(22-06-2023, 06:10 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(22-06-2023, 04:37 PM)JanW Wrote: Lilith - it’s not the supermarkets increasing their profits it’s the cost of everything coming into the supermarket that is responsible for the increases most of the increases are govt requirements to compensate for carbon emissions - over the last 3 years wages right across the food spectrum have gone up 44% - a trolley boy now gets $25.74 an hour - $2 less than a hospital technician - those cardboard tags on the bread bags cost millions of dollars to develop and have added 17c to the cost of every loaf of bread and that isn’t including all the lost product the bakeries have had because they aren’t as efficient the plastic ones - Fonterra are paying millions of dollars into the carbon emission scheme because they still use coal costing us all about 40c a litre at the checkout - this money was used partially for rebates on EV cars .We have the highest transportation costs in the OECD because our fuel tax is so high and we pay GST on that tax .The government decided  it wasn’t fair that our manufacturers growers and retailers received a 25% prompt payment discount - added millions of dollars to bread manufacturing for example and the indoor tomato growers for example- so we are paying more at the checkout and the power companies are making more money .Recently the supermarkets all went to considerable expense to meet new regulations that were brought in for recyclable plastic - cost $900,000 but there was nowhere to send the waste so it all sits idle - another grand plan to allow customers to  bring their own containers into the deli - the specifications for the cleaning facility to wash your container before the store could fill it were very expensive $400,000 it sits unused but if it wasn’t completed the shop has to pay more into the emission trading scheme . Brad Olsen conducts an audit  every month on Foodstuffs - their margin increases are being held under the rate of inflation but the suppliers costs are running at 12% increase  .The most frightening thing is that companies  like Ernest Adams and Irvines Pies have ceased production as the costs of doing business is so high - it’s the same all over the world but we are noticing it more because of 15% GST and our high transportation costs .Costco was supposedly going to drive prices down but they very quickly found the costs here are so high they aren’t even competitive - 
Some of the original owners who were in the business for 30 years and own their stores freehold have made a lot of money but they invested millions of dollars - today if an operator invested his money in bank bonds he would be better off than servicing a multi million dollar debt owning a supermarket while having widespread shoplifting and his staff being assaulted all the while people think he is a crook .The Commerce Commission have hired 25 public servants who are working on food prices - the government have just passed legislation that the duopoly both open wholesale departments and sell to other businesses - they have both had their wholesale departments up and running 8 months - only 1 business has registered so that has been another colossal waste of money .Climate change is a real frightening risk to us all and you are certainly doing your bit when you pay your bill at the checkout -

Jan, that's quite a (single paragraph) rant you've posted. Worth unpacking some of your claims...

New Zealand has quite moderate taxation of fossil fuels. The chart in this link compares tax rates on fuels in all the OECD countries. We're actually towards the bottom of the list. Note that this is US sourced so is in USD and US gallons. Also being "tax" it will be inclusive of the GST or VAT component.

Yes we have high transportation cost but this is due internally to our relatively low population and its low density. Externally that is only to be expected as NZ is very geographically remote so import and export freight rates will reflect that isolation. It is a prime reason that we should be value adding our products as much as we can so as to get maximum 'bang for buck' for the volume it occupies on journey to our markets. Logs and milk powder are glaring examples of how not to do this.

Our isolation is also a strong reason for us to support local production in our own consumption. The idea of importing food that can be produced here, and eating what is in season to do so, is a big step in this direction.

EV rebates in the Clean Car Rebate system are funded by taxation of high emission vehicles and the system is about to be rejigged in order to redress that balance. Also worth considering that the CCR on an EV is actually less than the GST in its price.

The food price increases we're seeing now are often weather event related and that will only worsen as our climate reacts further to the emissions we've burdened it with for the last century or so. Blaming price inceases on government policy and wanting tax breaks to remedy this is akin to building wave barriers to combat sea level rise - it's pushing sh*t uphill with a pointed stick and destined to failure.

(23-06-2023, 02:17 PM)Venetian1 Wrote: What a wet, wet day - again!   

PnS still has some good deals - apples at 99c a kilo great for just eating or stewing and making into a variety of dishes. Chicken drumsticks for $4.99 a kilo - makes really satisfying soup - had some for lunch and really delicious and full of meat. Also have made casseroles for the freezer. 

Quite a few years ago when work was becoming intolerable I decided to see if I could live on the pension and as I like a challenge i kept a record of everything that I spent for several months.  It wasn’t the big items that added up but small amounts, usually under $20, and were often things I didn’t really need and could live happily without. I’ve got used to checking unit prices and see what is value for money and saying to myself can I put off buying that until next week and often when next week comes it no longer seems important to have- prevents impulse buying while still able to get things which are important to me.

It made me more aware of how easy it is to fritter away money and what I want to prioritise. Fortunately I don’t like cafe coffee as way too strong for me and chippies, sweets etc just done appeal (that doesn’t include your seed crackers Mica I think I’m getting addicted to them they are so good)   

While still having a good lifestyle I’ve been able to put away some for unexpected things as being a rather independent person I’d have to be very desperate to rely on others. 
I have also been able to have a couple of overseas trips and am well on the way to another trip. 

Those who are struggling with money might find a similar exercise interesting to do and see if they really need the “small” purchases after all 

(23-06-2023, 03:38 PM)Lilith7 Wrote:

(23-06-2023, 02:17 PM)Venetian1 Wrote: What a wet, wet day - again!   

PnS still has some good deals - apples at 99c a kilo great for just eating or stewing and making into a variety of dishes. Chicken drumsticks for $4.99 a kilo - makes really satisfying soup - had some for lunch and really delicious and full of meat. Also have made casseroles for the freezer. 

Quite a few years ago when work was becoming intolerable I decided to see if I could live on the pension and as I like a challenge i kept a record of everything that I spent for several months.  It wasn’t the big items that added up but small amounts, usually under $20, and were often things I didn’t really need and could live happily without. I’ve got used to checking unit prices and see what is value for money and saying to myself can I put off buying that until next week and often when next week comes it no longer seems important to have- prevents impulse buying while still able to get things which are important to me.

It made me more aware of how easy it is to fritter away money and what I want to prioritise. Fortunately I don’t like cafe coffee as way too strong for me and chippies, sweets etc just done appeal (that doesn’t include your seed crackers Mica I think I’m getting addicted to them they are so good)   

While still having a good lifestyle I’ve been able to put away some for unexpected things as being a rather independent person I’d have to be very desperate to rely on others. 
I have also been able to have a couple of overseas trips and am well on the way to another trip. 

Those who are struggling with money might find a similar exercise interesting to do and see if they really need the “small” purchases after all 

Interesting you say that now Venetian - I've just done exactly that, comparing prices on TM with those in local Whitcoulls & deciding that next time I'm there its a good bit cheaper to get children's books for Xmas there rather than TM. 


While I was quite tempted by their children's books, once I compared the prices it became easier to resist.

But then I've become extremely good at stretching every last $ over the years; DIL calls me 'the budgeter to beat all budgeters'. I think its probably due to having mostly Scots ancestry & a drop of Yorkshire - they're apparently well known for being frugal, too which is no bad thig in times like these.  

But according  to budget advice people, many of those struggling just don't have sufficient income now to cover everything.

(23-06-2023, 06:38 PM)popeye333 Wrote: Im even worse.. Scottish and Dutch lol...

I always compare prices on everything.

And my Go To shopping starts with Oppies and the recycle center, then Local, then out of town or Online.

MrP was totally opposite. Money burnt holes in his pockets.