Cost of living scam?

I don’t know about everyone else, but it seems to me that the cost of groceries and other consumer goods are rising at a ridiculous rate which far exceeds the official inflation rate. If you look at an item, which only last week cost R10, it’s sure to cost between R12 and R15 only a week later. That’s a consumer inflation of between 20% to 50%! Nowhere is that reflected in any of the official surveys or data information. One has to ask, are the retailers ripping us off? I, along with most of the population, I notice that when the price of petrol increases, it is a good excuse to increase prices of consumer goods, but when the reverse occurs and the price of petrol decreases, well, that doesn’t seem to be a good enough reason to decrease prices. The result is an ever escalation of prices. However, there is no relief in sight if there has been an advantageous cost reduction in fuel prices or in very rare cases a decrease in farmers produce costs, which is sometimes due to a good rainy season or other favourable conditions.

The net profits from these retailers increase substantially every year at the expense of the consumer. Just look at the increase in the number of beggars on the streets, while the retail fat cats drive around in their luxury cars and expensive clothing!