why are we so gullible?

[gavroche]

I remember in the 70's the price of sugar went through the roof. It was going up practically daily. The excuse was that there was such a demand for it that it created a shortage. then, all of a sudden, the price stabilised and remained so for a quite a while.
Can you see the similarity today with energy and fuel prices?
Somebody somewhere decides that prices will go as far as they can to make more money so hey presto, tell the whole world that there is a shortage and prices have to go up to meet demand.
It seems to work every time and people just accept it, including politicians.
The world is controlled by a small minority of people who make us jump when they feel like it.
There is no shortage of fuel or anything else, just greed by big companies.
Apparently the next thing ready to go up and up is coffee and chocolate, be warned!!

 

[Dayvo]

Yebbut...!

How's it going with the misses?

 

[yello]

You really don't want to be returning to France then.

 

[marinyork]

Things like tea/coffee/sugar have had wild price fluctuations every so often for hundreds of years. Given the higher living standards we enjoy these days and in some cases the pretty brutal ones some of the people growing some of these things put up with haven't we got better things to worry about?

 

[gavroche]

Wife ok . It is only cycling gear she dislikes. Everything else, no problems.

 

[Dayvo]

Wife ok . It is only cycling gear she dislikes. Everything else, no problems.

Glad to hear it, Gav!

 

[gbb]

I remember in the 70's the price of sugar went through the roof. It was going up practically daily. The excuse was that there was such a demand for it that it created a shortage. then, all of a sudden, the price stabilised and remained so for a quite a while.
Can you see the similarity today with energy and fuel prices?
Somebody somewhere decides that prices will go as far as they can to make more money so hey presto, tell the whole world that there is a shortage and prices have to go up to meet demand.
It seems to work every time and people just accept it, including politicians.
The world is controlled by a small minority of people who make us jump when they feel like it.
There is no shortage of fuel or anything else, just greed by big companies.
Apparently the next thing ready to go up and up is coffee and chocolate, be warned!!

I'm not (and i suspect you're not) gullible. You see, you know and you realise there's nothing you can do about it individually, which is why they get away with it.
B#stards..

 

[derrick]

I don't take sugar in tea or coffee, and use about 15 quid of fuel every 6 weeks,

 

[BigonaBianchi]

even though I do drive I still say hike petrol to th epoint where nobody can afford to drive except for emergencies....the greed comes from all of us consumers..we have the choice to stop driving.

 

[mcshroom]

and the high fuel prices have led to a 15% drop in purchases as well, so they are having an effect.

I'd suggest you talk to GaryA, I seem to remember he has a theory about which people actually run the world

 

[swee'pea99]

There does appear to be a ratchet effect. I remember when milk went up from 99p for 2 litres to £1.40, pretty much overnight. 'Wholesale prices'. Since when, wholesale prices have fallen. Has the shop price gone down again? Ha ha. I rather doubt it's the dairy farmers who are coining it, but someone is. Or rather, two someones: senior execs of Tesco and the like, whose pay continues to skyrocket; and shareholders - ie, people who make money by having money.

 

[classic33]

There does appear to be a ratchet effect. I remember when milk went up from 99p for 2 litres to £1.40, pretty much overnight. 'Wholesale prices'. Since when, wholesale prices have fallen. Has the shop price gone down again? Ha ha. I rather doubt it's the dairy farmers who are coining it, but someone is. Or rather, two someones: senior execs of Tesco and the like, whose pay continues to skyrocket; and shareholders - ie, people who make money by having money.

A farmer I know gets 8p a gallon for the milk. So its not the farmers that are raking it in.

 

[redcard]

A farmer I know gets 8p a gallon for the milk. So its not the farmers that are raking it in.

I believe that's probably true.

I remember a stat that was given out; something like 80% of all consumer spending on meat and dairy goes straight to the supermarkets. So basically the farmer is getting 20% of the retail.

But if that's the case how come farmers' markets are so bloody expensive? £3 for a pot of soup? Then I paid £2.50 for a roll and sausage, charged me 50p extra for fried onions!

Granted, there's costs associated with attending a market, but it's hardly educating the consumer on their spending habits

 

[MissTillyFlop]

I remember in the 70's the price of sugar went through the roof. It was going up practically daily. The excuse was that there was such a demand for it that it created a shortage. then, all of a sudden, the price stabilised and remained so for a quite a while.
Can you see the similarity today with energy and fuel prices?
Somebody somewhere decides that prices will go as far as they can to make more money so hey presto, tell the whole world that there is a shortage and prices have to go up to meet demand.
It seems to work every time and people just accept it, including politicians.
The world is controlled by a small minority of people who make us jump when they feel like it.
There is no shortage of fuel or anything else, just greed by big companies.
Apparently the next thing ready to go up and up is coffee and chocolate, be warned!!

My problem is that alternative fuels and alternative (long distance) transport are being supressed by somebody somewhere.

If we've been so aware of the "shortage" of fuel, then why is there nothing else in place if the need is so urgent?

And why do electric vehicles cost twice the price of a petrol vehicle if the government is so serious about reducing our carbon footprint and the fuel shortage?

I do belive that yes, we have a finite supply, but the oil companies are using this idea as a money spinner.

 

[col]

My problem is that alternative fuels and alternative (long distance) transport are being supressed by somebody somewhere.

If we've been so aware of the "shortage" of fuel, then why is there nothing else in place if the need is so urgent?

And why do electric vehicles cost twice the price of a petrol vehicle if the government is so serious about reducing our carbon footprint and the fuel shortage?

I do belive that yes, we have a finite supply, but the oil companies are using this idea as a money spinner.

You can actually use veg oil in diesal cars, or used veg oil filtered. The gov could have explored this as a fuel, but they havnt. But we can use it anyway if we want to.