‘Frustrated’ packaging manager leaves Tesco

Tesco’s packaging design manager Kevin Vyse has quit after less than nine months, citing “day in, day out frustration” at how packaging is tackled by the supermarket giant.

Vyse joined Tesco from consultancy The Product Works earlier this year. But he left last Friday, saying he was resigning “over matters of design policy”. He adds: “It has come to a point where I can’t proceed with my role under the present circumstances.”

Vyse points to the cornflake pack lookalike row between Tesco and Kellogg’s (DW 23 August) as “an illustration” of the attitude of Tesco’s trading directors towards packaging design.

“It’s a shame,” says Vyse. “There is a massive opportunity for retailers to lead the market.”

He adds: “There are very good people in Tesco who are frustrated day in, day out. It’s a biased organisation – if you are not making 1m a year, what influence can you bring?” He says progress has been made in design training and in clearer communication with design consultancies.

Vyse is looking for a design management role elsewhere, but isn’t ruling out a return to design consultancy.

A Tesco spokeswoman says: “His comments are his personal view of the company and as such we won’t be commenting.”

The spokeswoman could not say if a replacement is being sought for the packaging design manager post.