Robert Peston Goes Shopping - Seduction from Damian Leask on Vimeo.
In a new three-part BBC Two series, Robert Peston tells the story of shopping in Britain since World War II. Using rarely-seen archive and interviews with the key players of British retail, Peston explores how shopping has changed and how it has changed us.
In the first episode, Seduction, he tells how shopping in Britain was transformed from a chore to be endured into our favourite pastime.
Episode 1. Seduction
British 1___________ have led the world and changed the way we live. From 2________ empires, whose owner did not suffer 3______________, to 4___________ supermarkets, which 5____________ Club cards changing the whole industry structure. From fashion 6__________, where the shop assistants used to have to 7________________, to fast fashion 8______________ and online 9____________.
10___________ has changed beyond 11_____________ and it has changed us. However, it is now in crisis coming 12___________________ how little spending money we've got and the 13_____________ challenge of the internet.
In the 1950s women used to do the shopping. If they wanted vegetables, they would go to the 14_____________, there was also the 15___________ and sweets and also clothes and the 16__________ and then the baker's with the 17________________ in the window.
There were no fridges so people had to buy fresh food "two pounds of sugar, a pound of margarine, and I think I'll take a pound of 18________________, I'm a bit 19____________".
Customers were served across a 20___________ with little opportunity to 21___________ the goods before buying. It was usually an elderly gentleman who served you with a big 22__________ and you could buy so many 23___________ of bacon. Then the ladies served you and they had got 24_____________ behind them and they they would 25________________ and then you would pay.
Most shops were owned by a local 26______________. The minority were 27______________ with more than one 28___________. Not that there was much to buy. The economy had been 29__________ for the priority of winning the war and it would be years before it was 30__________ again for the needs of the peace. This was a time of 31_____________, of 32______________, of 33___________ which was 34______________ in 1954. Shopping was 35_________.
Over half of all prices were 36_________. This became more 37____________ with the rise of mass-produced 38___________ goods. This meant that a packet of Bird's 39__________ or a 40_______ Cadbury's chocolate was the same price wherever you bought it, which was good for the manufacturer and retailer because it protected them from competition and it helped to 41____________ their income. But for the shopper it was bad news because it kept prices high. It put a 42_________________ around shops. But rebellion was in the air. And it was coming from an 43__________________.
KEY
1. retailers (retailer /ˈriːteɪlə(r)/ a person or business that sells goods to the public. E.g. One of the country's largest food retailers.
2. family-run
3. fools gladly (not suffer fools gladly: to have very little patience with people that you think are stupid. E.g. She was a forceful (assertive) personality who didn't suffer fools gladly.)
4. pioneering
5. launched
6. boutiques
7. shut the doors
8. moguls (mogul /ˈməʊɡl/ a very rich, important and powerful person. Magnate /ˈmæɡneɪt/. E.g. a movie mogul)
9. converts
10. Retailing (the business of selling goods to the public, usually through shops/stores. E.g. career opportunities in retailing)
11. recognition
12. to terms with (come to terms with something: to accept something unpleasant by learning to deal with it. E.g. She is still coming to terms with her son's death)
13. industry-shaking (shake: to make something less strong, powerful, or confident. E.g. The news shook financial markets worldwide. Violent conflicts between tribes have shaken the region. This announcement is bound to shake the confidence of the industry.)
14. greengrocer's (plural greengrocers) a shop/store that sells fruit and vegetables. It is run by the greengrocer.
15. newsagent's (plural newsagents) (British English also paper shop) a shop/store that sells newspapers, magazines, sweets/candy, etc. E.g. I'll go to the newsagent's on my way home.
16. cobbler's (cobbler: /ˈkɒblə(r)/ a person who repairs shoes)
17. cream cakes
18. cooking fat (fat: a solid or liquid substance from animals or plants, treated so that it becomes pure for use in cooking. E.g. Cook the meat in shallow fat.)
19. short (short (of something) not having enough of something; lacking something. E.g. I'm afraid I'm a little short (= of money) this month. She is not short of excuses when things go wrong.)
20. counter (a long flat surface over which goods are sold or business is done in a shop/store, bank, etc. E.g. I asked the woman behind the counter if they had any postcards.)
21. handle (handle something to touch, hold or move something with your hands. E.g. Our cat hates being handled. The label on the box said: ‘Fragile.Handle with care.’)
22. apron on
23 rashers (rasher: /ˈræʃə(r)/ a thin slice of bacon. E.g. a fried egg and two rashers of bacon)
24 rows of tins
25 add it all up
26 shopkeeper
27 chain stores (chain store: a shop/store that is one of a series of similar shops/stores owned by the same company)
28 branch (a local office or shop/store belonging to a large company or organization. E.g. The bank has branches all over the country. Our New York branch is dealing with the matter.)
29 reconstructed
30 remade
31 caution /ˈkɔːʃn/
32 austerity /ɒˈsterəti/
33 rationing /ˈræʃənɪŋ/
34 abolished (abolish something /əˈbɒlɪʃ/ to officially end a law, a system or an institution. E.g. This tax should be abolished.)
35 drab (without interest or colour; dull and boring. E.g. a cold drab little office. Drab women, dressed in browns and greys)
36 fixed
37 pervasive (/pəˈveɪsɪv/ existing in all parts of a place or thing; spreading gradually to affect all parts of a place or thing. E.g. a pervasive smell of damp. Her influence is all-pervasive (= it affects everyone and everything). A sense of social change is pervasive in her novels. The pervasive influence of Christianity in the Middle Ages.)
38 branded (made by a well-known company and having that company's name on it. E.g. branded drugs/goods/products)
39 custard /kʌstəd/ a sweet yellow sauce made from milk, sugar, eggs and flour, usually served hot with cooked fruit, puddings, etc. E.g. apple pie and custard.
A tin of Bird's Custard powder and prepared custard in a measuring jug
40 bar of
41 guarantee /ɡærənˈtiː/
42 strangling corset /ˈkɔːsɪt/ (strangle /ˈstræŋɡl/ 1. strangle somebody to kill somebody by squeezing or pressing on their throat and neck. E.g. to strangle somebody to death. He strangled her with her own scarf. Whenever she starts going on about her beloved son, I could cheerfully strangle her. 2. To prevent something from growing or developing. E.g. The current monetary policy is strangling the economy. ‘Oh, no!’ she cried, strangling a sob.)
43. unexpected quarter (quarter a person or group of people, especially as a source of help, information or a reaction. E.g. Support for the plan came from an unexpected quarter. The news was greeted with dismay in some quarters.)
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