Grocery prices - UK vs Australia from our recent reccie

[northshorepom]

Parts of Scandinavia, too. My rellies in the UK built a new house and their super duper triple glazed windows from Sweden were delayed because the factory closed for 5 weeks in summer.

 

True, but it is more prevalent in companies that supply businesses (like window factories) than ones directly serving the customers, like retail.

 

The windows are always late, BTW. Rule No.1 of building

[Guest guest76088]

Is this true or is just something Kevin delivers in his final piece-to-camera for dramatic effect? Along with such classics as : "it looking increasingly unlikely that they will get the roof on before Christmas", and "what they have done here is to make their mark on the building and create something unique that blends totally with its environment ...which after all is the mark of a good building..."

 

​BigD

 

True, but it is more prevalent in companies that supply businesses (like window factories) than ones directly serving the customers, like retail.

 

The windows are always late, BTW. Rule No.1 of building[/QUOTE]

Edited April 29, 2013 by guest76088

[northshorepom]

It is very often true, yes. A number of reasons:

 

Firstly, they are always critical path, as they are the last thing that goes in before a building is watertight. So there's very limited M&E work and plastering/dry lining can be done inside before they are installed

 

Secondly, they are almost always bespoke items so have a long lead time. And delays to quoted delivery times are frequent because once you've placed the order your leverage over the supplier is limited. 6 weeks quoted often becomes 8 weeks, for example

 

But mostly people just order them too late. Way too many clients & builders want to retain flexibility to muck about with the design until well into the build.....and if they're not precisely sure about where the windows are going and exactly what size they can't place the order. For some particularly critical items, depending on the window system, there may not be enough tolerance to trust the bricklayers/framers to get the opening right, so you have to actually create the structural opening and then measure it on site before you can order - that obviously creates delays

 

So yeah, the windows are (almost) always late. And they're always a critical part of the build

 

Also one of the most important things to get right in terms of thermal performance, feel of the building, overall air of quality, etc etc.

 

Same applies in commercial building BTW, windows are still a pain in the a45e although there the issues are different. Cladding companies going out of business half way through the build is the main one. They are very cashflow dependent companies because of the high value of their product, so it only takes 1 or 2 sizeable projects withholding payments because of a dispute to push them under

[HLSvictory]

Personally I have said this before and I say again I found the prices similar when in the UK in 2010 and it really depends what people like to buy. I have brands I like and things I like and there are other cheaper things around but I prefer my likes. I can afford them so who cares if its cheaper or dearer. When we cannot afford food then we can really worry about it. You can eat cheap and you can eat dear its up to people to decide. I might add that I have never bought lots of processed food in either country so that makes a big difference to the food bill. I do not see the need for sweets, chocolate, soft drinks, chips all that stuff that rots your teeth and ensures large dental bills.

 

If you buy junk you pay the price. Packets of stuff to put in stews for example, what is wrong with good old first basics cooking.

 

There is no bias there is just difference between what people think is necessary to the smooth running of their lives.

 

As for free trade, Primark factory falls down in Bangladesh with how many dead, think on when you are going into the cheap shop for the cheap clothes, who is making them????????

 

You gets what you pay for and always have.

 

You are kidding yourself if you think it's just Primark who have their clothes made in sweatshops?! Adidas, GAP, Nike, Marks & Sparks are the ones that immediately spring to mind who have been in the public eye about sweatshops (and what about the ones that aren't?!). In fact, places like Primark probably have more checks in place for working conditions because it was brought to light a few years ago.A hell of a lot of clothes retailers have their clothes made in China, Bangladesh, India and other developing countries - which mean sweatshops I'm afraid. So, check your labels...I think you'd be surprised.

[Paul1Perth]

We have a 176 WA SS visa so will be going to Perth initially. OH had a job interview the last week of our reccie and although he was not enamoured by the job itself the interviewer said he had opening for OH's trade come up regularly both FIFO and Perth-based. OH also made good contacts with the HR Director of a large mining company who he knew from SA and also the person who's job he is now doing in the UK who left for Perth 3 years ago and has never looked back.

Yes, OH's job is in demand BUT everyone we spoke to said he has to get "Aussie" experience before going FIFO so realistically we are looking at a Perth based job for the first 6-12 months.

I also had a look at jobs for myself and I'll have to intially take a 2-3 year step back salary wise before getting to where I am now.

We are now saving to make the big move next year and deciding what to take and what to bin... I'm definitely taking a new Dyson (my next birthday present) and JHD's (Mother's Day Present??).... :laugh:

OH keen for us to take my planting tubs and grow our own veg which I do on a small scale in the UK but I'm loathe to do the deep cleaning to may invest in new tubs when we arrive!

 

I wouldn't bother bringing tubs with you. They are pretty cheap in somewhere like Bunnings.

 

Good luck with growing veggies though, I reckon they would take some work as the sun, lack of rain and poor soil quality can mean they dry up pretty quick. I honestly can't see why anyone within reach of shops would bother growing veggies. We have an IGA across the road which is open from 7:00am till 8:00pm and there veggies are so really good. It's not even worth buying in bulk as I find fresh veggies so much better and people tend to buy too much and and up throwing half of the stuff away when it's been in the fridge too long.

[Paul1Perth]

Just out of curiosity do some European countries still close down in August ? No wonder they are in trouble.

 

I was watching a Grand Designs episode where the people were having a monster house built in Spain. The presenter of the show commented on how hard the concreters worked there. They layed the second floor in a day and had to work 12 hours non-stop to get the concrete down in one hit. He said he had never seen a British team do that and doubted if they would have got it done in the UK. But then he said it got so hot in August that the whole of the construction industry just stopped for a month. The builders just had a month off and the people building the house just had to wait till they came back to work.

[flag of convenience]

I know the used to do it in the UK years ago but nowadays when people holiday at all different times of the year it just isnt practical and people wouldnt do it anymore. Im quite surprised some countries still do it.

 

France is especially big on the grand summer holiday. It is staggered with two mass periods.One the first half of summer the other the second. Very foolish to attempt to drive especially to a southern destination at the start of either or return direction Paris at the end of either.

Got caught once and you could easily double the normal duration as the traffic is close to grid lock part of the way.

It's a tradition probably hard to break with of course most folk wanting their break during the best summer months.

Hence Paris is empty of locals and tourists dominate the streets.

As has been said business is slow and many find it more cost effective than remain ing open. I used to have six weeks of every summer.

[flag of convenience]

Homewardbound wouldnt have put prices up given the chance to make more money. Only nasty horrible retailers would do something like that - They're just as bad as the bankers, you know!

 

Not quite. Unlike the banksters, supermarkets don't seek public money for their survival and gave easy credit to punters to which a few of us are aware of the negative outcomes.

Supermarkets just rip us off. Tame in comparison.

[Guest Ptp113]

I wouldn't bother bringing tubs with you. They are pretty cheap in somewhere like Bunnings.

 

Good luck with growing veggies though, I reckon they would take some work as the sun, lack of rain and poor soil quality can mean they dry up pretty quick. I honestly can't see why anyone within reach of shops would bother growing veggies. We have an IGA across the road which is open from 7:00am till 8:00pm and there veggies are so really good. It's not even worth buying in bulk as I find fresh veggies so much better and people tend to buy too much and and up throwing half of the stuff away when it's been in the fridge too long.

 

You're talking about WA I take it, as there's no shortage of rain elsewhere and decent soil quality?

[Guest chris955]

We had no shortage of rain in Brisbane but the 'soil' consisted of clay and stones. It would take about 2 years for a plant to get established.

 

I wouldn't bother bringing tubs with you. They are pretty cheap in somewhere like Bunnings.

 

Good luck with growing veggies though, I reckon they would take some work as the sun, lack of rain and poor soil quality can mean they dry up pretty quick. I honestly can't see why anyone within reach of shops would bother growing veggies. We have an IGA across the road which is open from 7:00am till 8:00pm and there veggies are so really good. It's not even worth buying in bulk as I find fresh veggies so much better and people tend to buy too much and and up throwing half of the stuff away when it's been in the fridge too long.

[Paul1Perth]

You're talking about WA I take it, as there's no shortage of rain elsewhere and decent soil quality?

 

There's decent soil quality in Perth tbh. Just a few Km's in land are big farming areas with good soil. Just where we live, close to the beach, is very sandy. Still couldn't see the point of growing veggies if you lived anywhere near shops though. I hate gardening so wouldn't be the right person to ask mind you. I just see it as a chore.

 

Having said all that the minute amount of rain we have had lately, coupled with the sunshine the garden is going mad. Had a week away in Sydney and both lawns had grown a lot. The shrubs and easy care plants we have are going crazy at the minute. Fair bit of rain forecast for later on this week so I'm expecting things growing like crazy for a while.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Paul1Perth

[Guest guest74886]

You're talking about WA I take it, as there's no shortage of rain elsewhere and decent soil quality?

 

Thats strange, northern SA is back in drought again with farmers already selling off stock at knock down prices amid prophecies of a dustbowl

[Guest chris955]

Thats strange, northern SA is back in drought again with farmers already selling off stock at knock down prices amid prophecies of a dustbowl

 

That is a familiar picture across the country unfortunately, many areas are seeing what you describe.

[Guest Ptp113]

Thats strange, northern SA is back in drought again with farmers already selling off stock at knock down prices amid prophecies of a dustbowl

Northern SA is always in drought. I went to school there

[Skani]

Thats strange, northern SA is back in drought again with farmers already selling off stock at knock down prices amid prophecies of a dustbowl

 

But conditions in northern SA don't necessarily have any similarity to any other part of the country. One part of a state can be in drought at the same time as another is in flood. And northern SA isn't a cropping area: it is basically semi desert with very low animal stocking rates.

[Skani]

I honestly can't see why anyone within reach of shops would bother growing veggies.

 

I can. You can grow different varieties of vegies for optimum taste and freshness rather than for all the other criteria which the markets decree these days - shape, colour, longevity, robustness for transporting. Also you know exactly which chemicals have, or haven't, been applied. But I agree that there's no point bothering if you don't enjoy gardening or you don't need to do it for survival.

[Guest]

There's decent soil quality in Perth tbh. Just a few Km's in land are big farming areas with good soil. Just where we live, close to the beach, is very sandy. Still couldn't see the point of growing veggies if you lived anywhere near shops though. I hate gardening so wouldn't be the right person to ask mind you. I just see it as a chore.

 

Having said all that the minute amount of rain we have had lately, coupled with the sunshine the garden is going mad. Had a week away in Sydney and both lawns had grown a lot. The shrubs and easy care plants we have are going crazy at the minute. Fair bit of rain forecast for later on this week so I'm expecting things growing like crazy for a while.

 

I like growing herbs, salad leaves, chillis - I have a big self watering trough on the balcony so it needs little care and anytime I need a few basil leaves, a sprig or parsley or a handful of rocket I can just pick it. I don't use enough to go through the quanties they are sold in and so much gets wasted - maybe $2 for a bunch of basil and more than half gets thrown away, for $3 I can buy a plant and harvest it for months!

[northshorepom]

I was watching a Grand Designs episode where the people were having a monster house built in Spain. The presenter of the show commented on how hard the concreters worked there. They layed the second floor in a day and had to work 12 hours non-stop to get the concrete down in one hit. He said he had never seen a British team do that and doubted if they would have got it done in the UK.

 

Kevin McCloud really isn't an expert on construction - this is just nonsense. Concrete pours always get done in one go, that's, errr, sort of the point. I've personally supervised a 1600m concrete pour in the UK about 15 years ago, took 20 hours to get it in using 3 pumps

[Rossmoyne]

Can you get seedless grapes in Perth yet?

 

Yep and have a large vine growing in my garden full em them every year.

[Parley]

Would anyone not move to Australia because of the high grocery prices ?

 

People do seem to over analyse this in my opinion.

​Things cost what they cost, if you can't avoid the cost then don't worry about it.

[Rossmoyne]

There shut when I get home from work. In WA shopping centres close at 5. And there are 20 years behind UK supermarkets in terms of choice. Coles and woolworths remind my of going back in time when we used to go to kwik save after school.

 

Not sure where you live in Perth Paul but Woolies and Coles are now open until 9pm every weekday night. IGA's are everywhere throughout Perth and they are all open until 8 or 9 pm. You must have a very long work day.

[Bobbsy]

Exactly. Things have a habit of balancing out. Anyway a few thoughts on the original post and spread sheet, many of which have already been posted:

 

-The exchange rate used was $1.40 to the pound; in reality it's 1.497 today. That makes a reasonable difference.

 

-Imported produce is very expensive here but, if you buy local when it's in season the price goes way down--and the quality is much better. (I used to shop this way in the UK too, by the way. Imported strawberries in January were tasteless and woody; British ones in June were superb and cheap.

 

-Making friends with a local fruit and veg shop and butcher can pay dividends in quality and save money--probably more so than in the UK.

 

-Even for Australia, those Perth prices seem very high.

 

​-Pay levels tend to reflect costs anyway--except that doesn't help me since I'm paid a pension in the UK.

[jimmyay1]

I would just like to say a lot of the costs are a lot less in melbourne - quite shocked at how pricy Perth is.

[Guest Ptp113]

Exactly. Things have a habit of balancing out. Anyway a few thoughts on the original post and spread sheet, many of which have already been posted:

 

-The exchange rate used was $1.40 to the pound; in reality it's 1.497 today. That makes a reasonable difference.

 

-Imported produce is very expensive here but, if you buy local when it's in season the price goes way down--and the quality is much better. (I used to shop this way in the UK too, by the way. Imported strawberries in January were tasteless and woody; British ones in June were superb and cheap.

 

-Making friends with a local fruit and veg shop and butcher can pay dividends in quality and save money--probably more so than in the UK.

 

-Even for Australia, those Perth prices seem very high.

does as well.

​-Pay levels tend to reflect costs anyway--except that doesn't help me since I'm paid a pension

 

Costco have great prices on imported food items (and everything else). Qld are getting a Costco, hope WA does as well.

Edited April 30, 2013 by blossom

[jimmyay1]

Hit the nail on the head Paul. I live in Melbourne and it's like living in rural 1980's uk:arghh: My teenage daughter is depressed the shops have limmited choice and VERY expensive.

 

what exactly is it you're unable to find in the shops / limited choice? genuine question- i'm not a teenage girl but would be surprised there's much you couldn't find here. Having moved from 21st century London , i don't find the shops in Melbourne like rural 80's uk in the slightest - or am i completely missing something?