmean]

I get lots of staff discounts because my employer is a big firm & has obviously negotiated them with local firms. Do you have a problem with this? I think your argument is fatuous and silly. Discounts are given for all sorts of reasons to all sorts of groups. I don't think pensioners are some special sacred elect that must always get a discount if anyone else is getting one - how could that possibly work?

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

And the figures you give are absolute cotter

Age UK claim that 1m out of the UK's 11.8m pensioners live in poverty. So roughly one in 12, not the quarter you claim is the case.

If you are going to make up utter horseshit, at least try and make it sound vaguely credible.

[mouldycheesefan]

Companies have always given student discount TS, they were doing it 30 years ago. And it doesn't seem to have been bad PR for any of them!

[expatinscotland]

'Yes it is a business decision, I agree 100% with that. But what I'm saying is this could give them very bad PR and be very bad for business!'

Most people aren't going to give a shit.

[Bountybarsyuk]

If my really quite reasonably well-off parents, with their no mortgage large house, started getting 10% off at Morrisons just for being over 65, I probably would not think more favourably of Morrisons for that reason. Although, they could go shopping on my behalf and I could save that way.