Huge markup on imported foods. Why?

[LennyW]

1 hour 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.

You say you understand shipping costs and tax, but i doubt you understand just how expensive shipping has become, In the last two years shipping costs have quadrupled, and that is about to get worse unfortunately. Massive taxes on imported goods, then you also have FDA charges, Transport and local distribution charges, then the end retailer needs to make a profit. So what does a kilo of Thai rice cost in Australia?

 

[Jerry777]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

First they just want to show you that the stronger baht, will NOT give YOU any better prices on imported goods! 🤣😉

After that, they know what they do, as availability and demand as well as coordinated price cartels set the markup so everybody follow. They already know, we will buy what we like and miss from home, whatever price they put on it. They are just laughing, and talk about how stupid we are.

Do us all a favor ad change your profile photo. Or is the best view anyone can make?

[Lacessit]

54 minutes ago, giddyup said:

 

You have to factor in cost of living, wages etc. Chalk and cheese.

True. That's why I live here comfortably, instead of struggling in Australia.

 

I don't buy much imported food here. Every month, I stock up my freezer with Atlantic salmon, chicken breasts, steak, and pork tenderloin. Fruit, eggs and vegetables come from the day market. I buy almonds and Kelloggs Bran Flakes on Lazada.

 

IMO those complaining about high food prices are not looking hard enough at local alternatives. A failure to adapt.

 

Example: Cheese prices at Big C and Tops are ridiculous.

 

I can buy a 500 gm block of Mainland Tasty cheese in Makro for 270 baht.

 

OTOH, I can also buy a 500 gm block of ARO tasty cheese for 190 baht, and I can't pick any difference in taste.

[John Drake]

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

 

Mission Wraps of all types 119 baht at Foodland, Tops. Up 18 baht recently

 

Old El Paso Plain Tortilla Chips 169 baht at Foodland, Gourmet Market. Up 40 baht recently

 

All the imported cheeses are now so high, I'm buying local cheese available at Foodland Phutthamonthon Sai 4 for 1/3 the price of imported.

 

Thank God for that strong baht!!!

 

 

[Lacessit]

17 minutes ago, itsari said:

Or people that have good taste

You mean people who like warm beer and cold pork pies? Or the consumers of hot dogs and pork ribs?

 

Vegemite is an Australian institution, kids get it the first day they are started on solid food. Our palates are trained for it.

 

I am always amused by non-Australians who try it. They react as if they have been poisoned.

[Patong2021]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

So you slam us for not regularly visiting our countries of birth, when you haven't been back to yours for 30+ years!

 

Be fair, would you want to go to Serbia, even for a visit? There is a reason why Serbians went to Canada as refugees.

[giddyup]

25 minutes ago, LennyW said:

You say you understand shipping costs and tax, but i doubt you understand just how expensive shipping has become, In the last two years shipping costs have quadrupled, and that is about to get worse unfortunately. Massive taxes on imported goods, then you also have FDA charges, Transport and local distribution charges, then the end retailer needs to make a profit. So what does a kilo of Thai rice cost in Australia?

 

A$3 for 1kg of Jasmine rice. It costs roughly A$2 in a 7/11 here.

Edited October 4 by giddyup

[Ralf001]

 

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

 you can live in Thailand on $1000 a month.

 

I spend slightly less than that.. so yes one can live here on $1000 australia peso's.

Edited October 4 by Ralf001

[Celsius]

22 minutes ago, LennyW said:

So what does a kilo of Thai rice cost in Australia?

 

 

Much cheaper  than a can of spam in Thailand.

 

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/35007/woolworths-white-rice-long-grain

[MalcolmB]

https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/home/nearly-10-for-vegemite-aussies-fume-over-price-hike-of-pantry-staple/news-story/8995d9642d68dd5f0565312742b007d6
 

 

 

The Aussies are whining about it over there too.

 

As we know, Aussies love to complain. They should be grateful anybody bothers to import the stuff. It isn’t like anyone else what eat it.

 

Marmite, the original higher quality product is cheaper because of demand and scale.

 

Vegemite is just an inferior copy of a British popular product. 
 

Aussies carry on as they invented it. 🤣

 

Same with their BarBQ. Completely dissapointing, Brazilian, USA, Korean BarBQs all far superior. A manufactured burnt sausage wrapped in white bread with ketchup!

 

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.

[itsari]

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You mean people who like warm beer and cold pork pies? Or the consumers of hot dogs and pork ribs?

 

Vegemite is an Australian institution, kids get it the first day they are started on solid food. Our palates are trained for it.

 

I am always amused by non-Australians who try it. They react as if they have been poisoned.

I mean people that eat Vegemite.

The main diet was for some years rabbit in Australia as explained to me by an Australian years ago 

The same man told me we had no complaints as that was all they could afford at the time.

He never gave Vegemite a mention.

He was a very likable man 

[giddyup]

Just now, MalcolmB said:

https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/home/nearly-10-for-vegemite-aussies-fume-over-price-hike-of-pantry-staple/news-story/8995d9642d68dd5f0565312742b007d6
 

 

 

The Aussies are whining about it over there too.

 

As we know, Aussies love to complain. They should be grateful anybody bothers to import the stuff. It isn’t like anyone else what eat it.

 

Marmite, the original higher quality product is cheaper because of demand and scale.

 

Vegemite is just an inferior copy of a British popular product. 
 

Aussies carry on as they invented it. 🤣

 

Same with their BarBQ. Completely dissapointing, Brazilian, USA, Korean BarBQs all far superior. A manufactured burnt sausage wrapped in white bread with ketchup!

 

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.

Marmite and Vegemite bear no resemblance in taste.  It's just a matter of preference, no need to start slagging Aussies. The term whinging Pom is given for good reasons.

[ravip]

1 hour 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.

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.

 

To be honest, back home if things are that good, why stay in Thailand? Instead of visiting home once an year, why not reside at home and visit Thailand once a year?

 

Instead of blaming others of been too long in Thailand, watching YouTube and been losers & bootlickers, think about yourself honestly, and realize to yourself who the real loser is.

 

Everyone who does not agree with you cant be losers, isn't it?

 

First, be honest with yourself!

[itsari]

3 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Marmite and Vegemite bear no resemblance in taste.  It's just a matter of preference, no need to start slagging Aussies. The term whinging Pom is given for good reasons.

Best of you can take as much as you give Sir

Except Vegemite of course

[Celsius]

2 minutes ago, ravip said:

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.

 

To be honest, back home if things are that good, why stay in Thailand? Instead of visiting home once an year, why not reside at home and visit Thailand once a year?

 

Instead of blaming others of been too long in Thailand, watching YouTube and been losers & bootlickers, think about yourself honestly, and realize to yourself who the real loser is.

 

Everyone who does not agree with you cant be losers, isn't it?

 

First, be honest with yourself!

 

I am not blaming anyone for staying in Thailand. I just call out people when they write lies.

 

 

[ravip]

20 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/home/nearly-10-for-vegemite-aussies-fume-over-price-hike-of-pantry-staple/news-story/8995d9642d68dd5f0565312742b007d6
 

 

 

The Aussies are whining about it over there too.

 

As we know, Aussies love to complain. They should be grateful anybody bothers to import the stuff. It isn’t like anyone else what eat it.

 

Marmite, the original higher quality product is cheaper because of demand and scale.

 

Vegemite is just an inferior copy of a British popular product. 
 

Aussies carry on as they invented it. 🤣

 

Same with their BarBQ. Completely dissapointing, Brazilian, USA, Korean BarBQs all far superior. A manufactured burnt sausage wrapped in white bread with ketchup!

 

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.

The Misunderstood Difference Between Marmite And Vegemite

 

https://www.foodrepublic.com/1441734/difference-between-marmite-vegemite/

 

I don't know which is superior or better, but fresh bread, butter and either of these goes down well with me, anytime! 555

Edited October 4 by ravip

[Dan O]

2 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.

Part of the mark up is due to shipping cost which are more than you may think on small quantity transports.  Then there is import duties on certain items which can be quite large. The remainder is their profit for a limited market and no economy of scale like on many domestic items or large volume products.  

[simon43]

1 hour 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 can live very healthily and happily in Thailand on less than $1,000 USD/month!  Granted, I'm not eating imported wago beef... 🙂

[MarkBR]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I bring enough Vegemite in to last me until I go back to Australia. Rinse and repeat.

 

Imported cheese ( Mainland ) does not cost much more at Makro than in Australia.

 

If the OP wants to see a really big markup, I suggest aged care in Australia.

Marmite (the superior product) is seriously expensive

[giddyup]

3 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Marmite (the superior product) is seriously expensive

Superior how?

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, MarkBR said:

Marmite (the superior product) is seriously expensive

250bht for 250gm, (Food Variety or BritiShop) not that expensive seeing it lasts months.

[still kicking]

5 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Marmite (the superior product) is seriously expensive

Superior shoe paste

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Part of the mark up is due to shipping cost which are more than you may think on small quantity transports.  Then there is import duties on certain items which can be quite large. The remainder is their profit for a limited market and no economy of scale like on many domestic items or large volume products.  

I imagine Vegemite comes in a container along with many other imported Australian items, but for what it costs it may well get a first class seat on a plane.

[SAFETY FIRST]

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

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

I've got a few friends who come to Thailand every year, I give them my shopping list before they depart, they bring with them my goodies. 

 

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

If people are so attached to "luxuries" like Spam and Vegemite and are willing to pay stupid money for them , then this sort of thing will just continue.  

Joke of the day - 'SPAM is a luxury'.

 

Fact of the day - 'SPAM is dog chit'.

[Celsius]

Mini in Thailand is a luxury car.

 

And so is 22sqm condo.

 

"value for money"

[Dan O]

8 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I imagine Vegemite comes in a container along with many other imported Australian items, but for what it costs it may well get a first class seat on a plane.

Being in a container with other items doesn't  make it cheaper unless every item in the container is coming from the same shipper. If the freight forwarder is combining your small shipment freight with other freight to make a full container load you dont get charged the cheaper full container freight charge. you pay the higher small shipment fees as its much more labor intensive to combine shipments at origin to make a container load and then breakdown and distribute at destination.  Theres a lot of logistics that go into small shipments that people aren't aware of.

[giddyup]

22 minutes ago, ravip said:

The Misunderstood Difference Between Marmite And Vegemite

 

https://www.foodrepublic.com/1441734/difference-between-marmite-vegemite/

 

I don't know which is superior or better, but fresh bread, butter and either of these goes down well with me, anytime! 555

There is no superior. Both are made in a similar way, Vegemite has a few ingredients Marmite doesn't have, but preference is a personal taste.

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Being in a container with other items doesn't  make it cheaper unless every item in the container is coming from the same shipper. If the freight forwarder is combining your small shipment freight with other freight to make a full container load you dont get charged the cheaper full container freight charge. you pay the higher small shipment fees as its much more labor intensive to combine shipments at origin to make a container load and then breakdown and distribute at destination.  Theres a lot of logistics that go into small shipments that people aren't aware of.

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

Edited October 4 by giddyup

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, Jerry777 said:

Do us all a favor ad change your profile photo. Or is the best view anyone can make?

Why are you focusing on that? What has my profile photo to do with the topic? But maybe you are suffering from a lower capacity to understand, so the topic discussed goes far over your head.