July 4 Barbecue Costs Climb to Record

[Tsing Tao]

But while we're on the subject of volatile prices, how are gas prices in Tampa looking lately?

<img src="http://charts.gasbuddy.com/ch.gaschart?Country=Canada&Crude=f&Period=24&Areas=Tampa,,&Unit=US%20$/G">

Are you trying to argue that they're up? down? Volatile or not? Is this today's Ricter's riddle? What is your angle on this post?

And what does it have to do with Inflation not being at a 54 year low?

 

[Ricter]

Are you asking yourself this question? My worldview (that food inflation is not low and is rising) is reflected just fine in the data. Your belief that food inflation is low (54 year low, right?) is not. So what say you? You do realize you're the only one who isn't a mainstream economist that believes this crap you shovel, right?

It is? Down since when? Here's the latest CPI report

http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpid1405.pdf

Shows milk prices have risen vs. YAG and last reported period. What milk is "down"?

Lmao, just saw this. You're replying with US milk prices, after saying, "It's a wonderful thing that people around the world will now be able to have their cereal in a bowl of vegetable oil for next to nothing moving forward."

Can you spell "confuzed"?

 

[Tsing Tao]

Lmao, just saw this. You're replying with US milk prices, after saying, "It's a wonderful thing that people around the world will now be able to have their cereal in a bowl of vegetable oil for next to nothing moving forward."

Can you spell "confuzed"?

That's your comeback? Pointing out where I made a silly statement about people eating cereal with vegetable oil around the world and the fact that I was saying milk prices are rising, and using the US CPI to back this up?

Holy desperate-attempt-to-pull-the-conversation-away-from-the-fact-that-you-have-your-head-up-your-ass, Batman!

But since you brought that post up, I do notice where you ignored the request to provide data to back up your claim that milk prices are declining - either in the US or otherwise.

And the crowd yells "Ole'!" Don't you get tired of getting the shit kicked out of you on these forums?

 

[Ricter]

Are you trying to argue that they're up? down? Volatile or not? Is this today's Ricter's riddle? What is your angle on this post?

And what does it have to do with Inflation not being at a 54 year low?

It's good news! Didn't cost you any more to drive around this July 4th than last.

 

[Ricter]

That's your comeback? Pointing out where I made a silly statement about people eating cereal with vegetable oil around the world and the fact that I was saying milk prices are rising, and using the US CPI to back this up?

Your statement was silly because you're being snarky about world food prices, yet trying to refute my claim about lower milk prices in the world by... posting US data.

 

[Tsing Tao]

It's good news! Didn't cost you any more to drive around this July 4th than last.

Actually, national gas prices were approximately 17 cents higher per gallon than they were last July 4th. Perhaps this was in the same place you found that milk data?

 

[Tsing Tao]

Your statement was silly because you're being snarky about world food prices, yet trying to refute my claim about lower milk prices in the world by... posting US data.

So where is your source where milk prices ex-usa have gone down? In all the time you've been posting your responses, you still haven't shown that.

 

[wjk]

I usually don't pay much attention to this poster at ZH, but I not only shop for deals, I read everything on the labels and I am also very aware of changes in items I've been purchasing for years. I cant vouch for number 4, but I can tell you unequivocally that I've observed 1 - 3 in a large amount of the food items I purchase.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-...ial-inflation-numbers-are-even-close-accurate

Do You REALLY Think The Official Inflation Numbers Are Even CLOSE To Accurate?

Last week we noted that inflation has already entered the economy. It isn’t showing up in nominal price hikes because it never does at first… As we noted last week…

Let’s be clear here… inflation does NOT mean prices have to move higher in nominal terms. The reason for this is because companies cannot and will not simply raise prices overnight. Consumers will not simply put up with the cost of a good going up time and again.

So don’t look for the cost of an item to necessarily go straight up in nominal terms. This can happen, but more often than not, corporations engage in a number of different strategies to maintain profit margins without raising prices.

These strategies include:

1) Shrinking the box/package of the good, thereby selling less for the same amount.

2) Not filling the package all the way; again selling less for the same amount.

3) Changing what’s considered a “serving size” or the quantity of good being sold.

4) Swapping in lower quality ingredients, thereby selling a lower quality good for the same amount..."


Maybe it's just corporate greed...or not.

 

[Trader666]

So where is your source where milk prices ex-usa have gone down? In all the time you've been posting your responses, you still haven't shown that.

His source for all his info is his rectum.

 

[Tsing Tao]

I usually don't pay much attention to this poster at ZH, but I not only shop for deals, I read everything on the labels and I am also very aware of changes in items I've been purchasing for years. I cant vouch for number 4, but I can tell you unequivocally that I've observed 1 - 3 in a large amount of the food items I purchase.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-...ial-inflation-numbers-are-even-close-accurate

Do You REALLY Think The Official Inflation Numbers Are Even CLOSE To Accurate?

Last week we noted that inflation has already entered the economy. It isn’t showing up in nominal price hikes because it never does at first… As we noted last week…

Let’s be clear here… inflation does NOT mean prices have to move higher in nominal terms. The reason for this is because companies cannot and will not simply raise prices overnight. Consumers will not simply put up with the cost of a good going up time and again.

So don’t look for the cost of an item to necessarily go straight up in nominal terms. This can happen, but more often than not, corporations engage in a number of different strategies to maintain profit margins without raising prices.

These strategies include:

1) Shrinking the box/package of the good, thereby selling less for the same amount.

2) Not filling the package all the way; again selling less for the same amount.

3) Changing what’s considered a “serving size” or the quantity of good being sold.

4) Swapping in lower quality ingredients, thereby selling a lower quality good for the same amount..."


Maybe it's just corporate greed...or not.

I'm in the CPG industry. I work for a company that has approximately 56-60 brands in your local grocery store. I can tell you without a doubt that the reason for all this "trickery" is that it is exceptionally hard for manufacturers to get grocery outlets to take price. Cases (or case equivalents) is a metric for volume that CPG companies pay attention to. Take price and see volume drop. It's just the way it goes. So companies do their best to keep volume steady and take price by reducing size, etc.

Considering the fact that changing a UPC by more than 10% in package dimensions results in a new UPC having to be assigned (and all the distribution costs that go with that change) and that companies are accepting those charges, you begin to understand how precious volume is to them.