Only One Bottle Of Cooking Oil At Tesco?

[QED]

Went shopping at Tesco, and down the huge aisle full of every type of cooking oil there were signs in Thai (I can't read Thai yet) with the number 1 on them. I thought it might be buy one get one free, I intended to buy 2 bottles anyway but wasn't bothered if one was free or not.

At the checkout 1 bottle was put aside and the rest of my groceries checked through. With my bad Thai and her very bad English I kind of worked out I was only allowed to purchase 1 bottle. After I had paid the bill she put the second bottle through and held her hand out "haasip ped baht" (I don't buy this cheap palm oil you know). Fair enough, I paid and left a little bemused.

What is this about? Is there a shortage? There didn't seem to be in Tesco as the whole aisle was crammed with probably 10's of thousands of bottles. What about the 2 liter or even 5 liter bottles? Do you have to pour some out?

Confused.

[ovenman]

Perhaps something to do with this story: potential cooking oil price hike

[random]

you normally see crowds waiting at Tesco for a particular type, I think they put it on offer and sell it cheap and they limit the amount u can buy, you normally see one whole family with one bottle each queuing up

[phaethon]

I wonder if it's an attempt to deter the street/market traders from clogging up the checkouts with trolleys full of of oil and MSG etc. Usually I get to Carrefour at 9 and try to be out by 10 before the market folk arrive. If I'm late i have to go upstairs and pay at the music checkout - that always annoys them

The idea of opening more checkouts is just way beyond them...

[katabeachbum]

Retail prices on groceries are government limited in LOS

Palm oil has had huge increase in price since all diesel vehicles now are running 5% biodiesel made from palmoil blended in diesel (B5).

To not loose money on oil sales in grocery stores, they have limited amount you can buy

seems like government has accepted an increase in retail price for palmoil today