Surprised at how much supermarkets are charging

I believe that inflation is around anywhere from 8% to 11% and according to Martyn Dorey, a financial marketing director, he warns that food prices are to go up quite a lot in the next year.

Yet in shopping at the local supermarkets just the other day it looks as though their calculations have gone into overdrive in their assessment of putting up food prices way above inflation.

As example, Marks & Spencer – French loaf one day £1.35 now £2.10, about 13% increase. Waitrose Guernsey butter was £1.85 now again about 13% increase. These are just examples of being ripped off by these giants.

We accept possibly small increases but these are ridiculous. Just wait until GST is introduced.

Would the supermarkets like to comment on these massive percentage increases? And the general public also to notify the Press of other examples.

R S MAUGER

Rue Des Frieteaux

St Martin’s

Editors note: James Bolton, general manager at M&S Guernsey, and team respond:

Many thanks for your interest in Marks & Spencer Guernsey. We are a locally managed and owned franchise business under licence from M&S plc employing many local people and supporting a wide number of local businesses and company alliances.

As a management team we are concerned at the suggestion that we are profiteering off the back of global price increases and are giants unaffected by climatic economic change.

To answer your pricing highlights, we are confident that our prices are extremely competitive locally. Marks & Spencer Guernsey has actually invested in price and margin reduction through its Remarksable campaign to ensure important essential items retain the M&S quality at an everyday low price. This is not just value it’s Remarksable value.

Here are a few examples:

Bread £1

Iceburg lettuce £0.75

Milk £1.50

Tomatoes x six £1

Mince beef 500g 20% Fat £2

Celery £1

Broccoli £0.75

Oranges five-pack £1.50

Parsnips 500g £0.70

Mixed grapes £2.50

Cauliflower £1

Gala apples £1.95

Baked beans large tin £0.60

Penne pasta 500g £1.10

Tinned chopped tomatoes £0.65

Rich tea biscuits £1.70

Total £19.70

We invite you to conduct your own market assessment against the competition, where you will discover not just these but many other examples of great value in core food items.

That said, it must be appreciated that although not ideal Guernsey is not immune to global production cost pressures affecting cost price and the shipment of goods to the island, notably seeing increased shipment costs from the UK to Guernsey inflate by over 40% this year.

I would not look at our three-store business as corporate giants, but as supporters of the local people we employ and the community we work in. The commentary inference does not resonate with our business ethics and standards we strive to achieve.

We will, where possible, retain prices at a position equitable to the cost of business operation and purchase price returning comparative value to the consumer without compromising quality or standards.

The team at Mark & Spencer wish the Guernsey Press and its readers a very merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Editors note: A spokesman from Waitrose responds:

We’re working hard to make sure we offer great value, while continuing to deliver industry-leading animal welfare standards, fresh produce grown with care and fair deals for farmers.

We regularly review our prices to make sure they’re fair and competitive.

Our Essential Waitrose range is also popular with customers looking for outstanding value and quality.