To Query Cost of Living Rises

[MrsLegend]

I appreciate it's a difficult time for everyone with utility and fuel prices increasing.

A few local small business (cleaner, gardener and beauty therapist) have all increased their prices as they are struggling.

Whilst I understand this, won't everyone then need to increase their prices and therefore nobody will be better off?

YANBU. Small businesses might feel they need to increase their prices but ultimately it will lead to their demand drying up - especially the type of non-essential businesses you specify. I know several guys for instance who have stopped going to the barber to get their hair cut because the prices have gone up, for the price of two haircuts they can buy a set of clippers to do it themselves at home. Not quite as easy for women's styles of course!

Businesses, small and large, need to realise that if they put their prices up they will lose customers. Few businesses who lose significant numbers of customers will survive long term even if the ones they have left are paying more. Also people have long memories, so even if they decrease prices in future, people will remember how they behaved.