If things are so expensive, why do people keep buying them?

somerandomusername

I've seem countless cost of living videos, both on the mainstream news and from people's personal youtube channels / tiktok channels etc but I don't really understand why people continue to buy things when they know they're expensive and are being ripped off?

I recently made a thread about how I cut my food shop by 60 odd percent just by switching from branded to non branded. 

Like at Tesco a pack of McVities chocolate digestives are £0.85 per 100g, but the Tesco branded ones are £0.33 per 100g. The branded ones are 157% more expensive but people will buy them and still complain about the price? If you really believe the McVities ones are worth 157% more money, then why are you complaining about the price? If they're too expensive, just buy the Tesco ones? 

We can extend this across essentials too. Toothpaste for example Colgate toothpaste is £3.60 per 100ml, but Tesco branded is £0.50 per 100ml, that's 620% more expensive holy moly.

Dolmio bolognese sauce is £0.58 per 100g but the Tesco one is £0.14 per 100g, 314% more expensive. 

So people that buy branded stuff are basically going to end up with triple the cost as someone who buys non branded. Which is fine if you can afford it and genuinely believe the cost is worth it. But so many people say they can't afford it, but buy it anyway and then later on complain.  

To me economics seems really quite straight forward. If people stop paying the prices these companies are asking, they'll make less profit, which hurts shareholders, so they will lower the prices to encourage people to buy them.

Basically if you want the prices to drop, stop buying them!

andygb

A lot of people are creatures of habit. I buy most of my wine from Aldi or Lidl, because they have a good variety and they are good quality at a lower price than the big supermarkets. My wife though, will stick to certain brands, such as Sensodyne toothpaste, which she (for some reason) is convinced is the best. I am happy with Lidl tinned Tuna, whilst she will only buy John West.

Emmia

somerandomusername said:

I've seem countless cost of living videos, both on the mainstream news and from people's personal youtube channels / tiktok channels etc but I don't really understand why people continue to buy things when they know they're expensive and are being ripped off?

I recently made a thread about how I cut my food shop by 60 odd percent just by switching from branded to non branded. 

Like at Tesco a pack of McVities chocolate digestives are £0.85 per 100g, but the Tesco branded ones are £0.33 per 100g. The branded ones are 157% more expensive but people will buy them and still complain about the price? If you really believe the McVities ones are worth 157% more money, then why are you complaining about the price? If they're too expensive, just buy the Tesco ones? 

We can extend this across essentials too. Toothpaste for example Colgate toothpaste is £3.60 per 100ml, but Tesco branded is £0.50 per 100ml, that's 620% more expensive holy moly.

Dolmio bolognese sauce is £0.58 per 100g but the Tesco one is £0.14 per 100g, 314% more expensive. 

So people that buy branded stuff are basically going to end up with triple the cost as someone who buys non branded. Which is fine if you can afford it and genuinely believe the cost is worth it. But so many people say they can't afford it, but buy it anyway and then later on complain.  

To me economics seems really quite straight forward. If people stop paying the prices these companies are asking, they'll make less profit, which hurts shareholders, so they will lower the prices to encourage people to buy them.

Basically if you want the prices to drop, stop buying them!

I hate to point this out,  but if this sort of thing annoys you, why watch the tik toks and the YouTube videos? 

What I think is more important is looking at the ingredients of what you're buying - for example, is the tuna caught to ethical standards? What percentage of the Bolognese sauce / baked beans etc. is actual tomatoes... How much sugar and salt? (How many artificial sweeteners, flavour enhancers and colours).

Years ago it was revealed that Heinz were making Tesco value beans (not sure if they still do)  but those beans bore no relation to the Heinz product - fewer beans and tomatoes, more sauce with more sugar and salt... A much lower quality product overall.

Looking at supermarket spend is also isolationist... Can the individuals cook properly from scratch? Or do they think (for example) that the only way to make a bolognese sauce is to use a jar... Or the only way to make pancakes is to buy one of the bottles you add egg and milk to and then shake?

somerandomusername

Emmia said:

somerandomusername said:

I've seem countless cost of living videos, both on the mainstream news and from people's personal youtube channels / tiktok channels etc but I don't really understand why people continue to buy things when they know they're expensive and are being ripped off?

I recently made a thread about how I cut my food shop by 60 odd percent just by switching from branded to non branded. 

Like at Tesco a pack of McVities chocolate digestives are £0.85 per 100g, but the Tesco branded ones are £0.33 per 100g. The branded ones are 157% more expensive but people will buy them and still complain about the price? If you really believe the McVities ones are worth 157% more money, then why are you complaining about the price? If they're too expensive, just buy the Tesco ones? 

We can extend this across essentials too. Toothpaste for example Colgate toothpaste is £3.60 per 100ml, but Tesco branded is £0.50 per 100ml, that's 620% more expensive holy moly.

Dolmio bolognese sauce is £0.58 per 100g but the Tesco one is £0.14 per 100g, 314% more expensive. 

So people that buy branded stuff are basically going to end up with triple the cost as someone who buys non branded. Which is fine if you can afford it and genuinely believe the cost is worth it. But so many people say they can't afford it, but buy it anyway and then later on complain.  

To me economics seems really quite straight forward. If people stop paying the prices these companies are asking, they'll make less profit, which hurts shareholders, so they will lower the prices to encourage people to buy them.

Basically if you want the prices to drop, stop buying them!

I hate to point this out,  but if this sort of thing annoys you, why watch the tik toks and the YouTube videos? 

What I think is more important is looking at the ingredients of what you're buying - for example, is the tuna caught to ethical standards? What percentage of the Bolognese sauce / baked beans etc. is actual tomatoes... How much sugar and salt? (How many artificial sweeteners, flavour enhancers and colours).

Years ago it was revealed that Heinz were making Tesco value beans (not sure if they still do)  but those beans bore no relation to the Heinz product - fewer beans and tomatoes, more sauce with more sugar and salt... A much lower quality product overall.

Looking at supermarket spend is also isolationist... Can the individuals cook properly from scratch? Or do they think (for example) that the only way to make a bolognese sauce is to use a jar... Or the only way to make pancakes is to buy one of the bottles you add egg and milk to and then shake?

I never said it "annoys me", I've just seen posts of others complaining and thought why are they complaining, it's kinda self inflicted complaining? I think people shop like there's no alternative lower priced options when there are. 

And you're right to point out the ingredients aspect of it, but unless you're going to the extreme and buying organic or the opposite of ultra processed, I think there's not much difference between the two. 

Like Tesco petit pois peas are £1.85 per kg, birds eye petit pois are £4 per kg. Here's a side by side comparison 

Nutrient (per 100g / per 80g)	Birds Eye	Tesco branded
Energy (kcal)	68 / 55	73 / 58
Fat (g)	0.7 / 0.6	0.5 / 0.4
Saturates (g)	0.1 / <0.1	0.1 / <0.1
Carbohydrate (g)	7.5 / 6.0	9.0 / 7.2
Sugars (g)	4.9 / 3.9	3.6 / 2.9
Fibre (g)	6.0 / 4.8	6.9 / 5.5
Protein (g)	4.9 / 3.9	4.7 / 3.8
Salt (g)	<0.01 / <0.01	0.03 / 0.02
Vitamin C (mg)	16 / 12	14 / 11

They're basically exactly the same product.

itsthelittlethings

The very cheapest products are going up so people who rely on these are affected. For the same quality, the price is going up, cost of living is increasing more than wages, are we supposed to suck it up and not complain?

somerandomusername

itsthelittlethings said:

The very cheapest products are going up so people who rely on these are affected. For the same quality, the price is going up, cost of living is increasing more than wages, are we supposed to suck it up and not complain?

Everything goes up, that's called inflation. But people can still chose to buy the cheapest of any given item. People still have the option of spending £400 a month on their food or £150 a month. It's entirely their choice.