Supermarket prices on staples creeping up

[shiney]

'So, do your own research but think carefully before you post too much about what you find because they do go after people, organisations and companies that criticise them. I'm very serious about this, so think carefully before you post about the company.'

That is quite frightening isn't it? Did you see that programme about those people who got taken to court by that very large burger firm?

[hedgewizard]

Did I neglect to mention that the "free family" would probably have used some serfs to help work the land?

Also, the cost of bogoffs is born by the original producers, not by the middlemen, the processors or the supermarket. It's why farmers hate bogoffs - for every piece of produce they sell to the supermarkets, they have to provide another one free.

Wow - I had no idea! The complete bastards! I'm so going off supermarkets, and I wasn't fond of them beforehand. I bought a bag of oranges to top up our weekly supplies and bugger me if they didn't start to rot within 48 hours. I'd forgotten that - it's been a while since we bought any fresh produce from a supermarket but I still spend too much there.

I'm going to start a new thread, I think, and see if we can't get some pointers about how to buy food more ethically, more organic-ish, and more cheaply. Suma sounds interesting but you need to buy as part of a co-operative, or have a vast ratproof storage area.

Stoney, you seriously need some unexpected cash. Positive vibes, my man.

[Stonehead]

Wow - I had no idea! The complete bastards! I'm so going off supermarkets, and I wasn't fond of them beforehand.

From The Ecologist (Sept 2004):
"Buy one Get one free ('BOGOF')
Has been shown to increase purchases by up to 150 per cent. Unlike 50 per cent off, which actually does save money, 'BOGOF’ deals accustom us to consuming more of a product than we normally would, so that when the offer ends we are more likely to carry on buying more. And besides encouraging us to buy more than we really need – these offers hide a hidden cost to the producer of the product, as it is they, and not the supermarket, that is paying for this promotion. Supermarkets use it as a way of shifting stock that's not selling."

From the Guardian (3 Mar 2002):
"Going round the store, there are likely to be dozens of offers. Buy one get one free - known as 'bogof' in the trade - is particularly common, a sure sign that stores value the large shoppers over the small ones. Deals are usually negotiated by a specialist buyer for a particular product, who will persuade a supplier to take a temporary cut in price.
Stores are ruthless in negotiating these deals, driven by young, ambitious buyers who often switch from product to product rather than getting to know one in depth. The suppliers are often appalled at the cuts they feel obliged to take. The supermarkets are vital customers. Often the alternative is to go out of business."

From the Scotsman: Take BOGOF - 'buy one get one free' - offers. These come at the expense of the farmer, who has no say in what, when or for how long the supermarket will run this generous promotion; farmers lose 50 per cent of their income through no choice of their own.

Supermarkets also agree prices with producers, then arbitrarily cut them - often below the cost of production.

And when the buyers come visting, guess who pays for the travel costs, the accommodation, the food, etc? Yes, the producer. And the supermarket buyers visit at their convenience, often with little or no warning, and often several times a year.

Then there are the "special offers". What the supermarkets do is put the price up for 25 days, then cut it to a level above what is was before. So, an item may have been 50p, it gets marked up to 60p for 25 days, then "cut" to 55p and goes on special offer. This is completely legal.

For more reading, have a look at Not on The Label (What REALLY goes into the food on your plate). Felicity Lawrence, Penguin, 0-141-01566-7. It does rant a bit, but with good reason and the rant is based on well-researched facts.

And think carefully before using loyalty cards (or even debit/credit cards) to pay for your shopping. They're all used to match people to spending patterns so you can be targetted for all sorts of advertising. I always, always use cash - including for fuel!

Stoney, you seriously need some unexpected cash. Positive vibes, my man.

Not really, just a bit more time in the day, a few more people to barter with or a few less things to break down.

[den_the_cat]

Then there are the "special offers". What the supermarkets do is put the price up for 25 days, then cut it to a level above what is was before. So, an item may have been 50p, it gets marked up to 60p for 25 days, then "cut" to 55p and goes on special offer. This is completely legal.

and the higher price doesn't even need to have been charged in that store :)

[PurpleDragon]

You know, I'm sitting here shaking my head, and wanting to say something to sum up what I am feeling about supermarkets right now, but frankly, I just don't have the vocabularly, and what *does* spring to mind will get me moderated right off the board.

[den_the_cat]

well its presumably not just supermarkets? certainly the advertising regulations apply to all retailers and I've seen loads taking advantage of the 'marked down' one

whether BOGOF offers are the same across more industries I don't know because I only ever worked in fields where the promotion costs were bourn by the retailer.

[Stonehead]

well its presumably not just supermarkets? certainly the advertising regulations apply to all retailers and I've seen loads taking advantage of the 'marked down' one

The tricks pulled by the kitchen/bathroom/bedroom companies certainly take some beating!

[Clarabel]

Wow - I had no idea! The complete bastards! I'm so going off supermarkets, and I wasn't fond of them beforehand.

For more reading, have a look at Not on The Label (What REALLY goes into the food on your plate). Felicity Lawrence, Penguin, 0-141-01566-7. It does rant a bit, but with good reason and the rant is based on well-researched facts.

I love that book, completely changed the way I look at food and where it comes from. sadly nearly two years after reading it I'm still trying to implement changes.

It is hard when the only decent local shop is a airport hanger sized tescos! And also where the *only* recycling facilities for miles around are located.

Clare

[Martin]

I've noticed the big diy chains are very guilty of pricing things in a very questionable way - I discovered a basic multimeter in my local Focus at £27.95 - I'd bought an identical one the week before from a little local independent hardware shop for £4.99!
There is no question that with their enormous buying power, they could bring energy saving bulbs down to under a quid at all times - to my mind, one of the simplest ways of saving energy there is - my question is "why the hell don't they?"

[the.fee.fairy]

I've got loads of energy saving bulbs for free.

My local council had lots of stalls at local fairs/shows and eveyr time you filled in a form about your energy saving habits you got two free bulbs.

We managed to change every lightbulb in our house for free. We also had a fire-safety check from the local brigade...also free...and they gave us two as well, and some smoke alarms. Ask around.

*if you've got anyone who has a hearing/speech/sight problem, then you're a priority in the eyes fo the fire brigade and therefore jump the queue for the check. my dad's deaf in one ear, so we got checked about 2 weeks after asking about it*

[2steps]

I got some for free from the council - we had a problem with one of our lights keep blowing and when they came to fix it they brought their own lightbulbs and left us a few also got some from my elctricity supplier (scottish power)

on the bogof thing - so if I buy a heniz tin of beans on bogof that costs heniz not the shop I bought from?

[Stonehead]

on the bogof thing - so if I buy a heniz tin of beans on bogof that costs heniz not the shop I bought from?

Bogofs on fresh produce (eg apples) are usually at the cost of the producer, those on ready meals and the like may also hit the producer, especially where the supermarket controls the firm that produces the meals.

Other bogofs are to reduce overstock (so the retailer usually bears the cost), to encourage people to buy more (may be the retailer, may be the middlemen, may be the processor or a combination of all three). But all try to pass it back to the producer.

Basically, those with the power pass cost on down the chain to those with the least power, but the worst ones are bogofs on fresh British-grown produce.

Our shopping is a juggling act between philosophy and pragmatism. We try to buy fairly cheap but draw the line at the items from certain companies (Nestle, Chiquita, etc), bogofs on fresh produce, and, as much as we can, items that have travelled from outside Europe (Fairtrade bananas, coffee and tea are our main exceptions).

We only use our own meat or buy from the local butcher, and where we can afford to, buy from the local shop. However, when washing soda costs 59p from a major supermarket or 79p from the local shop for instance, we can't always go down the small shop route (although we did so again today as we had just enough money for milk and washing soda).

When we both earned more, we could buy items much more in tune with our philosophy but less money means more compromise. Still, there are lines we won't cross.

[Stonehead]

Mind you, I have increased doubts about Fairtrade as big companies with dubious practices are getting Fairtrade logos on one or two per cent of their lines, then using that to imply their ethical, employee friendly, eco-aware companies.

[shiney]

I started doing my shopping locally a little at a time and am trying to keep away from the big boys, it's the best way to go. Not easy but I am trying everso, everso hard! I am spending the same amount as I have a tight budget.

It makes me a much more inventive cook with what I serve up and much more careful about not wasting it.

I bought some meat at my local butchers today. All locally produced (within Wiltshire) I got less meat compared to what I would usually get for £9. It always tastes really good tho'! We have been eating lots more veggie meals recently, that's not a bad thing. I can stretch out what I bought meat wise, for three family meals this week.

[Stonehead]

I started doing my shopping locally a little at a time and am trying to keep away from the big boys, it's the best way to go. Not easy but I am trying everso, everso hard! I am spending the same amount as I have a tight budget.

It makes me a much more inventive cook with what I serve up and much more careful about not wasting it.

I bought some meat at my local butchers today. All locally produced (within Wiltshire) I got less meat compared to what I would usually get for £9. It always tastes really good tho'! We have been eating lots more veggie meals recently, that's not a bad thing. I can stretch out what I bought meat wise, for three family meals this week.

Brilliant!

I always find it very satisfying to both make a little go a long way AND produce a really delicious, filling meal.