Trumps war causing price gouging

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Headers · #1 Post by **Headers** » Sat Apr 11, 2026 5:54 pm

I was in Super U last week. I always look at the GB food line. I occasionally buy some Yorkshire tea. It had been 5.25 for 250 grammes for about a year.
I looked at the price it had gone up to 7.50.

I was in there today it had gone up to 8 euros.

Blaze · #2 Post by **Blaze** » Sat Apr 11, 2026 6:55 pm

Sounds like pure profiteering - I've never heard the expression "price gouging" !
250g of Barry's Tea (bags) Master Blend, is currently priced at 6,40€. We used to buy Twinings Assam in Jersey but don't bother as there's so little difference in price and our local Comptoir Irlandais is much more handy.

MAD87 · #3 Post by **MAD87** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:13 am

I don't drink tea, so problem solved.

MAD87 · #4 Post by **MAD87** » Fri Apr 17, 2026 9:29 am

I see Lactalis, makers of most of the non-artisanal milk and cheese products, have said they're going to pass on "war" price increases to the customer. So President products will go up, along with many others. I remember translating their contracts to import goat's milk from Greece, so I sort of understand that bit, but, e.g., butter and brie? Sounds like profiteering, unless it's just the road transport costs.

Sparkle · #5 Post by **Sparkle** » Fri Apr 17, 2026 10:55 am

I luv President brie and butter - oh well at least the UK OAP increase may cover it ?

MAD87 · #6 Post by **MAD87** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 9:45 am

The answer was given on TF1 last night: increased transport and (plastic) packaging costs. The latter can cost up to 35% of the shelf product...

Blaze · #7 Post by **Blaze** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 10:59 am

They could remove half the plastic packaging and make people pick up separate bottles for example. The milk we buy locally comes in cardboard boxes of 6 cartons rather than being enveloped in plastic.

exile · #8 Post by **exile** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 3:57 pm

But the cartons will have a plastic liner built in.

On dairy prices increasing, it may be that Lactalis are also looking forward as well as taking into account the increases in transport costs and packaging..
Milk and dairy rely on lush grass and that grass is helped made lush by application of nitrogen based fertiliser. Such fertilisers are very energy intensive and as a consequence world production has concentrated on two geographic areas:
Russia
The Gulf States

As a consequence in Europe fertiliser prices have already doubled and are heading fast to tripling. Now you could rightly argue that that price increase is indeed price gouging since the suppliers will have raised the price of stock already in the warehouse but on the other side it is pure supply and demand. Supply has become very constricted but demand remains as always.

When the farmers next buy in fertiliser, they will need to plea for an increase in their milk prices. I wonder if Lactalis will be as accommodating as they expect their customers to be.

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