Even the price of pork has nearly doubled

[Fiddledee]

This is just ridiculous how are loads of people able to afford to eat. I'm fortunate in that I don't have to look at prices that carefully but I had a wobbly when I saw how much two pork chops cost in Waitrose compared to a few months ago. Back to Aldi I think.

its not as bad if oyu dont eat meat. I think thats the way thing are going, and in my opinion its good. id be very happy to see the price of meat get more expensive it disuades people from eating it. too manay animals are killed for food, they are farmed to die and its wrong, the wastage is awful too!

We eat meat about once a week. I don't think we can even afford that anymore.

yes loads more demand is coming from China and other countries that previously ate less meat. more health problems to follow ...

that typing was awful.

I don't know though KnittedBreast, people are more likely to buy cheap meat if the prices go up too much. I would prefer to eat it less often and just buy free range/organic, but some won't and the demand for battery meat will be even higher!

The prices have been suppressed for years by supermarkets.

Now the price increases are outside of thier control, and the only way is up I'm afraid.

U

yes, fiddledee, food prices are on the up. I suppose petrol price rises will be the one which gets most publicity. "Gabby"

Buy some lentils

It isn't only meat, veg has gone sky high too. I think it is because of the snow and general bad weather.
The petrol prices seem to fluctuate day to day (Belgium) but at least they aren't fixed expensive the way they are in England.

@ursusnix

Not true - prices rising slowly for years, supermarkets have unreasonable margins.

I rarely eat meat but veggie protein (nuts, quorn) is also expensive IMO.

What about sunflower seeds, nuts and wholemeal bread?

I eat blueberries ever since I heard them plugged on TV,s ONE SHOW....but I dont know if they do me any good. "Gabby"

The Times a couple of weeks ago said that fruit and veg had increased more than meat and fish over the last 12 months.

People are eating less organic and free range meat due to costs not great for animal welfare but other than feeding our kids air I don't blame families that do. Eating less meat and replacing it with more expensive vegetables is not a solution.

Do you think the supermarkets will ever squeeze their own margins of course not.

Yes, Fiddlee, the supermarkets are super powerful;and it does not always work to our advantage

I remember reading last year that, although the cost of basic, "commodity" crops, like wheat and corn, was rising fast, that would likely be felt in meat prices rather than bread prices, since bread prices are more politically sensitive than meat. There were corn riots in Mexico, weren't there? By contrast, people seem to accept it when meat gets more expensive, so won't riot about it (viz this thread: we are moaning, not rioting!).

But cross-subsidising prices (loss leaders in supermarkets), etc., is a really f---ed up thing to do, economically - and puts those same supermarkets (mentioned upthread) in a better position to muscle out independents, then squeeze their suppliers even more....

Asda smart price eggs 18 for £1.49 has become a staple in this house. We are not on a low income but I have always been very tight re food budget and currently spend £300 for three per month. on the Martin Lewis site, many people spend far less and buy food off the end of line/past best website.

Fruit and veg prices are cyclical and mostly affected by availability. This year increased transport costs will knock-on to prices on shelves but if you go for seasonal/national/local rather than imported/out-of-season/hot-house-grown produce you can still eat well for very little. Root veg, cabbages, apples, spuds and anything else with a union flag on them at the moment might not be the most exciting foods but they're good nutritionally and excellent value. Meat prices are going to rise because meat production is affected by feed prices (up), transport costs (up), electricity (up). Organic production has always been much higher cost because organic feed often has to be imported.

Anyone seriously wanting to reduce their shopping bill would think twice before buying ready-made foods. Supermarkets make twice the margin on ready-meals and dry goods than they do on basic produce and most of the price is made up with costs of packaging and factory time.

Given that most pig farmers run at a loss and have done for many years, I have absolutely no problem with pork prices going up. Sadly, I fear most of the increase does not end up with the producer, but lines the pockets of the supermarkets (if that's where you buy meat)

The cost of feeding pigs has massively increased, therefore the production cost is also going to increase.

We have massively cut back on the amount of meat we eat, but have decided to do this in order to maintain our decision to only buy British meat, just a lot less of it. I know this is probably still considered as a luxury to be able to make this choice.

Oh, yeah, ready-made foods are a disaster for any budget!

I agree, PlasticLentilWeaver, I'm sure I heard an interview a while ago on the news with someone from Smithfields market saying it was almost embarrassing what they had to charge but as the cost of feeding animals had gone up so too must meat prices. Very little reaches the farmer.

It (along with the thread about off meat) makes me really glad we still have good local butchers. Buying local meat from butchers can seem more expensive than supermarkets but often it's better quality (eg less fatty mince) so you need less or they can be brilliant at suggesting cheaper cuts and how to use them.

@BettyCash.

Most supermarkets operate on margins that make manufacturing look like good positive investment. They are the classic high volume/ low margin game, that have found profitability through cross selling badge engineered financial and other products (including your shopping information) to or from other organisations.

As an example - Tesco 2009 statement
group revenue 54.3 billion
group profit 3 billion

Huge numbers, but thats still a margin of less than 6%, especially as those are figures before tax.

Agreed that the level of increase has been 'slow' previously and persistant - the economic playing field has been changed thanks to the end of the era of cheap oil.

Most food production relies on oil for fertiliser, for distribution, for packaging, the list goes on.

This list is extended by the supermarkets desire to sell only one kind of apple and airfreight it from around the world, so that it is always in season.

Buy local, buy happy, enjoy variety, and live seasonally.

U

We tend to not eat meat at home these days but will have it as a treat if we go out for a meal. I've found that substitutes can be as good as meat and I was a devout carnivore. Tonight, for example, I'm making my famous Czech pork recipe but substituting pork for a Quorn roast which cost £3 and will provide 2 adults with 2 meals each. It's healthier too.

I read in 2008 about a man here in who had gone to university but dropped out to go back to work on his parents pig farm. Being called a farmer is considered an insult to the modern middle classes and Uni goes. His friends called him mad. Now he rakes it in as the cost of meat has risen dramatically whilst most of his Uni friends struggle in shitty low paid 'graduate' jobs (if they can get a job at all).

YANBU. It's getting bloody expensive here too.

beijingaling, I thought the cost of meat had risen because the cost of rearing/farming had risen, not because the margins had got fatter? I would have thought that the greater the cost hikes, the harder it would be to get a profit-hike as well....?

I've no idea how much meat cost but silken tofu is still a£1 a box in Asda!

We use it for snacks,main courses and deserts (no in the same meal obviously!! just saying how verstile it is!)

Tonight we are having Green thai curry with tofu with faux rice.

plupedantic I don't think beijingaling is in the UK.

I can't find a figure for numbers of pig farmers going out of business ATM in the UK, but they lose an average of £21 per pig reared.