Huge markup on imported foods. Why?

[Dan O]

Just now, giddyup said:

Then surely  that works in the opposite way, ie a kilo of Thai rice should be 3 times the price in Thailand?

Nope it doesn't necessarily. You apparently don't understand logistics and international transport and trade.

 

You're free to show your displeasure by not buying the products you feel are overpriced. That's what intelligent people do. 

[seajae]

never liked vegemite or marmite, promite is better than both

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, seajae said:

never liked vegemite or marmite, promite is better than both

Ever see that on a shelf in Thailand? If not your point is moot.

[scubascuba3]

There is profiteering going on, but products do have price elasticity of demand, i.e. over a certain price the product just isn't worth it, cheese, butter, marmite, etc highfalutin guys think differently

[seajae]

Just now, giddyup said:

Ever see that on a shelf in Thailand? If not your point is moot.

I have it sent from Australia every so often, couldnt care about not getting it here as I dont have it often, just pointing out its better than both , dim sims on the other hand are a total rip off here, bag of 30 is $10 in Australia, $50 plus here, that is a rip off, same with other frozen food, 500% mark up plus is total BS. Mark ups for foreign food etc is very high here as the importers know we will pay it, some things are actually cheaper if you buy them from Australia and have the seller post them to you 

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

My gripe for today.

I understand there are shipping costs and tax, but how does a A$4.20 jar of vegemite cost nearly $12 (260 baht) in Thailand? If Australia imposed those kind of markups on Thai products I doubt they'd be able to sell a kilo of rice.

Thailand does not impose those mark-ups, the retailers do that and they have nothing to do with the price of rice exported to Australia. 

[Oink]

Here is one for you

How come Australian Leg of Lamb costs AU$15 (340 Baht) in Coles & 350 Baht/ kg in Makro

[ChipButty]

Our Sunday morning ritual is going to makro for all the cleaning stuff, water and I buy my cheese from there, then off we go to Tops in central, you have really got to watch what you pick up and check the prices especially the imported brands, I dont buy much these days, I was about to get some tins of soup I checked the price it was 256 baht per can, thats not right so I called the girl over and pointed it out to her, it went in one ear and out of the other, a few months back my wife got me a jar of piccalilli, Waitrose brand, she knows I like it, when she brought it home I said to her something wrong with that, I wasn't with her when she bought it, the sauce was like water and the was no cauliflower in it, to late to take back I had opened it, the next time I was in the store I pulled the manager and told him, He said thanks for telling him, they did nothing about it, it was left there for months, obviously I didn't buy any more.

We are lucky in Phuket we have loads of Super Cheap, I have known farangs not to go in them they think it;s low class, but the prices are always lower and you can buy a beer anytime.    

[Tidal wave]

If you ask my Mrs. she will tell you that it has to come a long way.. I don' ask her anymore. 

[newbee2022]

....because they can 😂

[Korat Kiwi]

3 hours ago, Celsius said:

Funny. I start a thread asking if Thailand is good value for money and get attacked by bootlickers.

 

Yet.....

 

Another day another whinge about prices, pensions, dual pricing, imported foods, TAT, road accidents, expensive hospital bills, national parks, bar fines.... 

 

I think most of you have been here so long, you forgot how well stocked grocery stores are back home. And cheap. Healthy, yummy food at good prices. I know, because I go back every year. But most of you choose to watch YouTube for news just like losers back home who think you can live in Thailand on $1000 a month.

You could live in Thailand on $1000 a month.... but it wouldn't be luxurious. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

2 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

 

 

I put the poor food quality in Australia down to the beefy women who are to lazy to put any time into preparation and just want to skool down Fosters cans.

Get with it. No one much drinks Fosters in Australia. It's 2024. Not 1984. 

[Bday Prang]

2 hours ago, itsari said:

A Shelah can be bought cheaply if you can get your arms around them that is, Asians come at a premium

Even cheaper if you can't get your arms around them i would wager

[Classic Ray]

I have reacted to the sudden price rises on imported food by not buying it.

 

There are local alternatives for a lot, eg cheap local tomatoes instead of expensive canned, and I just stopped buying imported meat, more local chicken and fish.

 

But many local foods eg eggs have also risen rapidly. The economy is poor and retailers will eventually have to eat their cost increases to maintain sales.

[J Branche]

Jobs, to bring investment to Thailand.  If is manufactured in Thailand the costs are less.  Customs duties etc make some imported products ridiculously expensive.  They also know that some foreign tourists will pay for brands they are familiar with as they are not usually good with the quick currency conversion at the point of sale

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

The only people who want Vegemite are Australians and so they have to import in relatively low quantities and this pushes the price up. 

Not totally true.  My Thai son, his Thai wife and his 4 kids love it. Years ago my Thai son gave his Thai mother in a piece of toast with Vegemite, now she asks or it along with the fresh hilltribe coffee we make for her (she previously always drank  3 in 1). 

 

We bought her a jar of Vegemite to take home to Tak.

 

She's the village chief, she buys local bread, slices it, toasts it and adds Vegemite, the kids in the village love it / ask for it.

 

Sure it's not for everybody.  

[bradiston]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

High profit....

 

Although goods coming from Europe will have to come around the Cape

making transport costs higher...

 

regards worgeordie

Is the Suez canal still blocked? A war zone? Pirates?

[Luuk Chaai]

4 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

I only have to look in the local Lotus to see how this practice often doesn't work out too well.   A good example being foreign butter.  different brands appear regularly  often priced at around 185-200 baht for a 250g pack.

 It generally remains on the shelves untouched , often for months, then as it approaches the best before date the price is reduced rapidly.

         It invariably ends up at around 90 baht which is a similar price to the totally revolting local "allowrie" offering,   I often wonder how they sell any of that "allowrie"  stuff at all

when the shops in Hua Hin stock up on WestGold butter  .   you have to move quick ....  it flies off the shelves

 I always buy 10 at a time

[Celsius]

Can you imagine what would they charge for a schooner of VB?

[marin]

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

Old El Paso Medium Salsa 260 baht at Tops. Up 35 baht recently

Make your own salsa, cheaper and better. Tomatoes, onion, chilis, garlic, salt, coriander "Pak Chee" here and lemon or lime juice.  

[worgeordie]

47 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Is the Suez canal still blocked? A war zone? Pirates?

The Houthi's  from Yemen are attacking ships in the Red Sea , just in the

news , they attacked a British oil tanker...

 

regards Worgeordie

[Gobbler]

5 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Plus in Sydney it would be a draft beer and a large woman !!

Haven't you noticed that Thai Women now weigh, on average, 60 kilos? 

[John Drake]

1 minute ago, marin said:

Make your own salsa, cheaper and better. Tomatoes, onion, chilis, garlic, salt, coriander "Pak Chee" here and lemon or lime juice.  

 

You're right. I should. I used to make gallons of it back in the US. And homemade salsa is better. I should really motivate myself to go out and buy a blender for it.

[marin]

4 minutes ago, John Drake said:

And homemade salsa is better. I should really motivate myself to go out and buy a blender for it.

I prefer the chunkier type so no blender necessary. Stays fresh about 2 weeks sealed in a glass jar in the fridge.