Shop Sales Stall As Vat Rike Kicks In

[R K]

This is a little like the paradox of thrift.

Osborne's policy is to 'rebalance' the economy away from consumption and bankstering (Stop sniggering, that's what he says when he's not telling us to love Big Bankster)

But to do this involves lower relative consumption on imported sh1te.

So falling (even relatively) retail sales ought to be seen as a positive outcome.

[Cinnamon]

If you times it by millions of people it starts to hurt. We are all part of a herd in some way or other.

My standard of living hasn't really been affected as I seem to have gone off wine and plan drivng more strategically. So far, my drinving has plummetted at least 50% and I am feeling quite smug about having deprived the giovernment of that much tax revenue as punishment for hiking petrol a few new P. I notice that wine that used to go "on sale" at Tescos for £3.99 is now £4.49. So cutting down 2-3 bottles a week has cost the government quite a bit if 6 million other clever sods do likewise.

Could just be that folks are starting to look at the real value they are getting and finding that the amount that is now skimmed off is way out of all proportion ... that wine Tesco flogs is a good example: you can make fruit wine for 45p a bottle at home. Tastes like a nice rose, gets you drunk. The work involved to make it is less than visiting the shop and the shop plonk is certainly not 10 times better(only the price is).

So, even if you have the money to buy this stuff, knowing just how much you're being gauged for is spoiling the fun of owning it.

EDIT: In case you guys wonder how to make the fruit wines, there are lots of recipes in that thread: http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=825

Edited January 29, 2011 by Cinnamon

[@contradevian]

Can someone explain the idea behind why Waitrose think their advert is any good?

"We are the same price as Tesco on 1000 branded items"

I think Tesco is expensive on branded items and there are lot more than 1000 of them. So Waitrose are saying to me, we are as expensive as Tesco on 1000 items but more expensive on all the others. It seems more like an advert for Tesco!

Terry Leahy will be pleased with your bargain hunting. He reportedly got a 71% rise from £9.1m to £15.6m.

Don't know why people think supermarkets are "cheap." They have captured the market and are now very, very dear.

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/sainsburys-price-comparison/Instant_Coffee/Nescafe_Black_Gold_Coffee_100g.html

They claim £2.99 but in fact I've been paying well over £3 in Sainsbury's Local (they charge more than double for 200g jar, making it a pointless purchase).

Price currently at my local farm shop? £.2.79.

[ken_ichikawa]

So, even if you have the money to buy this stuff, knowing just how much you're being gauged for is spoiling the fun of owning it.

EDIT: In case you guys wonder how to make the fruit wines, there are lots of recipes in that thread: http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=825

Funny from my time working as an accountant I know the margins of almost everything and feel like I'm being gouged all of the time! Which meant my consumption fell right through the floor.

[winkie]

In reality it's probably not the vat hike ...

maybe the credit cards have dried up, the bank overdraft being reduced and credit limits being reduced.

It can't be the VAT hike because that has not factored into the figures yet....maybe it is people are losing confidence, they are restricting their spending or even trying to pay down their debts....who in their right minds wants credit at the moment if they don't have to.

Look, we have lived beyond our means, lied on credit, lived on a lie for a few good years now...maybe it is time to wake up to reality.

[erranta]

Don't know why people think supermarkets are "cheap." They have captured the market and are now very, very dear.

http://www.mysuperma...offee_100g.html

They claim £2.99 but in fact I've been paying well over £3 in Sainsbury's Local (they charge more than double for 200g jar, making it a pointless purchase).

Price currently at my local farm shop? £.2.79.

In a calculated attempt to turn the tide of public opinion, prime minister Tony Blair insisted for the second day running that a ban on GM food would be "extremely foolish." And he claimed calls for the minister and supermarket boss to be sacked were based on "hypocrisy and total opportunism" by the Tories.

The latest row erupted after it emerged Lord Sainsbury owned a company which developed genetically-modified foods.

Backed by Mr Blair, the minister has insisted there has been no conflict of interest between his business links and government policy.

He also confirmed that he had left the room during ministerial debates when the issue of GM foods was raised.

Conflict of interest

But that left Tories claiming that the very admission that he had felt it necessary to leave the room meant he knew there was a conflict of interest.

Tony Blair, meanwhile, has also pegged his personal credibility to the issue with his recent statements declaring total support for GM food.

He even came close to repeating the mistake of former Tory Minister John Gummer by feeding his children burgers to prove beef was safe.

And, for the time being at least, he is fighting an uphill battle in his attempt to bring some clarity to the debate.

Revelations about ministers' involvement in GM foods will only fuel public anxiety.

[winkie]

I like beer, food ,driving. Why should i give up something i like?

To save the 2.5% on what i spend i'll give up something else instead. Turn the heating off an hour earlier or reduce what i donate to charity. Selfish? Very. But i reckon this is what the majority will do.

....no one is saying you should give up entirely a little bit of what you fancy.....turning off the heating an hour earlier is not a bad idea....it will be summer soon.

[winkie]

Don't know why people think supermarkets are "cheap." They have captured the market and are now very, very dear.

[

You are right...people have got lazy, they are too busy working to be bothered to look for other retailers that can not only offer better prices but far better quality....lazy people deserve what they get, if no one questions it, that is what you will get...inferior food for a poor price.

They are clever how they entice you into their lair, to buy something that is fair, for you to walk away ending up giving them more than their fair share.

Edited January 29, 2011 by winkie

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

Same happened unexpectedly to me and TOTMBO about 18 months ago, and it was pretty easy to point a finger to the reason.

Bought an E61 based espresso machine, grinder, bean roaster, and some sacks of decaf green coffee beans from different countries. Started making lots of espressos & cappucinos. After a few weeks we noticed that we had stopped drinking wine pretty much overnight the same time that we got the coffee equipment. Ended up being a net cash saving and no more hangovers. Brilliant!

Plus you can now type 4x faster and now no longer need sleep.

[hellsbells]

Talking of wine, I've noticed that the Co-op have capitulated and knocked the price of a fair range of wines down to £3.00 in the last two weeks. I stopped buying wine about 6 months ago when it become hard to find anything in the local supermarkets below £4.50 a bottle. Talking to other friends a few nights ago, it seems I'm not the only one seriously cutting back on non-necessities. Wine sales must be falling off a cliff.