price of milk

[Salamanda]

debate going on at work because our "subsidised" canteen sells pint of milk for 50p. we can get it from the corner shop for 41p. I just bought one pint from tescos 26p, anywhere cheaper or dearer than that?

[WendyS]

I suspect your "subsidised" canteen is probably run by contract caterers and that whilst the cost of the labour is subsidised, the cost of the food is not so that is how they make their profit. Where I used to work they would sell bananas for about 35p each and you could pop down the road and buy a whole bunch for the same price.

[lafrancaise]

Isn't it scandulous that a pint of milk is so much cheaper to, say, spring water. Buy bio, not only have the cows SEEN grass they've actually eaten it... By buying bio we're stopping cruelty to farm animals.

[Salamanda]

it is run by caterers yes, and on the subject of bananas- 55p per piece, think we are subsidising them! and the quality sucks too. going to boycott them.

[nickmo]

Milk - big debate at present in farming about the treatment of dairy farmers and the price they get in comparison to the shelf price.

If you want a background on it all, read up at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/HOMEPAGE/ARTICLES/213/1_1/13_98/Dairy%20-%20Milk%20prices.htm which is the online Farmers Weekly.

Estimated production cost per litre is 20p. The milk processors - Arla, Dairy Crest, Wisemans, etc - are typically paying 18.5 p a litre.

Does that make sense? Some of the supermarkets are getting milk direct from farm gates, but not at much higher prices, as milk is a food that is seen as a benchmark for pricing in stores, and if consumers know it is cheaper in store B, rather than their usual storeA, off they go and get the cheaper product - and so do the restof the shopping there as well.

Bananas are in the same category. Often called known value products or similar as they are the sort of thing that keep shoppers loyal to one shop.

[shazbang]

My local supermarket sells locally produced milk at 49p for a 2 litre carton. yes thats 2 litres.