Students’ popcorn sonnet matched by Tesco chiefs

TWO students from the University of St Andrews have been sent a novel reply from Tesco, after writing the grocery firm a poem complaining about the lack of popcorn in the town’s branch.

By PATRICK McPARTLIN Saturday, 22nd November 2014, 12:47 pm

The students' letter, left, and the reply from Tesco. Pictures: Facebook/Overheard in St Andrews

Isabelle Bousquette, who studies Classics, and physics student Tomi Baikie, wrote a sonnet and sent it to Tesco chief Sir Richard Broadbent in September, after discovering the Fife town’s Tesco was out of Butterkist salted caramel popcorn.

The sonnet includes couplets such as: “I live in St Andrews, thus the issue: “No plans to restock,” you said with a sigh.

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“So answer this, or hand me a tissue: Have I butterkist my true love goodbye?”

Although Sir Richard resigned in October 2014 amid reports of accounting errors and falling sales due to competition from the likes of Lidl and Aldi, Isabelle and Tomi received a reply earlier this month from the Chairman’s Office of the retail giant - also written as a poem.

The reply from Tesco assures the two students that they will be able to pick up their favourite popcorn in Dundee and Perth, and was sent with a £10 giftcard.

The Sinner, a satirical entertainment paper in St Andrews (a nod to the official student paper The Saint), spoke to Tomi, who expressed displeasure at being referred to as a woman, but said he felt it was for ‘artistic merit’ for the poem.

The Tesco-penned poem contains five verses, with verse four reading: “Your favourite popcorn is waiting for you / Across the Tay River, no really it’s true! / Our product is stocked in both Perth and Dundee / And I’ve found a way you can have it for free!”