Udon Thani Thailand Forum - Udon Thani, Thailand

Hi,

Just wanted to share this to make sure it isn't just in my head. Has anyone noticed quite dramatic rises in the prices in our supermarkets? I'm referring particularly to Tesco Lotus Rangsina. In the last month or so, I have started taking notice, and I'm not talking about wine, which is another complaint topic altogether.

First of all, it was the cheese. I like that New Zealand brand, Mainland. Their cheese used to be about 185-189THB for 250grams. Then, a few weeks ago, it jumped up to 209THB. That's about a 10% increase. Today, I took a photo of it (attached). It's now back to 189THB, but only on a yellow sticker which indicates a discount. Discount my ass!!! Bring the price up and then drop it down and make something appear like it's better value for money. That's fraudulent advertising, in my book.

Then, there's the Tesco brand cornflakes, 500gram box. Before, these hovered around the 90THB mark and were cheaper than Kelloggs. Sometimes, they increased to 115THB, same as Kelloggs. Imagine my shock when I saw them at 145THB today!!! That's a 26% increase on 115THB and a 61% increase on 90THB. (See attached) Will we see a yellow sticker here soon?

Finally, Ayam brand baked beans. For ages these were 32THB. Now they're at 42THB, but today we are lucky because they have knocked 1THB off so you can get them for 41THB on the yellow sticker. 30% increase for a tin of beans.

What the f**k is going on in these places? If one were a conspiracy theorist, one might think they said to themselves, "Look, aren't these products that mainly farangs purchase? Let's rip those farangs off because they are only ---- on our shoes anyway...555"

Any thoughts? I'll try to have a cup of tea to calm my nerves. Free tea courtesy of my kind-hearted mother.

"Free tea courtesy of my kind-hearted mother."

She hasnt told you yet that the water milk and sugar have all gone up by 20%

Nothing unusual diathic there has always been a massive fluctuation with Tesco/Big C prices. One of my great annoyances is when they sell something you like for months/years at the same price, then it goes up 25 - 30% and you think their having a larf nobody will pay the extra for that, and sure enough after a week or so at the inflated price it comes down again and people start to buy again. Then a couple of weeks later its on "yellow sticker" at about 25% off or buy 2 get 1 free ........ its from the same batch as those that had the price hiked so unless they are now taking a big "loss leader" on this product they were just trying to make an excessive profit on what they thought was an easy target .......... what some on here would call being a good capitalist and making as much money as you can regardless of who you are hurting

Just THIS One you mentioned ....Then, there's the Tesco brand cornflakes, 500gram box. Before, these hovered around the 90THB mark and were cheaper than Kelloggs. Sometimes, they increased to 115THB, same as Kelloggs. Imagine my shock when I saw them at 145THB today!!! That's a 26% increase on 115THB and a 61% increase on 90THB. (See attached) Will we see a yellow sticker here soon?

I Bought them in Nong Khai for the past 2 Years or so at 79 Baht,But about a Month ago they went up to 172 Baht & They Haven't been reduced......Yet !!!....Hence They now stay on their Shelves....." Fu*k " Em "

Not long back from Tesco,Just noticed Tesco Brand Digestive biscuits were 45 Baht last week,Now 59 Baht,Left them there as well.....

BTW, Ayam Beans are Sh*t Anyway ( Full of Sugar ).......

From what I have heard the New Zealand brand, Mainland cheese issue was the same issue in Tops & Villa as well - which suggests that the issue came either from the importer quoting incorrect prices or Customs imposed an incorrect tariff rate.

Having just come back from the UK, where I could purchase quality, aged Cheddar cheese at less than 115 baht for 500 grams & a decent bottle of red wine for 270 baht; I am a little disillusioned with Udon supermarket prices at the moment..

BobHelm wrote: ↑

August 2, 2018, 1:18 pm

From what I have heard the New Zealand brand, Mainland cheese issue was the same issue in Tops & Villa as well - which suggests that the issue came either from the importer quoting incorrect prices or Customs imposed an incorrect tariff rate.

Having just come back from the UK, where I could purchase quality, aged Cheddar cheese at less than 115 baht for 500 grams & a decent bottle of red wine for 270 baht; I am a little disillusioned with Udon supermarket prices at the moment..

Bob, A Friend / Neighbour came over here about 2 Months ago He Brought me 2x500gms of Mature English Cheddar Cost him 3.99 Buy 1 Get 1 Free But gave to me F.O.C. .....I Used the final bit on Toast of course just last week.... .....

747man wrote: ↑

August 2, 2018, 1:14 pm

Hence They now stay on their Shelves....." Fu*k " Em "

Exactly my opinion. However, it might be worthwhile contacting Tesco head office, presumably in the UK. I tried to speak to the assistant manager in Tesco Rangsina about the cheese. She had to get the lad from the pharmacy to help translate, promised she would look into it, and did f**k all. If Thai Tesco have to answer to Tesco UK and somebody there finds out about them putting the prices up artificially just to make it look like a special discount when they then yellow-sticker the item back down to the original price, I would imagine there would be some repercussions. Same story with lashing 10/20/30% increases on items for no apparent reason.

The price of fuel I believe just went up also 3.4% So guess who will pay for the increase???

3 month ago my Gasbottled costed me 380...Today 400.
Lotus were selling Organic Eggs,and they were no shelf warmers,now gone since 3-4 weeks and nobody can give me an answer why.
3 weeks ago i bought Lasanga platters,came home to find that they were full of small black bugs.To offer was Buy 2 get one free..took it back and got a refund,no problem..Next day the same pack slapped with the yellow 50% sticker..

Still much cheaper then back home,atleast that's what my friends tells me.

daithic wrote: ↑

August 2, 2018, 12:24 pm

What the f**k is going on in these places? If one were a conspiracy theorist, one might think they said to themselves, "Look, aren't these products that mainly farangs purchase? Let's rip those farangs off because they are only **** on our shoes anyway...555"

The higher price likely associated with how much more labor is involved to display the products sideways like in your pics.

Imagine the picture in your head of Colonel Kurt (Marlon Brando) in Apocalypse Now.
The Horror...........
The Horror...............

the prices in all shops in los are many times like a yoyo , down /up ,up down ,nothing new ,it is up to you to know when the yoyo is up or down , happens mostly at the same time of the year , an example sometimes red cabbage in makro 30 baht /kilo , sometimes 69 baht , so buy them when they 30 baht , cook and freeze them ...easy
as to some products , some falang are craving so much for products from their home country ,forgetting they are subject to import tax (way to expensive) so you will have to decide , you will support thais government by buying these or not...
me after 18 years of los i do not miss or need (almost)any of these products from abroad , enough local good fresh products available here ....and if you can not miss all these foreign products what the hell are you doing here ? ...
some prices are also cheaper than 5 years ago , fe building materials...
i do agree most things are getting more expensive every year , i wonder who did invent this system, it is surely expected to crash in the future ..

The price of veggies/fruit fluctuates throughout the year.......green onions, for example.....sometimes 50 Baht per kilo, sometimes 20. The same goes for most any other produce. If it's in season, it tends to be dirt cheap.

Although Ngeesoon prices are occasionally beat by sales at other stores, more often than not, they're the cheapest around. My 500g corn flakes still 94 Baht (after mannny years) as compared to the 115 at Lotus! I don't remember the exact price of the beans at Ngeesoon (both regular and lite), but they're cheaper than Lotus.

some prices are also cheaper than 5 years ago , fe building materials...

That's good to know kopkei ............ unfortunately 1/2 kilo of nails doesnt work well with me milk for brekkie and its a b*gger when you need to visit the loo

Agree that seasonal products will fluctuate according to the season, the weather, etc. However i hate to see weekly changes in products that take 2-3-4 months to reach the store shelves from the maker.. For example at BIG C, Casino products from France ( I buy the Casino jam ) , similarly German and UK products will have weekly or bi-weekly price changes. Big C got a price when placing the order with the importer months earlier, so why they keep changing up or down the retail prices ? One week 95 B, 2 weeks later 105 B, and then a month later 99 B.. and so on. It even worst with with fresh meat.. where you face daily price changes.... No logical reason.... Hard to understand.

BobHelm wrote: ↑

August 2, 2018, 1:18 pm

From what I have heard the New Zealand brand, Mainland cheese issue was the same issue in Tops & Villa as well - which suggests that the issue came either from the importer quoting incorrect prices or Customs imposed an incorrect tariff rate.

Having just come back from the UK, where I could purchase quality, aged Cheddar cheese at less than 115 baht for 500 grams & a decent bottle of red wine for 270 baht; I am a little disillusioned with Udon supermarket prices at the moment..

Last weekend in Tesco Tha Bo I picked up Mainland cheeses,2 types, at 104 baht each.

Last weekend in Tesco Tha Bo I picked up Mainland cheeses,2 types, at 104 baht each.
WOW! Thats good! Normally 189 baht The Vintage one is so tasty!

Pays to shop around normally the Mainland cheese in Neesoong beside the new Tesco by Nar Dee is 150 bht. Got it last week in Tesco UD town for 150 bht on offer. Cathedral City cheese is good value in Villa ,299bht for 350 grms.. Extra mature or mature both very nice..

One of the better matured cheese around, but haven't seen it for sale in Thailand for a few years. Last time I saw it was in Foodland in BKK, but that was a few years back.

Anyone see it for sale in Udon, would love to get some

Just try to find substitutes for those stupidly priced items. As said, the price of Mainland cheddar went up in all shops, so not just Tesco doing it, That makes it 3 times the price of Makro bulk cheddar, so i do not buy Mainland .... Some 3 in 1 coffees went up by nearly 10% last month. I stopped buying Ayams when they went over 33 baht a tin.
You are probably aware of the ridiculous price increases on wine a couple of months ago - about 50% increase in retail price due to tax - the supermarket shelves are now full of crap wine at 300 baht a litre or much more - full because no one buys it. Vote with your feet.

Prices of many electrical appliances are tumbling - maybe because of Trump tariffs leaving surplus stock in China. The EU is also loading up with discounted USA soya beans which the chinese no longer buy. Someone usually profits by someone else's misfortune.