Will checks out after 45 years
A supermarket produce manager has said farewell to Tesco having spent 45 years working for the company.
Will Man, 60, worked his final shift at Tesco Extra in Solent Road, Havant, last Friday.
He first joined the supermarket chain aged 15 when he got a job at a small Tesco store in Cosham High Street.
Over the course of career, Will has done everything from stacking shelves to organising merchandise, and eventually leading a team of nine people as produce manager.
Speaking ahead of his last day working at the shop, Will said: ‘I think I’ll be quite emotional tomorrow. I’m okay at the moment but tomorrow I’ll be saying goodbye to everyone.
‘There’s been lots of changes over the years. I started when we had Green Shield stamps. In the old days, when we ordered we had to phone up – now it’s all done on computers.
‘It’s about time I had a bit of my time.’
Will, who was born in Hong Kong but has lived in the Portsmouth area since he was seven, plans to spend more time with his wife and daughter in retirement. He also hopes to go on more holidays and is considering a cruise.
The thing he will miss most about the job is his colleagues and that his time as a manager taught him ‘you’re only as good as your people are’.
Will said: ‘Some of them are more emotional than me at the moment.
‘It’s been quite good to me, Tesco. The pay and the benefits are really good.’
*Grocery price inflation dipped slightly in April – but consumers are still paying 17.3% more than this time last year, figures show.
Data analytics and brand consulting company Kantar warned that the fall from March’s 17.5% only meant that prices were not increasing as quickly after 10 months of double-digit growth.
Stretched finances still allowed for a record-breaking Easter, with 38 million chocolate eggs and treats bought in the run-up to Easter Sunday – five million more than last year – and hot cross bun sales up 5% on last year.
Aldi reached beyond a 10% share of the market for the first time in April, hitting 10.1%, while Lidl also hit a new record share of 7.6%.