Cost of living crisis.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, blabyboy said:

Tbh, I'd be more with you both if we were complaining about this approximately 2 yrs ago when supply was heavily outstripping demand due to the start of covid - there were no significant drops in price.

 

Now, although not nice, the price seems more justified simply because of the state of world events. The cost of getting petrol to the forecourt feeds into the overall price and let's not forget a significant amount of those forecourts are independent retailers that have lots of overheads to contend with, all of which have to be priced into the final amount we pay per litre. Most profit is made on the way down in price not on the way up i.e. retailers take advantage of the 'lag' between the drop at source and then the drop on the forecourt.

That's a pretty logical conclusion to come to tbh. Fair enough.

 

That being said, I would also posit that such price rises do still include at least the same profit margin as previously and this is just an act of passing on added cost to the consumer directly.

[Innovindil]

18 minutes ago, blabyboy said:

Ok I'll bite.

Can you actually prove that, or is it your supposition because it's a current state that you don't like?

I'm not sure if you're actually being serious, but just in case you are. 

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/supermarkets-accused-of-petrol-profiteering-as-oil-climbs-towards-100-a-barrel-rkxw328hh

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59508286.amp

 

The major supermarkets increased their profit margin on petrol from 3ish percent to 9 ish percent. Using lock downs, covid and whatever other bollocks excuses they could to rake even more profit from the public. On top of them already raking in the money throughout lock downs. This is even before all the putin nonsense giving them more excuses under the guise of "volatility". 

[blabyboy]

7 minutes ago, Innovindil said:

I'm not sure if you're actually being serious, but just in case you are. 

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/supermarkets-accused-of-petrol-profiteering-as-oil-climbs-towards-100-a-barrel-rkxw328hh

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59508286.amp

 

The major supermarkets increased their profit margin on petrol from 3ish percent to 9 ish percent. Using lock downs, covid and whatever other bollocks excuses they could to rake even more profit from the public. On top of them already raking in the money throughout lock downs. This is even before all the putin nonsense giving them more excuses under the guise of "volatility". 

Thanks for the links. I can only see part of the times one due to subscription needed. But why do you think this is..

In January, the big four made an 8.6 per cent margin on sales of unleaded petrol — almost triple the 3.2 per cent margins they made in 2019.

Have a think...

 

The bbc article makes the same points as i have done, if you read it all the way through. It does highlight the good PR work that the RAC and AA do in this area, but they're not subject to all the facts that go into the pricing model each business operates.

 

In short, they had to operate at a reduced margin during Covid and are probably trying to recoup some of that at present and in the near future.

[blabyboy]

24 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

That's a pretty logical conclusion to come to tbh. Fair enough.

 

That being said, I would also posit that such price rises do still include at least the same profit margin as previously and this is just an act of passing on added cost to the consumer directly.

A safe assumption in some geographical areas where competition is slack. Where there is competition between retailers, especially an independent versus a large petrol brand, the profit margins need to be flexible - better for them to sell supply at some profit than miss out on the sale altogether.

[Innovindil]

13 minutes ago, blabyboy said:

Thanks for the links. I can only see part of the times one due to subscription needed. But why do you think this is..

In January, the big four made an 8.6 per cent margin on sales of unleaded petrol — almost triple the 3.2 per cent margins they made in 2019.

Have a think...

 

The bbc article makes the same points as i have done, if you read it all the way through. It does highlight the good PR work that the RAC and AA do in this area, but they're not subject to all the facts that go into the pricing model each business operates.

 

In short, they had to operate at a reduced margin during Covid and are probably trying to recoup some of that at present and in the near future.

The main supermarkets were making record profits during covid. It's just one more excuse to get away with fleecing. 

 

I'm not complaining about prices going up btw, I get that if things cost more, they'll have to sell for more. I'm angry that despite them making record amounts of money due to most others ill fortune, they've decided to TRIPLE their profit margin on what many consider an unavoidable purchase. It's unjustifiable. 

[Dahnsouff]

31 minutes ago, Innovindil said:

The main supermarkets were making record profits during covid. It's just one more excuse to get away with fleecing. 

 

I'm not complaining about prices going up btw, I get that if things cost more, they'll have to sell for more. I'm angry that despite them making record amounts of money due to most others ill fortune, they've decided to TRIPLE their profit margin on what many consider an unavoidable purchase. It's unjustifiable. 

This is the cost of operating in a free market unfortunately, as protecting yourself as a business from uncertain markets in which you operate makes sense to the business, but shafts the captive customers. You could say’s it’s just tantamount to racketeering and it would be hard to disagree but it is not unexpected.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

4 hours ago, leicsmac said:

On the above, I'll say it again: a possible silver lining from this very, very dark cloud is that more people might be incentivised to seek solutions for forms of transportation that don't rely on sizeable carbon emissions.

 

Of course, we still need to sort out power generation there, but it might at least be a piece of the puzzle.

Judging by the traffic I was sat in last night, I'd wager that won't be the case. Cars will be the very last thing a lot of people will give up, even in the toughest of times.

[leicsmac]

19 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Judging by the traffic I was sat in last night, I'd wager that won't be the case. Cars will be the very last thing a lot of people will give up, even in the toughest of times.

As per above, if the right decisions are made, they won't have to give up their cars. Or at least drop cars as a form of transportation.

 

Of course, if we persist with the status quo, then in a few decades we may well find the "very last thing to give up" theory here being truly tested.

[Dahnsouff]

Cars are too normal, aspirational and to some degree, status symbols. Whilst this persists it will forever be an uphill battle to decrease their usage. Obviously this is only a concern for the environment whilst cars exist as they currently do.

[kenny]

17 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Cars are too normal, aspirational and to some degree, status symbols. Whilst this persists it will forever be an uphill battle to decrease their usage. Obviously this is only a concern for the environment whilst cars exist as they currently do.

There is also the issue of no viable alternative.

 

Currently they are sti an essential item.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, kenny said:

There is also the issue of no viable alternative.

 

Currently they are sti an essential item.

Do not think I am disputing that, but what could be an alternative?  Buses, trains could run every minute and they not be an alternative for most.

[Daggers]

22 hours ago, Strokes said:

They’re tough old buggers though, I’ve been trying to hurry them along for years.

Dried, ground apple seeds

[kenny]

Just now, Dahnsouff said:

Do not think I am disputing that, but what could be an alternative?  Buses, trains could run every minute and they not be an alternative for most.

Something that is as quick and cheap as driving.

 

Typically a mass transit system ran at a reasonable price. We went to Budapest a few weeks ago and for £4 a day you could get anywhere you wanted, 24 hours a day on a variety of mostly electric transport systems. We are light years behind something like that in this country except for London.

[Sly]

Unfortunately petrol stations and super markets aren’t charities and are free to make what profit they want. We’re all free to seek alternative methods of transport if we don’t like it.

 

Same as energy companies.

Same as food suppliers. 
Same as restaurants.

We could all make choices to reduce our costs of living, or balance / sacrifice certain elements of our lifestyles.
 

I’ve a friend, that complains about their wage, the heating bill, the rising cost of food, the need for a new car, etc then go out and get razzeled at the weekend. 

I’ve suggested alternative employment, extra clothes (or do you even need the heating on 27c), maybe drinking less, not needing designer clothes, not needing to get drunk every weekend. Will they change …….. no. 

 

 

[Strokes]

15 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Dried, ground apple seeds

I’ll test it on the wife first 

[DennisNedry]

I'm 29 and for the first time in my working life, I look at my monthly income vs outcomes and it's genuinely worrying.

 

My wife's maternity has just finished so I'm now the sole earner (if she worked her whole wage would go on childcare so we decided that she'd be a stay at home Mum). So we're now on one income just as inflation has taken off. 

 

Despite being stung by food, petrol etc, NI increase, Council Tax increase etc, we're okay right now as we're shielded from utility rises due to our fixed deal, and our fixed mortgage deal. These both expire next year so I don't know how we'll manage then.

 

Inflation running at 8% yet at work our pay 'rise' is 1.5%. 

 

How much of this is down to lockdowns I wonder? Gov threw money around like confetti so only logical it would fuel inflation...?

 

[weller54]

Diesel today..£1.86!!

FFS.....

Putin you c**t!!!!

[Daggers]

5 minutes ago, weller54 said:

Diesel today..£1.86!!

FFS.....

Putin you c**t!!!!

Saw it at 189 in Harborough today. Bicycles and mopeds are going to get awfully popular soon.

[FoxyPV]

I thought £1.72 was bad!!!

 

Another benefit of NI protocol I hope

[HighPeakFox]

Fuel prices, and everything else, were on their way up BEFORE Putin decided to mix it up. Don't let the Churchill wannabe Eton Mess lead you to believe otherwise.

[Heathrow fox]

2 hours ago, weller54 said:

Diesel today..£1.86!!

FFS.....

Putin you c**t!!!!

Self imposed by our leader’s who won’t see their living standards fall of cliff.

[Heathrow fox]

1 hour ago, Daggers said:

Saw it at 189 in Harborough today. Bicycles and mopeds are going to get awfully popular soon.

Diesel is £1.95 at many forecourt’s round my neck of the woods.Has been for nearly two weeks 

[Sly]

I did see something that stated diesel would be £3.00 by June. 
 

Crazy. I only turned 40 this year but I remember it being 69p. 

[NasPb]

18 hours ago, Sly said:

Unfortunately petrol stations and super markets aren’t charities and are free to make what profit they want. We’re all free to seek alternative methods of transport if we don’t like it.

 

Same as energy companies.

Same as food suppliers. 
Same as restaurants.

We could all make choices to reduce our costs of living, or balance / sacrifice certain elements of our lifestyles.
 

I’ve a friend, that complains about their wage, the heating bill, the rising cost of food, the need for a new car, etc then go out and get razzeled at the weekend. 

I’ve suggested alternative employment, extra clothes (or do you even need the heating on 27c), maybe drinking less, not needing designer clothes, not needing to get drunk every weekend. Will they change …….. no. 

 

 

Always the individuals fault and not part of a much bigger problem which is the clear decaying of the economic system because of neoliberalism and lack of regulation. Got it

 

Can't just give up like that. This has been going on since the dismantling of the welfare state and the rise of neoliberalism in the 70s. 

Edited 20 March 2022 by NasPb

[Dahnsouff]

13 minutes ago, NasPb said:

Always the individuals fault and not part of a much bigger problem which is the clear decaying of the economic system because of neoliberalism and lack of regulation. Got it

 

Can't just give up like that. This has been going on since the dismantling of the welfare state and the rise of neoliberalism in the 70s. 

Then run to be an MP, if you want change, it is the only way.