New Survey of Shoppers slams piped music's effects - Pipedown - the campaign for freedom from piped music

Petrie Hosken on LBC 97.3 Radio did an hour-long programme about piped music on 6th November, following up a recent survey that found at least 50% of people would walk out of shops with it.
Sarah Cawley from the British Retail Consortium, as might be expected, tried to ridicule such reactions as being those of just a few ‘sensitive’ folk. But the emails that Petrie Hosken read generally supported the survey’s findings. One person said she did not mind piped music in principle but agreed it was too loud, a couple of people liked it, but at least 20 other emails that were read out supported the survey’s stance.Petrie indicated that there were many more similarly supportive text messages and e-mails. Yet again, the smooth-talking, well-paid proponents of piped music have been shown to be strangers to the truth.

Comments

written on 24-Nov-2011
Melanie Eskenazi says:
The worst of all is M&S, but they refuse to listen to reason! We had a showdown with our local manager who tried to say that 'It's a matter of taste - some like it, some don't' to which we replied, 'Then the sensible thing is not to have it!' We asked if anyone actually campaigned for it - of course, the answer was no!

The thing is, that it costs stores £250,000 a year to actually play this rubblish! Money which could be spent far more wisely.

M&S are losing money by this policy: we spend, or rather spent, about £200 a week there, and we have two sets of friends who used to spend £150 and £300 - that is, a total of £650 a week, every week - and that's just 6 little people. We all go to Waitrose now.

No surprise that Waitrose is increasing its profits, whilst M&S is declining! What a shame, for them to be so deluded and to go so down-market.
written on 24-Nov-2011
Liz Hardie says:
I would say that Waterstone's - or indeed any bookstore which plays 'music' - is the worst. I am certain that the absence of 'music' in Daunt's bookshops has contributed to its sucess, and the presence of it in Borders hastened its demise.

It's absurd to have to listen to piped noise in a bookshop - how can one browse? Of course, this is part of the reason why Amazon is so sucressful - if I could browse in quiet at my local Waterstone's I would spend the £100 or so a month I spend on books there, and not online! Sadly, the manager says 'it's not policy' to turn it off. Well, it;s not my policy to spend money anywhere that has piped cacophony.
written on 28-Nov-2011
Bettina Blanke says:
These days, I also boycott all shops that insist on playing musac; unfortunately, there's not much choice left now: no bookshops left in Aberdeen apart from Waterstones; no shop in the small town where I live apart from the Coop. Clothes are impossible to buy without being subjected to torture (oh yes, I keep telling them - in other countries enforced listening to music is considered an effective torture method - in the UK you are supposed to enjoy it)! Personally, I have the choice to buy online or drive to another town; a lot of my neighbours (elderly people without cars and computers) don't have the choice. That amounts to discrimination.

I have also had that argument with the blood donor service. They are trying to persuade me to donate again; I keep telling them that the loud musac I was forced to listen to made my blood pressure rise to a level that can't be considered healthy, and I would only donate again if they provide a healthy and quiet environment to do it in.

Btw - does anybody know of a bank that does not play musac? I'm fed up with having to shout at the staff to make myself be understood (that's the Bank of Scotland). Music does not mask a private conversation, but makes personal information accessible to all other customers, in my experience!
written on 03-Dec-2011
Elaine Jacobs says:
I have made two online complaints to Sainsbury's -- for being subjected to "Show me the way to Amarillo" at 8.00 am, and for having to listen to Simon and Garfunkel in my lunch hour.

My objections are that I cannot concentrate on the serious business of shopping -- searching, comparing etc -- when my brain is invaded by song lyrics. Then, of course, there are the decibels! I cannot imagine how stroke victims manage.

As an overnight proof reader in a UBS document centre, I was placed next to a radio churning out a Virgin Radio loop -- and expected to concentrate! And I was forbidden to use my own headphones to block this horrid, invasive noise...

I have also complained to Boots, Co-op and M&S, pointing out that people who want to listen to music will already be doing so via personal stereos.

While I totally object to music being imposed on me, I object even more strongly to popular music with recognisable lyrics -- which seems even more distracting.
written on 07-Dec-2011
Phil Johnstone says:
Re Bettina Blanke's query - Lloyds TSB do not have piped music (at least, not in their Lancaster branch).

I have just written to the CEO of Sainsbury's to complain about the introduction of piped music in the Lancaster store. I was told it is a policy for December only. Let's hope so, but I shall be doing my Christmas shopping elsewhere.
written on 15-Dec-2011
Bettina Blanke says:
Thanks, Phil - I'll check out the local branch!
written on 19-Dec-2011
Neil Haddy says:
I find that my local Sainsbury has introduced piped music into the cafe - 'to make a more pleasant and enjoyable experience'. I have written back asking how this equates with Justin King's assurances to Pipedown a few years back and await the reply.

Also interested in Mary Portas' review of the High Street last week mad no mention of the ubiquity of piped music which stops many of the silent majority from using the high street in favour of the internet.

To the Retail Federation spokesperson - go into a Wetherspoon's pub and tell me that piped music is essential to profitability.
written on 24-Dec-2011
Phil Johnstone says:
Re Sainsbury's - I had a reply from a minion of Justin King (who it seems is too busy helping to stack shelves to reply in person). The piped music is just for December. Apparently the Lancaster store manager has been instructed to turn it off, on request, when I visit! Unfortunately I haven't been in to test this yet.

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