Huge markup on imported foods. Why?

[BruceWayne]

On 10/7/2024 at 12:52 AM, BritManToo said:

Teapot 50% butter blend (YoK) is good enough for me @100bht for 500g. 

 

Are you sure that stuff is legit?

 

50% of 500g = 250g of pure butter yet 260g of pure butter costs about 370B???

 

Another one for TIT list or am I missing something?

 

Also, anyone tried to make their own?

Edited October 8 by BruceWayne

[BruceWayne]

On 10/4/2024 at 2:46 AM, Celsius said:

you forgot how well stocked grocery stores are back home. And cheap. Healthy, yummy food at good prices. 

 

Or they want to forget

[NowNow]

44 minutes ago, BruceWayne said:

 

Are you sure that stuff is legit?

 

50% of 500g = 250g of pure butter yet 260g of pure butter costs about 370B???

 

Another one for TIT list or am I missing something?

 

Also, anyone tried to make their own?

 

I think you are confused. 500 grams of Anchor costs less than 260 baht.

 

But regardless of that, how can I put this politely...?

Teapot is from the same company that, how can I say it, modified the recipe of Carnation products in Asia. So instead of whole milk, you get a little milk powder and a lot of additives.  Teapot, Magnolia, Carnation, Bear Brand... 

I wouldn't.

[NowNow]

Personally, if I want butter that I'm actually going to eat, I would buy an imported product that stated that it was made from cream and nothing else. Not made under licence in any other country or Butter oil, skimmed milk powder nor any other nonsense. 

If I'm going to cook with it, Anchor will do in a pinch. If I going to eat it with bread or some such; Waitrose Organic or a similar quality. But in practice I use EVOO.

Of course if you don't care, you can eat anything.

[Fortean1]

On 10/4/2024 at 5:59 PM, ravip said:

By the way, what happened to Maxwell House Coffee ? Haven't seen it around for decades!  That US coffee in the red jar. Not really a favorite of mine, but...

Maxwell changed their ingredients slightly about 2006, just before we moved to Thailand.  We switched to Nescafe.

[BruceWayne]

2 hours ago, NowNow said:

Personally, if I want butter that I'm actually going to eat, I would buy an imported product that stated that it was made from cream and nothing else. Not made under licence in any other country or Butter oil, skimmed milk powder nor any other nonsense. 

If I'm going to cook with it, Anchor will do in a pinch. If I going to eat it with bread or some such; Waitrose Organic or a similar quality. But in practice I use EVOO.

Of course if you don't care, you can eat anything.

MAJOR problem with Thailand imho.

 

Seems cheap overall but VERY low quality - applies to EVERYTHING (apart from the obvious 💋) it seems with very few exceptions.

 

If you want a comparable quality of life with the west it's VERY expensive though it's easy for us to rationalise it away.

[Presnock]

On 10/4/2024 at 7:49 AM, 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.

totally agree.  we have been shopping at TOPPS for the last year with occassional stops at Villamart (Latkrabang) I have been buying olive oil for years and the past year the prices have more than doubled now about 700-800 baht, for unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 650-700 baht, and then yesterday at Villamart I was looking for rolled oats )(1 kilo) from US was 600 baht!!!!! I buy from UK or Aus for less than 300 (organic) or less than 200 from Australia.  I read about the olive groves in Spain and those problems to try to explain why the great increase but looking at some of the fruits and veggies even local, I am amazed that the locals can afford to shop there at all.  I guess it is like the complaints from the Americans in the US - the explanations for the high costs of groceries and other items is due to the inflation during the pandemic period - that is over, inflation is barely above 2% now so why are the prices still so high there too?  Guess the rich just need to get richer to keep up with their neighbors.  Same with the big pharma folks and health insurers - now I see their member costs are for "Cadillac coverage" based on the costs!  getting extremely expensive.

[1FinickyOne]

On 10/4/2024 at 7:49 AM, giddyup said:

how does a A$4.20 jar of vegemite cost nearly $12 (260 baht) in Thailand?

Easy - at $4.2 a jar, they might land it at $7-8 and then a 50% mark up as it is probably not a high volume item but they stock it to meet the requests of a few customers. I have never tasted the stuff myself... but when you do the math and figure in their costs of doing business, it doesn't sound that expensive to me.. 

[1FinickyOne]

13 hours ago, BruceWayne said:

MAJOR problem with Thailand imho.

 

Seems cheap overall but VERY low quality - applies to EVERYTHING (apart from the obvious 💋) it seems with very few exceptions.

 

If you want a comparable quality of life with the west it's VERY expensive though it's easy for us to rationalise it away.

I have been coming here a long time before retiring here. I never heard a government official or anyone promote retirement here because it is cheap... sounds like your mate just talking eh? 

 

I enjoy that many things are much cheaper, but I do not expect it or feel it is a guarantee... there are many things that go into the price equation... 

[StevieAus]

On 10/7/2024 at 7:36 PM, giddyup said:

Is that even possible?

Having today just returned from Sydney and looking at prices it would be a pretty low standard of living

[pest]

On 10/6/2024 at 1:43 AM, Nemises said:

Not just Vegemite. 
 

250g punnet of strawberries : 90 cents (20 baht) in Aus. 
 

How much in Thailand?

 

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Presnock said:

totally agree.  we have been shopping at TOPPS for the last year with occassional stops at Villamart (Latkrabang) I have been buying olive oil for years and the past year the prices have more than doubled now about 700-800 baht, for unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 650-700 baht, and then yesterday at Villamart I was looking for rolled oats )(1 kilo) from US was 600 baht!!!!! I buy from UK or Aus for less than 300 (organic) or less than 200 from Australia.  I read about the olive groves in Spain and those problems to try to explain why the great increase but looking at some of the fruits and veggies even local, I am amazed that the locals can afford to shop there at all.  I guess it is like the complaints from the Americans in the US - the explanations for the high costs of groceries and other items is due to the inflation during the pandemic period - that is over, inflation is barely above 2% now so why are the prices still so high there too?  Guess the rich just need to get richer to keep up with their neighbors.  Same with the big pharma folks and health insurers - now I see their member costs are for "Cadillac coverage" based on the costs!  getting extremely expensive.

That's like shopping at Harrods and complaining it's cheaper in ASDA.

 

Villamart and Topps are the highest cost stores you could find in Thailand, try local markets and Lazada to get much better prices.

 

Supermarkets in Thailand are for those with cash to burn, not the discount stores we expect in the western world.

Edited October 9 by BritManToo

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

That's like shopping at Harrods and complaining it's cheaper in ASDA.

 

Villamart and Topps are the highest cost stores you could find in Thailand, try local markets and Lazada to get much better prices.

 

Supermarkets in Thailand are for those with cash to burn, not the discount stores we expect in the western world.

Yet Villa sells Vegemite considerably cheaper than Lazada.

[AjarnMartin]

On 10/4/2024 at 4:50 PM, itsari said:

Must be expensive in the UK as surely there can not be much of a market there as Australians have no desire to  be resident there amongst such complaining individuals.

itsari, I may be British but I live and work in Thailand and buy my Vegemite from Thai suppliers. God knows how expensive the product is in London! 🤣🙏🏻

[NowNow]

4 minutes ago, AjarnMartin said:

itsari, I may be British but I live and work in Thailand and buy my Vegemite from Thai suppliers. God knows how expensive the product is in London! 🤣🙏🏻

 

£2.20/96 baht/AU$4.27

 

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/263013202

[NowNow]

5 hours ago, Presnock said:

totally agree.  we have been shopping at TOPPS for the last year with occassional stops at Villamart (Latkrabang) I have been buying olive oil for years and the past year the prices have more than doubled now about 700-800 baht, for unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 650-700 baht, and then yesterday at Villamart I was looking for rolled oats )(1 kilo) from US was 600 baht!!!!! I buy from UK or Aus for less than 300 (organic) or less than 200 from Australia.  I read about the olive groves in Spain and those problems to try to explain why the great increase but looking at some of the fruits and veggies even local, I am amazed that the locals can afford to shop there at all.  I guess it is like the complaints from the Americans in the US - the explanations for the high costs of groceries and other items is due to the inflation during the pandemic period - that is over, inflation is barely above 2% now so why are the prices still so high there too?  Guess the rich just need to get richer to keep up with their neighbors.  Same with the big pharma folks and health insurers - now I see their member costs are for "Cadillac coverage" based on the costs!  getting extremely expensive.

 

A litre of Extra Virgin olive oil costs less in Pattaya. Fragata (Spanish) I think is between 549 and 569 baht.

600 baht at Villa.

Edited October 9 by NowNow

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, AjarnMartin said:

itsari, I may be British but I live and work in Thailand and buy my Vegemite from Thai suppliers. God knows how expensive the product is in London! 🤣🙏🏻

2.20 pounds in Tesco.

[NowNow]

4 minutes ago, giddyup said:

2.20 pounds in Tesco.

 

Seven minutes too late. Already posted above 😊

[Gcart]

On 10/4/2024 at 8:22 AM, jacko45k said:

But you are discussing a special sector of the market, Expats buying their imported foods the locals would not touch with a barge pole... don't expect parity!

Exactly!  Anything the Thais don't usually eat or drink is loaded with high tariffs.  Thais drink Whisky but not wine, so a bottle of whisky is cheaper than a half-decent bottle of wine.

[Pattaya57]

36 minutes ago, NowNow said:

 

£2.20/96 baht/AU$4.27

 

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/263013202

It's funny that it's cheaper in the UK than in Aussie. Latest price in Coles was $5.00

 

Edited October 9 by Pattaya57

[BangkokReady]

The purpose of a tax is to disincentivise someone from doing something.  They want you buying Thai food, not foreign food.

[NowNow]

25 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

It's funny that it's cheaper in the UK than in Aussie. Latest price in Coles was $5.00

 

 

Higher profit margins in Oz. Captive audience.

[LennyW]

On 10/9/2024 at 12:59 PM, AjarnMartin said:

itsari, I may be British but I live and work in Thailand and buy my Vegemite from Thai suppliers. God knows how expensive the product is in London! 🤣🙏🏻

So how much do you pay?

[LennyW]

On 10/9/2024 at 7:22 AM, Presnock said:

totally agree.  we have been shopping at TOPPS for the last year with occassional stops at Villamart (Latkrabang) I have been buying olive oil for years and the past year the prices have more than doubled now about 700-800 baht, for unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 650-700 baht, and then yesterday at Villamart I was looking for rolled oats )(1 kilo) from US was 600 baht!!!!! I buy from UK or Aus for less than 300 (organic) or less than 200 from Australia.  I read about the olive groves in Spain and those problems to try to explain why the great increase but looking at some of the fruits and veggies even local, I am amazed that the locals can afford to shop there at all.  I guess it is like the complaints from the Americans in the US - the explanations for the high costs of groceries and other items is due to the inflation during the pandemic period - that is over, inflation is barely above 2% now so why are the prices still so high there too?  Guess the rich just need to get richer to keep up with their neighbors.  Same with the big pharma folks and health insurers - now I see their member costs are for "Cadillac coverage" based on the costs!  getting extremely expensive.

Wow, you shop at the two most expensive shops in Thailand for foreign foods!!

[Jimjim1]

On 10/4/2024 at 7:49 AM, giddyup said:

If Australia imposed those kind of markups on Thai products I doubt they'd be able to sell a kilo of rice.

You have hit it in one “ imposed markups “ in other words tax levies by a greedy government, import tax, distribution tax  and after sales tax.

[Korat Kiwi]

On 10/9/2024 at 1:23 PM, Gcart said:

Exactly!  Anything the Thais don't usually eat or drink is loaded with high tariffs.  Thais drink Whisky but not wine, so a bottle of whisky is cheaper than a half-decent bottle of wine.

Agree, however I spotted an Indian whisky (Really?) in Lotus'sss a while back. 

 

Just 299 baht.  Surprisingly OK.  I've just finished the 2nd bottle and now Lowt Arse has put the price upto 428 baht.  Bastards.  I think they initially got their price wrong actually.  It's a 41% ABV so it demands a higher tax. 

 

That aside it actually tasted quite good... Brown Barley Whisky.  Give it a go. 

[Korat Kiwi]

On 10/9/2024 at 1:42 PM, Pattaya57 said:

It's funny that it's cheaper in the UK than in Aussie. Latest price in Coles was $5.00

 

It's the same as NZ lamb.  All the good stuff gets exported to the UK.  And it's cheaper there than in NZ. 

 

Now please don't start on the sheep shagger jokes! 

[owl sees all]

On 10/4/2024 at 8:49 AM, Lacessit said:

I can remember a guy I used to work with, who traveled to Libya with two large jars of Vegemite.

 

The Libyan Customs thought it was plastic explosive. They made him eat half a jar to prove it wasn't.

My mate Mick got his Marmite confiscated at Swampy, on the way in, a few years back.

Edited October 11 by owl sees all

[Doctor Tom]

18 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

My mate Mick got his Marmite confiscated at Swampy, on the way in, a few years back.

They were trying to save his life 😁

[owl sees all]

You could be right. But he was bringing it in for me.