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Picklebobble2 · 61-69, M
It's a worry to me the number of supermarket checkouts that are card only.
Same for many smaller high street outlets.
Aside from no longer giving the spending public a choice in hard times, all that data on your spending habits ?
Where does that go ?
How much is it being sold for ?
And will it be used to deny you services you might later come to need, because of your choices ?
Same for many smaller high street outlets.
Aside from no longer giving the spending public a choice in hard times, all that data on your spending habits ?
Where does that go ?
How much is it being sold for ?
And will it be used to deny you services you might later come to need, because of your choices ?
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@Picklebobble2 You can make life a bit harder for the supermarkets by not using only one habitually, and not having their "loyalty cards"; but why would they or the advertising agencies who buy your details ever want to stop you buying anything?
We won't know what our details are sold for. That will be confidential between shop and ad agency. I worry more about what further sales may occur.
We won't know what our details are sold for. That will be confidential between shop and ad agency. I worry more about what further sales may occur.
Picklebobble2 · 61-69, M
@ArishMell most of it is unimportant.
But given that we import a lot of things not produced in the UK, and the delays in stock replenishing when we do, the prices rise regularly and you wonder whether that's a supply thing or an import thing or a company price gouging thing.
If a product has sales any number of reasons could cause delay.
How long is it going to be before pharmaceutical companies start withholding or maybe even having export licenses withdrawn either by their own government or drug regulator...for whatever reason ?
Makes you a hostage to economic or political will.
But given that we import a lot of things not produced in the UK, and the delays in stock replenishing when we do, the prices rise regularly and you wonder whether that's a supply thing or an import thing or a company price gouging thing.
If a product has sales any number of reasons could cause delay.
How long is it going to be before pharmaceutical companies start withholding or maybe even having export licenses withdrawn either by their own government or drug regulator...for whatever reason ?
Makes you a hostage to economic or political will.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@Picklebobble2 Even if we were to produce many more things than we do, we'd likely still need import the materials; and those are subject to the vagaries of physical supply problems, acts of war, major industrial action, and the stock-market spivs like hedge-fund managers, futures traders and private-equity companies.
Price gouging only really works where the suppliers can work as a near-monoply or cartel, such as the service-areas on the motorways. Supermarkets are less likely to do that because they compete with each other on low cost, and the ones who suffer are not we customers but the food producers, especially the farmers, and the independent shops.
That government action would be likely only from hostile states as an act of war, because they woould not otherwise want to reduce their own nations' exports.
Price gouging only really works where the suppliers can work as a near-monoply or cartel, such as the service-areas on the motorways. Supermarkets are less likely to do that because they compete with each other on low cost, and the ones who suffer are not we customers but the food producers, especially the farmers, and the independent shops.
That government action would be likely only from hostile states as an act of war, because they woould not otherwise want to reduce their own nations' exports.