We laughed, We knew what she meant, but her unintentional extra 'the' could have been bemoaning the nexus of challenging issues (over-population, rampant consumerism, the huge burden of social welfare) faced by most post-industrial nations. The phrase stuck with me and I revisit "the cost of the living" later in today's new poem.
the cost of living increase
For now though, groceries - and yes, the prices do keep on going up (see image above). The impact of this latest idiocy, the Iran War, will take its toll on the cost of living, not just at the petrol pumps but in our supermarkets. Some people are surprised by the prediction that the UK will suffer most of all the G20 nations, but they need to understand that the huge underlying hit from Brexit, estimated at £100 billion every year, is the reason for us being in such an invidious position, So frankly, curse everyone who was stupid enough to ever believe Brexit was a good idea in the first place..I do most of my grocery shopping at Lidl (conveniently within walking distance) and Sainsbury's (preferred, but to which I have to drive). I'm not extravagant in what I purchase and even so I reckon the cost per week has gone up by at least 50% in the last couple of years and some items have doubled in price. That's way above the rate of inflation. Supermarkets are ripping us off over the cost of groceries. Here are some figures:
The operating profit of market leader Tesco leapt from £1.8 billion in 2020 to £3.1 billion in 2025, an increase of 72%. Part of that goes to pay their boss his £10 million annual salary. I refuse to shop there. Aldi’s operating profit rose from £289 million in 2020 to £435 million in 2025, an increase of 50% over the same period. Even relative newcomer Lidl saw its operating profit rise by 297%, from £79 million in 2020 to £314 million in 2025. Those figures are shocking and have been dubbed 'greedflation' by consumer watchdog organisations. If you're wondering about Sainsbury's, their operating profit of just over £1 billion has risen by a mere 7% over the same period. Some might say that's bad business but others would call it ethical. I don't have a Co-op near me, but I get the impression they are on the ethical end of the spectrum as well.
How much simpler life was when we bought local produce at local shops, supporting local growers and businesses. I don't suppose we'll ever get back to that, except perhaps on our holidays. (Deep sigh.)
a Greek greengrocery store
Right, back to the shouty pink-faced lady in the run-down British high-street and her "cost of the living" malapropism which inspired my latest poem (still a work in progress)...The Cost Of The LivingImagine them all laid out in the world's window,the living, some on plush, polished and preenedwith a price-tag that reads ten million each, andanother card warning 'do not touch'. Below them
are rows of finely arrayed superior citizens eachin their individual cardboard dimples like prizedpieces of fruit. They're a mere million each. Youmay handle them carefully, for they bruise easily.
Then there are plastic crates full of ordinary folkindistinguishable from one another all reasonablypriced at fifty thousand each, good honest stapleof any societal diet these days. Right at the front
of this tiered display a row of hothouse beauties, more to draw your eye than anything. They don'tlast and are over-priced at five thousand a bunch.Then on the floor in barrels are heaped the spoils
on which the rest are piled, huge mounds of dirty and unwashed labourers, a mere thousand a time,a dozen for ten. Buy today! Prices rise tomorrow!says the shopkeeper and he's worth many trillions.
Thanks for reading. Have a good week, S ;-)
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