INFLATION RATE
If you ask the government what the inflation rate is they will tell you it’s 3.4 percent. Of course food and energy prices are not included in the calculations and anyone who actually goes to a grocery store after filling up their tank could have told you that. I spent fifty years in the printing industry before retiring and then reentering the workforce in retail.
I spend everyday checking out those making purchases. I see the struggles of people trying to make purchases for essentials while counting out coins hoping to have enough to make the purchase. Food prices and energy pieces are connected and I will explain.
Buying habits have changed over the last few years with more concentration going to convenience foods that can be taken from the freezer and put directly into the microwave. To meet that consumer demand stores who sell food had added additional freezers and coolers. These additional refrigeration units have added to their already growing energy bills, which of course has to be passed to consumers.
Petroleum prices have an additional effect on prices in the form of packaging. Plastics and other synthetics are produced from petroleum and every petroleum price increase affects the prices of every plastic bottle, bag and blister pack. When that is added to an increase in shoplifting, which is at its highest level ever you have an overall increase in prices. .
I spend everyday checking out those making purchases. I see the struggles of people trying to make purchases for essentials while counting out coins hoping to have enough to make the purchase. Food prices and energy pieces are connected and I will explain.
Buying habits have changed over the last few years with more concentration going to convenience foods that can be taken from the freezer and put directly into the microwave. To meet that consumer demand stores who sell food had added additional freezers and coolers. These additional refrigeration units have added to their already growing energy bills, which of course has to be passed to consumers.
Petroleum prices have an additional effect on prices in the form of packaging. Plastics and other synthetics are produced from petroleum and every petroleum price increase affects the prices of every plastic bottle, bag and blister pack. When that is added to an increase in shoplifting, which is at its highest level ever you have an overall increase in prices. .
