Are the supermarkets ripping us off on non-essentials?
Discussion
The price of pretty much everything seems to have shot up recently, but of particular note is non-essentials in supermarkets.
For example, I needed a small TV aerial lead connector and went into my local 24hr Tescos. I was stunned to find that a pack of 2 (I only wanted 1) was £4.49!! I was seriously tempted to put them in my pocket and slink out as I felt I was the one being robbed!
The price of other TV/Computer leads were crazy - they do a short Gold plated PC ethernet cable for £20ish !!!! Completely mental - but their cables used to be a great budget option.
So are the supermarkets attempting to take advantage off their regular customers who are not that clued up? Maybe they need to claw back some money to subsidise their cheap TVs, but didn't Tesco make like £1.6billion last year?
For example, I needed a small TV aerial lead connector and went into my local 24hr Tescos. I was stunned to find that a pack of 2 (I only wanted 1) was £4.49!! I was seriously tempted to put them in my pocket and slink out as I felt I was the one being robbed!
The price of other TV/Computer leads were crazy - they do a short Gold plated PC ethernet cable for £20ish !!!! Completely mental - but their cables used to be a great budget option.
So are the supermarkets attempting to take advantage off their regular customers who are not that clued up? Maybe they need to claw back some money to subsidise their cheap TVs, but didn't Tesco make like £1.6billion last year?
Edited by Emeye on Wednesday 6th October 14:42
I would say yes, this is exactly how they work. Not uncommon, and not just a recent thing.
Same as carpet companies who sell you discount carpets and make back the money on underlay and grippers.
And go to a big hardware store, yes you get a cheap drill, but try to buy a few screws, nuts and bolts and you pay much more than you would expect.
I try and get most of my non-essentials frmo ebay/amazon/internet suppliers who specialise.
Same as carpet companies who sell you discount carpets and make back the money on underlay and grippers.
And go to a big hardware store, yes you get a cheap drill, but try to buy a few screws, nuts and bolts and you pay much more than you would expect.
I try and get most of my non-essentials frmo ebay/amazon/internet suppliers who specialise.
IanMorewood said:
Try shopping for same item at Currys or PC World, then you will know what being robbed is all about.
I went round to see the inlaws the other night and they showed me the replacement power supply they had bought for a netbook from Currys - very nice bit of kit if you're into that sort of thing - £60!!! I told them to tell me next time they need something electrical. Not as if the put a tin of short bread for example near the fish well away from the rest of the biscuits and put a sign saying half price. Go to the biscuits and you can get a packet of short bread for half the half price tin. No, they are all above board and fair.
Probably why I try to shop in the local town as much as possible. Cuts of meat from the local butcher is far above even the so called premium water filled offerings.
Probably why I try to shop in the local town as much as possible. Cuts of meat from the local butcher is far above even the so called premium water filled offerings.
Adrian W said:
One day they will stop reporting that Tesco's made £3 billion profit like it's a good thing and realise the only way that they can get to those numbers is by ripping us off.
The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
Why is a company making a profit not a good thing? The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
I think you'll find that for most items the supermarkets actually make a very small percentage profit. Their 'huge' profits come from enormous volume and having a very large amount of capital employed.
Dr_Gonzo said:
Adrian W said:
One day they will stop reporting that Tesco's made £3 billion profit like it's a good thing and realise the only way that they can get to those numbers is by ripping us off.
The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
Why is a company making a profit not a good thing? The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
I think you'll find that for most items the supermarkets actually make a very small percentage profit. Their 'huge' profits come from enormous volume and having a very large amount of capital employed.
Adrian W said:
Dr_Gonzo said:
Adrian W said:
One day they will stop reporting that Tesco's made £3 billion profit like it's a good thing and realise the only way that they can get to those numbers is by ripping us off.
The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
Why is a company making a profit not a good thing? The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
I think you'll find that for most items the supermarkets actually make a very small percentage profit. Their 'huge' profits come from enormous volume and having a very large amount of capital employed.
Dr_Gonzo said:
Adrian W said:
Dr_Gonzo said:
Adrian W said:
One day they will stop reporting that Tesco's made £3 billion profit like it's a good thing and realise the only way that they can get to those numbers is by ripping us off.
The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
Why is a company making a profit not a good thing? The backlash has to come, it's only a matter of time
I think you'll find that for most items the supermarkets actually make a very small percentage profit. Their 'huge' profits come from enormous volume and having a very large amount of capital employed.
£3.4Bn profit on a turnover of £62.5Bn, so a margin of 5.4%. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/20/tes...
Hardly excessive, is it?
Hardly excessive, is it?
DocJock said:
£3.4Bn profit on a turnover of £62.5Bn, so a margin of 5.4%. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/20/tes...
Hardly excessive, is it?
Don't ever let facts get in the way of a good rant! It's a big number so they must be ripping us off Hardly excessive, is it?
DocJock said:
£3.4Bn profit on a turnover of £62.5Bn, so a margin of 5.4%. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/20/tes...
Hardly excessive, is it?
1.46bn profit last year (2009) and 1.42bn 2008 so its only doubled...Hardly excessive, is it?
Oh and not forgeting that in 2008 tesco sold all its properties too itself, then started to charge itself rent to avoid tax, this/these other companies are probably posting a nice profit too that we will not see. BTW this is as far as I know standard practice within the retail industry.
Emeye said:
I was stunned to find that a pack of 2 (I only wanted 1) was £4.49!! I was seriously tempted to put them in my pocket and slink out as I felt I was the one being robbed!
On that note have you ever sheered a bolt and had to go to B&Q on a Sunday for a replacement?f
king hell. It's about £2.00 for a 2p worth of bolt. Same goes for halfords. I had to buy a fuse the other day £1.80 for 2 20A blade fuses.
b
ds. Thank fk for shop lifting and eBay.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff