÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š Topic N11 ("Shopping")
I÷š would÷š like to tell÷š you about shopping in the United Kingdom.
Marks & Spencer is Britain's favourite store.÷š Tourists÷š love÷š it
too. It attracts a great variaty of customers from house wives to
millionaires. Princess Diana,÷š Dustin÷š Hoffman÷š and÷š the÷š British
Prime-minister are just a few of its÷š famous customers. Last year
it made a profit of 529 million pounds. Which÷š is÷š more÷š than÷š 10
million a week.
÷š÷š÷š÷š It all started 105 years ago when a young÷š Polish÷š immigrant
Michael Marks had a stall in Leeds market. He÷š didn't÷š have÷š many
things to sell: some cotton, a little wool, lots of buttons and a
few shoelaces. Above his stall he÷š put÷š the÷š now÷š famous÷š notice:
"Don't ask how much - it's a penny." Ten years later he÷š met÷š Tom
Spencer and together they started Penny stalls in many÷š towns÷š in
the North of England. Today there are÷š 564÷š brances÷š of÷š Marks÷š &
Spencer all over the world: in America,÷š Canada,÷š Spain,÷š France,
Belguim and Hungary.
÷š÷š÷š÷š The store bases its business on 3÷š principals:÷š good÷š value,
good quality and good service. Also, it changes with÷š the÷š times;
once it was all jumpers and knickers. Now it is÷š food,÷š furniture
and flowers as well. Top fashion designers advice÷š on ÷šstyles÷š of
clothes. Perhaps, the most important key to its÷š success÷š is÷š its
happy well-trained staff. Conditions of work are excellent. There
are company doctos, dentists,÷š hairdressers,÷š etc.÷š And÷š all÷š the
staff can have lunch for under 40 pence.
÷š÷š÷š÷š Suprisingly tastes in food and÷š clothes÷š are÷š international.
What sells well in Paris, sells just as÷š well÷š in÷š Newcastle÷š and
Moscow. Their best selling clothes are: for women -÷š jumpers÷š and
knickers (M & S is famous for its knickers); for÷š men÷š -÷š shirts,
socks,÷š pyjamas,÷š dressing÷š gowns÷š and÷š suits;÷š for÷š children÷š÷š -
underwear÷š and÷š socks.÷š Best÷š sellers÷š in÷š food÷š include:÷š÷š fresh
chickens,÷š vegetables÷š and÷š sandwiches,÷š÷š "Chicken÷š÷š÷š Kiev"÷š÷š÷š is
internationally the most÷š popular÷š convience÷š food.÷š Shopping÷š in
Britain is also famous for its Freshfood. Freshfood is a chain of
food stores and very÷š successful÷š supermarkets÷š which÷š has÷š grown
tremendously in the twenty years since it was founded, and now it
has branches in the High Streets of all the towns of any size÷š in
Britain. In the beginning the stores sold only foodstuffs, but in
recent years÷š they÷š have÷š diversified÷š enormously÷š and÷š now÷š sell
clothes, books, records, electrical and domestic÷š equipment.÷š The
success of the chain has been due to÷š an÷š enterprising÷š managment
and to attractive layout and display in the stores. It÷š has÷š been
discovered that impulse buying accounts for almost 35 per cent of
the total turn over of÷š the÷š stores.÷š The÷š stores÷š are÷š organized
completly for self-service and customers are encouraged to wander
around the spaciously laid out stands.÷š Special÷š free÷š gifts÷š and
reduced prices are used to tempt customers into÷š the÷š stores÷š and
they can't stand the temptation.
÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š ÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š
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