Cost of living crisis

[simon hammer]

You know it's a good thing when a company makes profits right?

Not when those profits hit record levels and come at the expense of the public.

Profits, yes.

Profiteering, no.

[simon hammer]

You should never.. EVER have to compromise on the quality of your Baked Beans..

Sad times..

Sainsbury's own brand baked beans were like bullets. Their Hubbard's range however were surprisingly good, certainly better than their own label ones.

[btajim - mcfc]

Do Asda still do the toast size can? It was half way between the half and full which complimented two slices of toast. Perfect.

[YorksHammer]

Lidl reporting a quadrupling of products. Painted as more people shopping there (20% rise in sales) but at the same time how much of that is due to general cost increases on products that's upped their margin?

£41m profits increase, while paying £50m more in wages and £653m invested in new stores and distribution centres.

Putting it here as I know there was a question about how supermarkets might benefit.

[EvilC]

Lidl reporting a quadrupling of products. Painted as more people shopping there (20% rise in sales) but at the same time how much of that is due to general cost increases on products that's upped their margin?

£41m profits increase, while paying £50m more in wages and £653m invested in new stores and distribution centres.

Putting it here as I know there was a question about how supermarkets might benefit.

It isn't a £41m increase, it is £41m in profits.

Without seeing the accounts it is hard to tell, you'd need to see what their gross profits/gross margins are really. Given how operationally geared they are the pre-tax profit isn't going to tell you this.

[YorksHammer]

It isn't a £41m increase, it is £41m in profits.

Without seeing the accounts it is hard to tell, you'd need to see what their gross profits/gross margins are really. Given how operationally geared they are the pre-tax profit isn't going to tell you this.

Sorry, yes - £41m in profits, which is a 319% increase against last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... r-bargains

[YGNB]

Not when those profits hit record levels and come at the expense of the public.

Profits, yes.

Profiteering, no.

Lidls pretaxprofit this year is about 5%, not sure that could be described as profiteering.

Though in September Aldi's profits dropped 86% so I guess they definitely aren't profiteering

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -in-droves

Though based on those figures their profit isn't much different, 4.5% roughly

Tesco, Sainsburys etc is around 6-7% btw

If one of the supermarkets even tried to profiteer, let's say they tried to double their GP, they would be utterly annihilated by the competition. Let's not forget that earlier in the year Tesco stopped selling Heinz products because they put prices up too much

[Loftyhammer]

A lot of supermarket own brand goods are made by the white label brands anyway, so you can't go too wrong just buying own brand.

Baked beans, tomato ketchup and Coke are a couple of exceptions IMO but that's mostly through being used to the branded stuff

I'm not sure if it's still the case but Sainsbury's own chocolate used to be made on the same line as Thorntons. Own brand biscuits are usually made by McVities, with just a minor tweak to the recipe. Christmas turkeys, my mates farm produces them for Waitrose, Asda, Aldi and Tesco, literally just a different label on it.

As someone who used to work for Sainsbury's I can confirm that chocolate things is fact. Along with lots of own brand stuff (some toothpastes, detergents etc. as well).....recipes/formulae are tweaked here & there, but not a million miles away from each other

[Loftyhammer]

Saw a segment on C4 news last night that was heartbreaking to me - about having to deal with energy increases whilst looking after disabled children. One guy gave up his job to look after his daughter - and with all the stuff needed just to keep her going, he was in major debt. Literally balancing one final demand with another. Also said he had funeral costs to pay for - and given he was a single dad, I assumed that was his other half.

As I am extremely fortunate and don't have to think about these things - surely these are the kind of situations where absolutely no stone should be left unturned to support them?

He wasn't the only example on the segment

[the pink palermo]

As I am extremely fortunate and don't have to think about these things - surely these are the kind of situations where absolutely no stone should be left unturned to support them?

Exactly right Lofty.

My energy costs, because of

1. Me cutting back on consumption - a sensible approach I'm in a position to do, better for the planet, better for the bank balance, and
2. The £66 / month Government rebate

have never been lower.

I, personally, didn't need the £66,that money could, and should have gone elsewhere.

The elderly, the sick, those with special needs.......they have to be the priority.

[DaveWHU1964]

Milk watch - I know you’re all fascinated £1.60 today so an increase of a third in what must be well under a year.

It's gone up for the second time inside a week - £1.65 now, a 37.5% increase inside a year.

[bonzosbeard]

It's gone up for the second time inside a week - £1.65 now, a 37.5% increase inside a year.

It's not 14% is it. Like most things. Being lied to

[YorksHammer]

Unleaded at the two sets of pumps near me is down to 156.9p a litre.

[EvilC]

Unleaded at the two sets of pumps near me is down to 156.9p a litre.

Do you live in Doha or something? It's 10p more than that where I am.

[btajim - mcfc]

I, personally, didn't need the £66,that money could, and should have gone elsewhere.

So donate £66 a month elsewhere?

[bubbles1966]

The elderly, the sick, those with special needs.......they have to be the priority.

The wife's aunt - disabled pensioner- has been given around £1300 so far.

[the pink palermo]

The wife's aunt - disabled pensioner- has been given around £1300 so far.

That's good to hear.

[YorksHammer]

Do you live in Doha or something? It's 10p more than that where I am.

Just Selby!

The Tesco about five minutes drive away is 6p more at 162.9p. Also much more expensive in York, I drove past somewhere yesterday where it's at 165.9p.

[jastons]

Unleaded at the two sets of pumps near me is down to 156.9p a litre.

Cheapest within 5 miles of me is esso - 157.9. That's near Glasgow. Costco is 156.7.

[Tenbury]

The wife's aunt - disabled pensioner- has been given around £1300 so far.

Me too, but I've scored a bit over half that figure, whether it will cover the heating bill remains to be seen.
I realise that as I live on state pension, I've done very well out of this compared to almost everyone else, but (if I'm right in thinking) that the increase applies from next April, given the rising price of food it's going to be a tad lean this winter.