Rand breaks through R16 to the dollar

The Trutherizer said:
It'd be nice if it could meaningfully translate to a better economic situation for consumers here.
Click to expand...
I imported a telescope from China for 1/3 less a month+ ago. Took one week! So maybe don’t wait for local importers to catch up.
 
purrr said:
I imported a telescope from China for 1/3 less a month+ ago. Took one week! So maybe don’t wait for local importers to catch up.
Click to expand...
It's the Dollar that got weaker.

The Renminbi also got relatively stronger vs the Dollar. So I think it was probably just a special? Or otherwise China now marketing more aggressively to other countries. Way less stuff being imported by US, so we should expect to benefit from that. In that they obviously still want to swing inventory.

Edit: Then again... I just checked and the Rand has improved relative to the Renminbi as well. Even if that strengthened relative vs Dollar.
 
The Trutherizer said:
That is one of the singular clear ways in which things have improved. The question is though - When does lower transportation overhead, from farms to refrigeration to processing and packaging, translate to savings at the groceries store?
Click to expand...
In a free market you will buy what is cheaper so producers will need to compete on price, might take a few months to get through the channels though.
 
purrr said:
In a free market you will buy what is cheaper so producers will need to compete on price, might take a few months to get through the channels though.
Click to expand...
Food is ever more conglomerated in SA though. If not outright through big conglomerate corpos hoovering up brands, then effectively through big funds buying shares in everything. We've got our own mini BlackRocks here. Big government funds like the GEPF do not seem to mind at all. Plenty of power to put their thumbs on the price scales.
 
The Trutherizer said:
That is one of the singular clear ways in which things have improved. The question is though - When does lower transportation overhead, from farms to refrigeration to processing and packaging, translate to savings at the groceries store?
Click to expand...

Yeah I don’t know, a lot of the pricing is baked in to firstly keep the price lower to keep sales up but the margins tighter.

So the wheel turns slowly before there’s break even to bring the price down.

Not to mention the meat and cooking oil crisis causing its own problems.
 
The Trutherizer said:
Food is ever more conglomerated in SA though. If not outright through big conglomerate corpos hoovering up brands, then effectively through big funds buying shares in everything. We've got our own mini BlackRocks here. Big government funds like the GEPF do not seem to mind at all. Plenty of power to put their thumbs on the price scales.
Click to expand...
Yep, check the names on your canned and boxed products. Its all the same 3-4 companies for 90% of whats on the shelf.

that's why there is never a price difference of more than 5% on similar products and why you see the same packaging materials just with a different label printed on them.

the Government wont help us with is, so best we can do as individuals is to support the independent brands, or if they don't exist, use the store brands. You will probably find the independent brands have better quality products too.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yeah I don’t know, a lot of the pricing is baked in to firstly keep the price lower to keep sales up but the margins tighter.

So the wheel turns slowly before there’s break even to bring the price down.

Not to mention the meat and cooking oil crisis causing its own problems.
Click to expand...
I believe chicken flocks have greatly recovered after the avian flu thing at least. Last I heard that is. Until Russia gets its dick out of Ukraine I don't think cooking oil prices will normalise globally. Though as an imported good I do believe that's one place where we should benefit from the situation with the currencies. Maybe.
 
Sapphiron said:
Yep, check the names on your canned and boxed products. Its all the same 3-4 companies for 90% of whats on the shelf.

that's why there is never a price difference of more than 5% on similar products and why you see the same packaging materials just with a different label printed on them.

the Government wont help us with is, so best we can do as individuals is to support the independent brands, or if they don't exist, use the store brands. You will probably find the independent brands have better quality products too.
Click to expand...
I generally try to support indy butcheries and bakeries these days. Cook a decent portion of my meals. That's about the best I can do.

And no regrets, since you really can get better value and quality, not to mention service, at good indies.

Online order as well. I don't want to give too many of the gems I've found away, but... Getting good Italian stuff from a little online boutique merchant creatively called "The Online Italian" these days as well. Cheeses, pastas, olive oil, canned tomatoes from there. Often very good deals and good stuff. Can't get Reggiano cheaper anywhere I've seen, and a bit of Reggiano goes a long way to turning many pedestrian meals to something kingly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X