Regional pricing rip-offs

MrsStepford

Recently, I saw a tweet, and Co-op was selling 100g Kenco Millicano instant coffee for 5.25 in a London neighbourhood. The same coffee costs 2.50 in my local Iceland, only 78 miles away and this 2.75 difference wasn't an Iceland offer. 

I know that legally, supermarkets are allowed to vary prices from branch to branch but I haven't seen evidence of it myself. I was just wondering whether for example 100g Kenco Millicano instant coffee is cheaper in Galashiels than it is in Tilbury or Winchester ? 

I think where you live, shouldn't dictate how much it costs to buy instant coffee or canned dog food when the product is identical. What do you think ? 

Farway

I think retailers should charge what the market will bear, or should they all charge Central London prices for instances?

Those of us old enough remember Retail Price Indexing, where the manufacture set the price, not the retailer

Manufacturers set the price high enough to give them a good profit, and also give any old tatty shop a good profit

You paid the same high price in T*sco as you did in the corner shop, no option, one price in all shops throughout the land

I think it was T*sco who broke the cartel with a court case

Be careful what you wish for

molerat

How is what Co-op, in maybe one of their local high street stores in London, compared to what Iceland are charging wherever they are a "regional pricing rip off" ?  I have checked and in my area Asda are charging £2.50 and Sainsburys £5.  Nothing to do with location.  "Local" stores, as the supermarkets like to call them, do charge higher prices than the bigger stores as do different supermarkets.

jon81uk

Co-op and Tesco Express type stores are always more expensive as the overheads on smaller stores are higher. Also co-op only really have small shops so they can’t make the profit elsewhere as Tesco do really.

Iceland mainly are a discounter and they won’t stock something if they can’t get a decent price.
prices vary across supermarkets and some price high so they can do half prices at other times.