Inflation and food prices

[Deleted User]

I shop in W8rose, they got rid of our local big Co Op which was extortionately expensive and replaced it with a W8rose. I very rarely if ever though pay full price for anything. I know when they start making reductions and putting the red and white stickers on their goods and time my visits accordingly. I'm finding by doing that we are living on better quality food but not having to pay more for it. I do have to be flexible with planning meals though and take advantage of the 'best' of the offers but it's not a problem. I find I spend not much more doing this than I would spend in Aldi or Lidl but certainly less than I would spend in the other large SM chains for the equivalent goods.

FairyPrincessk

The problem with the claim that food prices are falling is that it is based on a comparison to what the food prices were a relatively short time ago---after higher inflation had already driven the prices up. Any recent falls will be only in relation to the higher prices and if you shop less frequently than once a week you may not have even had time to see them yet and they are certainly negligible. In real terms the cost of living hasn't returned to what it was a few years ago, so a marginal fall in food prices is fairly meaningless for the average consumer. While chickens are now cheaper in Aldi (I think I got that tip from you Butterfly Brain--Thanks for sharing!) the average cost of my weekly spend is still far higher than it was three years ago which is when my records for the same number of meals for the same number of people began. We haven't increased the quality or quantity of our food--in fact we've down-graded some things and although we're not eating veggie this year our figures for eating veggie are still higher than they were in previous years eating meat.

I suspect many consumers don't bother to set a weekly shopping budget in the first place, much less pay attention to how that weekly budget may need to adjust over time. I certainly think an MSE 'basked' would be a great idea.

I can't vote in UK general elections, but I certainly don't think the current government's economic policies (this recent declaration of 0 inflation included) merits re-election. (I wouldn't vote solely on economic policy anyway, but that is neither here nor there). Mind I don't see much in the way of alternative viable economic policies floated by other parties either.

moments_of_sanity

I cook food from scratch and cakes/treats and can't say I have noticed food prices going down, I seem to spend more time looking at where food is priced the best and having to shop around. We had to switch our central heating off at the beginning of March as the bills were so much, roughly £130 a month and that was with the heating on for only a few hours per day. No doubt our water rates will increase when I get the bill in September and our Council Tax has gone up by £30 a year so now costs us £143 a month, I have kept it at 10 months because I find that the 2 months we don't have to pay enable us to pay for car service/insurance.

I try to keep our food bill to £60 a week (4 adults, 2 cats, 2 dogs) but when I can't get offers on meat/fruit/veg it does make it very difficult.

Cyberman60

Petrol was around 130p a litre only 4 months ago so a drop of 20p a litre (around 15%) has made a big difference to the inflation figures. All good IMO.

:beer:

gayleygoo

I notice "value" products seem to go up most in price. Packs of pitta bread In Mr T's used to be 22p or something, only a couple of months ago, now it has at least doubled.

Cheese is something that I rarely pay "full price" for, but pack sizes are smaller than they used to be! Although the cheese counters often seem cheaper and I can buy the quantity I need.

We must not be too bad here though - our rent has not increased in nearly 5 years, heating oil is way cheaper than last year, our electricity recently went down a teeny bit, and I can buy big bags of spuds as cheap as ever (20kg for £3.99 from local veg shop.) Butter and milk are cheaper from the butchers than the shops. Sugar can be bought much cheaper than than year - I think HB was selling 1kg bags for 49p recently, whereas last year when I was going through tons of it making wine, it was nearly £1.40 in most place.

I am fortunate to be able to shop around. If something is too expensive (pet food in most supermarkets, for example), then I go somewhere else where I know it's on offer, or find a shop that has cheaper brands. I know not everyone has those choices which further impacts on inequalities.

I was reading about the food shortages currently happening in Venezuela and indeed am grateful that we live in a country so privileged to have such a variety and abundance of food. It's a shame on our government that not everyone can afford to eat well and that there is so much waste that goes on. Rich politicians have no concept of the struggles faced by many in poverty and debt, and their priorities lie with other rich people and corporations.

I don't think food is particularly expensive but other necessities of life (housing, mostly, related bills, and reliance on expensive transport to get to work) make it harder to eat well. The wealth gap will continue to grow while the official economic figures continue to impress politicians who ignore the impact on poorer people.

GreyQueen

One thing I have noticed that no reduction in the price of diesel ever causes my busfares to go down. Within this city, if two people need to make a journey, and neither has a bus pass, it is cheaper to take a taxi.

Really? Private hire vehicles undercutting the buses? Yup. I'm in the clutches of Nat Exp when I need to travel across the region (can drive, can't afford a car) and their prices fluctuate wildly between extortionate and very extrotionate, with a 'spread' of £5 for the same journey depending on the time of day/ day or week/ proximity to a public holiday/ phase of the moon/ any darned excuse they can think of. It isn't about managing supply and demand for seats, these coaches often run with half a dozen passengers only.

Tourists in the TI Center can't understand why they can't get a straight answer to a straight question such as How much is it to get to

---

? The poor beleagued TI ladies have to say It depends when you're travelling....... Public transport is ridiculous and private transport is unaffordable for a chunk of the population.

Cinemas, whether art house or chain, are ridiculously expensive, although you can typically find youself with a mere handful of companions for your £9+ seat; it seems capitalism doesn't respond to our shrinking incomes and can't run this calculation; 200 seats per showing with 2% takeup at £9 per head = £36 on the door + whatever refreshments we can flog yer.

Or how about 80% takeup at £5 = £160 on the door + refreshment sales. Fixed costs remain the same, one is profitable and one isn't.

Having seen how poorly attended even big films are, I can only conclude that cinemas are actually like some tanning parlours and nail bars - i.e. involved in the money-laundering business.

[Deleted User]

I am of the age where I get a bus pass so its not too bad,but I can understand how annoying it must be for people who use the bus or train.

My eldest DGS often uses the train to get to work in London and he says he gets so annoyed as the commuters are herded together like cattle onto packed trains ,he's often had to sit on the floor coming home (we live around an hour from London.For this 'privilege' his season is around 4k a year)
Its got now that he will drive half way there, and park at his other grandmothers house and get a local train from there and as its in a nearer zone it only costs him £8 a day.He works in the City, so its not like he can move jobs.
I've just done my accounts for the forthcoming month and the £9.76 rise I have had in my pension due in April has been swallowed up by increases in council tax,water rates and gas/electic increases, in fact I will be paying in April just over £1.36 extra after my pension increase and that's before any food rises so where does the 0% inflation figure start for me and millions like me.
Never mind, I can always think that 'well I could buy a computer game or a new lap-top or camera'
Blooming good job I am a canny shopper and can make a shilling do the job of ten as my late Mum did :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Islandmaid

I,ve not noticed much lowering of prices.

Living on an Island we pay approx 5p a ltr more for fuel than the mainland, I can,t compare shop prices as they are so variable.

Our 3 companies forms of transport to get off the Island are so close in price and not cheap - it can cost nearly £200 peak season to get our family off the Island with a car:eek:

A friend of our decided to accept a temp promotion and had to work in London for a year - £4500 annual train fare, and £3500 annual boat fare and 6 hrs commuting a day = not worth the extra money - yes I know we could move, but we,re born here, is it too much to ask not to be 'stung' by greedy transport companies?

Wages are low, and seasonal - house prices are high, due to people buying holiday homes, or retirement homes - I know we are not unique in that respect, most holiday areas suffer the same issue.

Hey-ho enough moaning - on the bright side - its beautiful here and we love it

starsandmoon

I popped into Tesco yesterday as was driving past and needed some dinner for work. Never shop in there now. It was deadly quiet, hardly anyone about. I got some Surf washing powder half price, £2.50. Noticed it was for 23 washes, Im sure it used to be more washes than that.

Public transport costs are a joke. I take the car into my local city and can park in a very expensive but very central car park and it is the same price as the bus but more conveinient and comfortable. If there are 3 of us it is cheaper than using the bus. I live 3 miles away from the city centre.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

GreyQueen wrote: »

Cinemas, whether art house or chain, are ridiculously expensive, although you can typically find youself with a mere handful of companions for your £9+ seat; it seems capitalism doesn't respond to our shrinking incomes and can't run this calculation; 200 seats per showing with 2% takeup at £9 per head = £36 on the door + whatever refreshments we can flog yer.

I worked in a cinema once (really fun job actually) and the ticket price only covers the cost of actually showing the film ie paying the distributor and the screen maintenance and staffing. Any profit comes from snack sales, which is why they're so ridiculously priced. Cinemas are struggling to compete with Netflix and people downloading stuff for free. They rely on a handful of Must See films per year (ie Bond, Tolkien, Star Wars etc) to bring in crowds. I don't think the long term future of cinema is that great in the digital age.

I recall bags of pasta being ~45p not that long ago, they then seemed to jump to 70p and are now ~90p. Loo roll is another staple that's gone up a lot across all supermarkets. One good point is that most big supermarkets now have a world foods aisle, where tins of coconut cream, tomatoes, chick peas etc are reasonably priced, and bags of spices are much cheaper than the little glass jars. Alberto Balsam conditioner seems to have been a quid a bottle forever (as a child with long hair it was the only thing that smoothed tangles, more expensive stuff isn't as good IMO).