Brace For Very High Grocery Prices

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Hot pepper, a single hot pepper is $ 1.50 up from $ 1.00 earlier this year and $ 0.50 last year...and yeah that is part of the "buy local" basket.

Could just imagine what gonna happen to imported products...

Why would import prices increase? The only reason is due to price gouging...There is nothing on the international market that is affecting the price of food right now etc. Let's be smart here. We need to hold our local suppliers to account.

How else will they build their mansions and drive their Range?

Is the Consumer Affairs Division doing anything?

nope

[Dizzy28]

Hot pepper, a single hot pepper is $ 1.50 up from $ 1.00 earlier this year and $ 0.50 last year...and yeah that is part of the "buy local" basket.

Could just imagine what gonna happen to imported products...

Why would import prices increase? The only reason is due to price gouging...There is nothing on the international market that is affecting the price of food right now etc. Let's be smart here. We need to hold our local suppliers to account.

How else will they build their mansions and drive their Range?

Is the Consumer Affairs Division doing anything?

I seem to recall about two years ago ( I think when VAT was dropped to 12.5%) Consumer Affairs putting out a statement that they are not responsible for price regulations. They can merely monitor and publish but businesses are free to set their prices as they see fit.

[redmanjp]

^ i think Consumer Affairs should publish grocery prices for all basic food items on their website and name each grocery and their price, as well as the supplier price

[redmanjp]

Hmm i go hadda start buying groceries on Amazon now that they selling dat

[*KRONIK*]

Hmm i go hadda start buying groceries on Amazon now that they selling dat

Skybox prices may increase soon

[xtech]

http://www.packabarrel.com/

What Skybox?

[eliteauto]

^^^^ I started doing that last year , 2 barrels and a box lasted 10 months

[*KRONIK*]

^^^^ I started doing that last year , 2 barrels and a box lasted 10 months

How that working out?

I interested in trying this

Groceries just getting too annoying to purchase recently

[Chimera]

what would be the taxes and other associated costs be like on grocery barrel #1?



(1) 77 gallon Cardboard Barrel
(1) Barilla Pasta Variety Pack 7/1 Lb (7 Lbs)
(1) Blue Ribbon Long Grain Rice, 25-Pounds
(1) Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna 8-7oz. (3.5lbs)
(1) Carnation Evaporated Milk, 12-OZ, 12-Pack
(1) Conagra Restaurant All Purpose Flour, 25-Pounds
(1) Ctry Time Lemonade 82.5 OZ
(1) General Mills Multi Grain Cheerios, 37.5-OZ
(1) Heinz Tomato Ketchup 3 Pack 44 OZ Each
(1) Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise 64 Oz
(1) Imperial Granulated Sugar 25 Lb
(1) K/S Canola Oil 2/3 Quart Bottles
(1) K/S Chocolate Chips 72 OZ Bag
(1) K/S Cooking Spray ...OZ Each
(1) K/S Sliced Peaches, 4-Pack, 24-OZ
(1) K/S Wild Pink Salmon 6/6 OZ Cans
(1) Kellogg's Raisin Bran, 76.5-OZ
(1) Koolaid Jammers Variety 40/6 Oz. (7.5 Qts)
(1) Nesquik Chocolate Powder 41.9 Oz
(1) Organic Annies Mac & Cheese Variety 12 Pack 6 OZ Each
(1) Organic K/S Strawberry Spread, 42-OZ
(1) Palmolive Ultra Dish Detergent, 90-OZ
(1) Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal, 48-OZ
(1) Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal, 10-Pounds
(1) Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter, 2-Ct, 48-OZ
(1) Tide High Efficiency 170Oz 110Load (5.31qt)

Price: $399.00

[eliteauto]

^^^^ I started doing that last year , 2 barrels and a box lasted 10 months

How that working out?

I interested in trying this

Groceries just getting too annoying to purchase recently

bought most of the stuff at bulk food stores/ food co-op, spent around $1600 TT, 2 jumbo barrels and 1 large box paid almost twice that in shipping/customs ( amerijet) so lets say 4500 TT total. For that I got about 9K worth of groceries if bought locally. Bear in mind I not only brought in groceries but some school supplies, food containers and small car parts so factor that into the shipping/duties. I'll be bringing a barrel of food stuff only soon so I'll update on true cost as that happens. IMO it's well worth it as I still have stuff 10 months later

[Rovin]

groceries can put their prices as they see fit , it simply is up to u as d consumer to buy by them or not or go to more than 1 business place to buy whatever cheaper at whichever place ....

[Dizzy28]

^^^^ I started doing that last year , 2 barrels and a box lasted 10 months

How that working out?

I interested in trying this

Groceries just getting too annoying to purchase recently

bought most of the stuff at bulk food stores/ food co-op, spent around $1600 TT, 2 jumbo barrels and 1 large box paid almost twice that in shipping/customs ( amerijet) so lets say 4500 TT total. For that I got about 9K worth of groceries if bought locally. Bear in mind I not only brought in groceries but some school supplies, food containers and small car parts so factor that into the shipping/duties. I'll be bringing a barrel of food stuff only soon so I'll update on true cost as that happens. IMO it's well worth it as I still have stuff 10 months later

Intriguing proposition. My only issue here is that my household is just three inclusive of 1 infant. Unless the items last very long bulk doesn't work out.

[Chimera]

^^^ would only make sense if its tin goods alone or if you and a neighbour/friend split the items

this looks interesting though


amerijet barrel rates for those who interested

https://www.amerijet.com/oceanrates.html

[The_Honourable]

Not going to lie... whoever came up with that packabarrel idea and worked out the logistics especially here in T&T should get a standing ovation. Just liked their fb page.

https://www.facebook.com/packabarrel

The threat when this goes mainstream is that the supermarket association might lobby for food barrels to get tax. Inbutt's concern is the increased credit card spending on importing food and will eye barrels coming in via sea.

[Chimera]

Check out the reviews on fb though. Everyone saying it's a scam and they never get what they paid for

[Chimera]

Elite what type of food stuff you ship? Mostly tin stuff?

[Redress10]

groceries can put their prices as they see fit , it simply is up to u as d consumer to buy by them or not or go to more than 1 business place to buy whatever cheaper at whichever place ....

Ammmmm no...That's not how life/economics/society works. A lot of you all have a misguided idea about how a mixed econmy work. We don't live in a free market economy we live in a mixed economy where Government is suppose to be a regulator and monitor and punish any activity that can be considered exploitative etc. They don't. We seem to believe that demand and supply solves everything....It can never.

In developed nations there are anti competitive rules and regulations that seek to eliminate consumer exploitation and abuse. That is how a rationale society works. A business doesn't operate in a vacuum. It can't just set whatever price if wants and the market will regulate it. In Trinidad we don't have an abundance of competitors to really regulate the market through supply and demand. Most businesses in Trinidad collude, banks, supermarkets etc. This is where gov't comes in and regulate accordingly. it's not just demand and supply.

Society is an ecosystem. Businesses receive tax breaks etc and other favourable state goods that allow for profit making. That goodwill is suppose to be passed on to the consumer. For too long we have been fooled with inefficiencies, exploitation and just say that the consumer has all the power when the reality is the prices not different among retailers. Most of our dairy products for instance are of the lowest quality yet we pay above premium price for them. That is exploitation. Plain and simple.

[eliteauto]

Elite what type of food stuff you ship? Mostly tin stuff?

actually tins were only a small part, peas, fruits, tuna etc, also brought pasta in boxes, huge can of olive oil, Canola oil, flour ( both white and whole wheat) olives, crackers, sugar, condiments, cereals, rice (brown and jasmine), personal care like soap, body washes, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent etc. Essentially all the stuff you'd buy in the grocery regularly except meats, milk and fats( butter etc).... if only I could ship meat lol

[Chimera]

I in Miami tmr so gonna swing through some of those bulk places and see the scene.

[jaithon]

A case of Smalta was $87.00, i went by Xtra foods yesterday & the new price is $107.00

[megadoc1]

All we need to do is put some groceries on rotation list that we don't buy from for two months ,problem solved

Sent from my G735-L03 using TriniTuner mobile app

[boxy]

A case of Smalta was $87.00, i went by Xtra foods yesterday & the new price is $107.00

Let them keep that dog it have liquor marts who selling factory price.

[branbran]

I was told today, by someone who works for a leading food importer, that by the end of October 2017, people will be facing grocery price increases of 30-50%. (Just in time for Christmas).

Today, X-TRA Foods raised the price of Moo milk to almost $12.00.

Prices are going up on butter, cheese and everything else.

Salaries staying the same.

Imbert unaffected cause he is a multi-zillionnaire.

But why am I concerned? Trinbagonians do not care.

Exactly we like it so. I never see a country where the government doing such crap and the citizens just taking it. Only in Trinidad smh

[Jade_Inc.]

Condoms gone up from $15 to $30 ..

Morning after went from $20 to $40

[shake d livin wake d dead]

I was told today, by someone who works for a leading food importer, that by the end of October 2017, people will be facing grocery price increases of 30-50%. (Just in time for Christmas).

Today, X-TRA Foods raised the price of Moo milk to almost $12.00.

Prices are going up on butter, cheese and everything else.

Salaries staying the same.

Imbert unaffected cause he is a multi-zillionnaire.

But why am I concerned? Trinbagonians do not care.

Exactly we like it so. I never see a country where the government doing such crap and the citizens just taking it. Only in Trinidad smh

idk wam to allyuh...xtra foods is generally an expensive supermarket...all they have is variety...you can get the basic stuff and may be some other "luxury" food stuff at the average hawk and spit supermarket..

[88sins]

Is not a political thing. There is serious price gouging that is taking place on the local market. Our food import bill is not high. The suppliers are not selling the goods at a high price, it's the mark ups that are exorbitant.

It's political, because your govt's actions have made it so
Price gouging has been taking place here for decades, this is not a new development. the fact is that the majority of the population considered it relatively bearable , so nobody decided to grow a pair to do sumn about it. & now it's a runaway train. Here's a rough example.
The highest I've ever noticed split peas selling for was about USD $700/mt,& that works up to roughly TTD$2.20/lb, including shipping to get it here. Currently it's about USD $250-300/mt, which in turn comes to roughly anywhere between TT$0.77/lb to $0.98/lb including shipping to get here. Import duties & tariffs are small change to clear these items, & VAT is not a direct cost the importer has to bear. There are transport, sorage & labor costs, but these again are small change. Now, a lb of split peas in some places is about TT$7.00, notice the percentage difference, from import to your home?

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Whats with all the horrible reviews?

https://www.facebook.com/pg/packabarrel/reviews/

Everybody saying it is a scam

[zoomedic]

Butter makes you aggressive
It may notbe too good for one's health
And who knows what is in moo milk
Anyhow there many ways to enjoy the benefits of being a vegetarian diet and I am always greatful for all god blessed us in trinidad with
What about hemp milk ??
Or almond milk ?

[Redress10]

Butter makes you aggressive
It may notbe too good for one's health
And who knows what is in moo milk
Anyhow there many ways to enjoy the benefits of being a vegetarian diet and I am always greatful for all god blessed us in trinidad with
What about hemp milk ??
Or almond milk ?

Jamaica produces and sells almond milk. So I don't know why they still insist on the brands outside of caricom(Silk etc) when we suffering forex problems. We also have Jamaican banks in TnT and TT businesses in Jamaica so currency flow between both countries shouldn't be a problem.

See the problem with our country is this rivalry that our manufacturers have with Jamaica etc. TT manufacturers produce products with subsidized energy and fuel costs and still their products are not competitive. That says something.

We need to increase trade with Ja....Why are we still importing from the international market when JA producing a lot of stuff at a cheaper rate etc. We keep thinking that "buy/eat local" means you grow stuff like cassava etc....No, it's not about changing eating habits etc....it's about growing what is "in demand".....Almond milk etc....Food is not an expensive commodity. It's the mark up that is the problem.


http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/busi ... lk-jamaica

"All of the almond milk in Jamaica is currently imported. This will actually be made here and the price point will actually be about 10-12 per cent below what the consumer now pays for the imported stuff," Subratie said.

[Redress10]

Is not a political thing. There is serious price gouging that is taking place on the local market. Our food import bill is not high. The suppliers are not selling the goods at a high price, it's the mark ups that are exorbitant.

It's political, because your govt's actions have made it so
Price gouging has been taking place here for decades, this is not a new development. the fact is that the majority of the population considered it relatively bearable , so nobody decided to grow a pair to do sumn about it. & now it's a runaway train. Here's a rough example.
The highest I've ever noticed split peas selling for was about USD $700/mt,& that works up to roughly TTD$2.20/lb, including shipping to get it here. Currently it's about USD $250-300/mt, which in turn comes to roughly anywhere between TT$0.77/lb to $0.98/lb including shipping to get here. Import duties & tariffs are small change to clear these items, & VAT is not a direct cost the importer has to bear. There are transport, sorage & labor costs, but these again are small change. Now, a lb of split peas in some places is about TT$7.00, notice the percentage difference, from import to your home?

When has trinis ever grown a pair to do something about anything? Again, I asked how is it government's fault that price gouging by retailers are exorbitant. Has anyone ever petitioned the parliament to have anti competition legislation etc laid in parliament. When prices raise, trinis ever leave goods on the shelves? Trinis spend thousands of dollars on stuff like carnival costumes. Literally burning money. If the price of milk increases by 5 cents in Europe they riot.

The only reason it was widely accepted in the past is because people don't know better. Now they can go online and compare etc. Slowly people are waking up....Do you know we pay a premium price for our dairy products yet they are on the lower scale in terms of quality?

Government is suppose to regulate and punish wrongdoing. Guess what, we have high crime etc....U feel these people want to punish wrong doers when they want to knock glasses with these same business people come christmas etc. You eh realise that trinis like to feel accepted.