Supermarkets to drop prices on some items

[Lilith7]

They must have read some views on them & their tactics.



https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/11/super...110-items/


https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/4668...cery-items


They should probably read the comments about this move - whoever would have thought there's  so much cynicism about supermarkets here!

[king1]

If I am not mistaken I would hazard the core/everyday items would be the products with the lowest margins anyway - and suddenly they can afford to drop prices by 10 percent?

In reality, it is probably everything else that is the more expensive, greater markup products, that most people would actually benefit from having reduced prices.

and cynically, I would suggest they have simply applied even greater pressure to the testicles of suppliers

so say I

[Lilith7]

If I am not mistaken I would hazard the core/everyday items would be the products with the lowest margins anyway - and suddenly they can afford to drop prices by 10 percent? 

In reality, it is probably everything else that is the more expensive, greater markup products,  that most people would actually benefit from having reduced prices. 

and cynically, I would suggest they have simply applied even greater pressure to the testicles of suppliers

so say I

Yes I really don't know who they think they're fooling with this move.

[harm_less]

Interesting discussion about Foodstuff's action on RNZ's The Panel program today. Discussion on the topic starts at 11:00 minute mark.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018841533

[Oldfellah]

Supermarkets should drop prices on ALL items , oh wait ..... that would eat into their 1 million a day profits .. silly me 

[Lilith7]

Supermarkets should drop prices on ALL items , oh wait ..... that would eat into their 1 million a day profits .. silly me 

Yeah - catch that lot doing it for even one day! Never happen. 

[alpha111]

Nearly two weeks ago I was in Pak'nSave Porirua for the first time in over 3 years. Five dollar week. At the self check-out my 2 for $5 soup mix came out at $5.60. I complained to the Lady monitoring the self check-outs. She called over a young man who came back 4 minutes later to say the price was correct. So I said follow me and we will have a walk. Then 'Oh I missed that'. Back we went to the self check-out. Another Lady was called over to recall the transaction, then I had to take my shopping bag over to the Supervisor to pay and wait while she attended to two other people. Time taken over 12 minutes. Given it was a Friday I must have been the first to complain that week about that item. How often does this type of thing occur?

[Lilith7]

They perhaps count on things like that happening, the little 'mistakes' must be part of their profits.

---

According to this article, less than $1 per week difference will be made...



https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/1286194...ocery-bill

[Oldfellah]

Nearly two weeks ago I was in Pak'nSave Porirua for the first time in over 3 years. Five dollar week. At the self check-out my 2 for $5 soup mix came out at $5.60. I complained to the Lady monitoring the self check-outs. She called over a young man who came back 4 minutes later to say the price was correct. So I said follow me and we will have a walk. Then 'Oh I missed that'. Back we went to the self check-out. Another Lady was called over to recall the transaction, then I had to take my shopping bag over to the Supervisor to pay and wait while she attended to two other people. Time taken over 12 minutes. Given it was a Friday I must have been the first to complain that week about that item. How often does this type of thing occur?

The same sort of thing happened to me at Pak N Save Hamilton a while back , 1kg cheese was on special for something like $11 for 2 but when I went to the checkout they charged me $34 for the both of them (17 each) so I complained and their answer was ohhh thats right they are on special , so from now on I always check my receipt before I leave the building , the cashiers have now gotten into the habit of asking people if they want their receipt , thats a sneaky way of not being able to check the price!

[joe 90]

Fruit & nveg suppliers are already screwed to lowest acceptable price so no room for them to move with the big increases in fuel & fertilisers The s markets can take drop on their own brand proucts without costing them much . Dont see Fonterra dropping prices

[Lilith7]

Finally, we might see some changes. Not before time.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/31/whole...nsumer-nz/

"Opening up wholesale access to rivals of Countdown and Foodstuffs could be key in making the supermarket sector work better for New Zealanders, Consumer NZ's Gemma Rasmussen says.
On Monday, the Government announced a suite of changes to crack down on the duopoly in the hope people will eventually pay less at the checkout.


It came on the back of a Commerce Commission inquiry which found competition wasn't working well for consumers.
Rasmussen says ÔÇ£the message to the supermarkets is very clear that they need to play ball, and if wholesale access can be done right it means that weÔÇÖll have a basis for a very strong healthy competitive market."

[Oldfellah]

Yes we may see some changes but I bet not for at least a year.

[harm_less]

Yes we may see some changes but I bet not for at least a year.

I heard yesterday on RadioNZ that Australia's supermarket prices took a decade or two to react to their new player in the market so a year may be a little optimistic for us here.

[Lilith7]

There's some speculation that Aldi may come here, & also Costco is likely.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/31/globa...robertson/

[C_T_Russell]

Aldi cant come soon enough. In Australia, it made a huge impact.

We can blame Labour for all this. Under Helen's leadership, the commerce commission allowed the sale of Progressive to Australia, guess what? They lied to us that it would bring grocery prices down!

[Lilith7]

Just as a matter of interest, is there anything at all for which you don't blame the left, in particular Labour?

[SueDonim]

Most of our economic problems are a direct result of Labour's meddling and making new laws that are unnecessary and often over controlling. The proposals for the supermarkets are no different. That kind of regulation doesn't fix anything. What would be good is for the Commerce Commission to do the job it is supposed be doing under existing laws. And for people to understand that prices are going up because of shortages, labour issues and freight increases. I have found that some groceries are costing more, but not all. Overall prices are up and down all the time, and for items with number limits because of supply issues, it's unreasonable to expect the supermarkets to market them with specials when they can't even get enough product to maintain normal supply.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I do feel sorry for their stress levels. I know those are real. Dealing with the general public is a minefield and deeply unpleasant at times. I remember stepping back from the counter as a man who had mere days before seriously assaulted my father, and being told I had to serve him. People can be pigs.

That said, I doubt there is anyone out here in customer land who actually trusts their supermarkets any more, and that is even sadder.

[Lilith7]

Most of our economic problems are a direct result of Labour's meddling and making new laws that are unnecessary and often over controlling. The proposals for the supermarkets are no different. That kind of regulation doesn't fix anything. What would be good is for the Commerce Commission to do the job it is supposed be doing under existing laws. And for people to understand that prices are going up because of shortages, labour issues and  freight increases. I have found that some groceries are costing more, but not all. Overall prices are up and down all the time, and for items with number limits because of supply issues, it's unreasonable to expect the supermarkets to market them with specials when they can't even get enough product to maintain normal supply.

Not entirely true; it was both National & Labour who embraced Neo Liberalism & imposed it here without bothering to inform voters as to their intentions.
They share the responsibility for the situation we now have.

[Olive]

...I doubt there is anyone out here in customer land who actually trusts their supermarkets any more, and that is even sadder.

I don't think anyone has trusted supermarkets for a long time. For decades they have been wasting money on absurd advertising trying to convince us that they have our families' nutrition and wellbeing as their top priority, when surely everyone has known that profit is their only priority. And their unfair treatment of local suppliers is legendary.

I loathe our local supermarkets and do whatever I can to avoid shopping with them, even when it costs significantly more to buy from small local shops and markets. We grow most of our own fruit and veges, so can avoid that particular price-gouging, but meat and fish are hard to get elsewhere.