UK Supermarket Staff Launch Protest Against Shop Radio

29 July 2014 | 11:18 am | Staff Writer

One person's hard day's work is another's "eight hours of pain"

Staff members of British supermarket chain The Co-Operative Food have begun expressing their dissatisfaction over the organisation's recent campaign to only play unsigned artists on their in-store PA systems.

As noted by Britain's The Telegraph, several employees of The Co-Op have taken to Facebook in recent days to openly decry the "characterless" music, over which they say they've been subjected to a litany of complaints from both other staff members and customers.

"The new cooperative radio unsigned artists initiative is absolutely diabolical," one employee posted to The Co-Op Employees' page. "More so for staff than customers. Today alone I have had 4 customer comments about the radio. People want familiarity and songs they know, not to mention the staff who are subjected to these songs on a loop on a daily basis."

"can we have decent music back PLEASSSSEEEE OMG we dont only have to put up with cut backs on hours but now we have to put up with this dire music you are sending us makes me very unhappy ... bring back the upbeat music that makes us smile and dance as we work," offered another.

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It seems to be quite the contentious issue, too — other widespread comments to have been made about the company's commitment to publicising unsigned acts include that the music is "soul destroying", "demoralising", "absolute rubbish", "repetitive drivel", and "terrible" and "boring", and that "these lot are unsigned for a reason … even hipsters wouldn't listen to [it]", while one simply asked, "please put better songs on the radio".

Some of the posts intimate that the decision stemmed from The Co-Op's need to reduce costs — "The reason the co-op is playing unsigned artists is that ... royalties do not have to be paid," suggested one — the company maintains its belief in the benefits of providing a platform for up-and-coming, unsigned acts to have their music heard by a large audience.

“The in-store radio is a fantastic vehicle for bringing to life our clear proposition of really engaging with and supporting our local communities," a spokesman for The Co-Op told The Telegraph.

"In order to profile new talent and give emerging artists a national platform for their music, alongside our existing mix of DJs, shout-outs and in-store offers, The Co-operative Radio now only features unsigned bands and artists.

“This will be the first time that emerging artists will be able to access such wide-spread national coverage on the radio, helping them to get a foot in the door of the music industry.”

Despite the apparently overwhelmingly negative response to the initiative on the part of stressed-out grocery employees, at least one person is well on board with what The Co-Op is attempting to achieve.

"Looks like I'll be the first to say this, but I think you've done something good for local unsigned artists out there allowing them to be heard across the country," Chris Owen commented on the employees' page. "I know some people really aren't happy with it, but they could just be a bit more open minded.

"I think you could add in some well known songs in between (to keep the majority who listen to unbearable pop music happy), but the general idea is great.

"Please don't stop."