Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

Expensive confectionary in convenience shops

2»

Comments

  • #32
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 745 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I understand the thing about "they charge that because people pay it", but I would wager that far fewer individual bars are sold now than in the past. Like when they cost 30p or whatever in 1998 - 2000 say, I wouldn't say that seemed overly expensive (unless you still thought of it as 6 shillings!). Actually, I just realised, maybe the cost nowadays only seems expensive to someone who remembers them cheaper - maybe 10 year old kids now think 1.20 is a reasonable price for a mars bar etc. A bit like lotto tickets seeming a lot more expensive when they require a full fiver to buy, maybe going from 90-something-cent to 1-euro-something makes it feel expensive. Anyway, what a fun Saturday I'm having talking about this subject :P


  • #33
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    Local apple green sell the bars two for 2 euro. Grand.
    If I'm looking for a sugar coma tho I prefer donuts or apple pie


  • #34
    Son Of A Vidic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,370 ✭✭✭✭Son Of A Vidic


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Does anyone else think the prices charged in the likes of Londis, Spar etc. for individual bars, bags of crisps, bottles of fizzy drinks etc. are way too expensive?

    I remember when the price of a bag of Tayto rose from twopence to fourpence and there was nearly a riot on the school bus over it.


  • #35
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 99,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Avatar MIA wrote: »
    Imagine, back in medieval times. What would a king give to have the luxury of a cadbury's dairymilk bar of chocolate. Probably sell a few servants and think it a bargain. :D
    Kings ?

    Emperor Napoleon III had some aluminium cutlery made in the late 1850's. It was very expensive. Some guests were were snubbed by having to make do with the cheapo solid gold stuff instead.


    By the time the Washington Monument was made in the 1880's aluminium was only as expensive as silver.


    The Wright Brothers were able to fly because they used aluminium in their engine.

    Nowadays it is literally a throwaway metal. Thin foil , wrappers, balloons.


  • #36
    lawlolawl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,678 ✭✭✭lawlolawl


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    Kings ?

    Emperor Napoleon III had some aluminium cutlery made in the late 1850's. It was very expensive. Some guests were were snubbed by having to make do with the cheapo solid gold stuff instead.


    By the time the Washington Monument was made in the 1880's aluminium was only as expensive as silver.


    The Wright Brothers were able to fly because they used aluminium in their engine.

    Nowadays it is literally a throwaway metal. Thin foil , wrappers, balloons.

    Ugh, seriously.

    It's pronounced "aluminum" FFS.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    the purple tin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,943 ✭✭✭✭the purple tin


    Stay well clear of tesco express for sweeties. express is code for daylight robbery.


  • #38
    Hopeful2016
    Closed Accounts Posts: 430 ✭✭Hopeful2016


    the purple tin wrote: »
    Stay well clear of tesco express for sweeties. express is code for daylight robbery.

    So is Centra.


  • #39
    seamusk84
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭seamusk84


    Dealz is your only man. Brand name confectionary at rock bottom prices.


  • #40
    ofcork
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,587 ✭✭✭ofcork


    Hopeful2016 wrote: »
    So is Centra.

    The thing is that centra supervalu and spar are part of big operations but always seem to be dearer although petrol stations are the worst.


  • #41
    Hopeful2016
    Closed Accounts Posts: 430 ✭✭Hopeful2016


    ofcork wrote: »
    The thing is that centra supervalu and spar are part of big operations but always seem to be dearer although petrol stations are the worst.

    Our local Centra is also a petrol station and you wouldn't get a bar of chocolate in it for €1.20. It's closer to €1.50. I just don't buy them there anymore as it's ridiculous when combined with the constantly reducing size of the bars too.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    Fluffy Cat 88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭Fluffy Cat 88


    As Eddie Hobbs said, beware of the 'con'venience store.

    I only buy petrol in these establishments nowadays, those shops are only marginally better than armed robbers.


  • #43
    Calibos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,935 ✭✭✭Calibos


    In a few more years...
    its a disgrace Joe, where have all the local convenience stores gone, why do I have to walk/drive all the way to Tesco for a bar of chocolate. I wouldnt mind but id be prepared to pay a few cents extra for the concenience, but those stupid convenience store owners obviously dont want my business....


  • #44
    Hopeful2016
    Closed Accounts Posts: 430 ✭✭Hopeful2016


    Calibos wrote: »
    In a few more years...

    At that stage there'll be a Dealz on every corner so it'll be grand...


  • #45
    Robsweezie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,434 ✭✭✭Robsweezie


    Was gonna post the obligatory "shouldn't be eating that rubbish anyway " sentiment but was beaten to it.

    I just go to the pound shop.


  • #46
    JupiterKid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,966 ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    Convenience stores, particularly Spar, are much, much more expensive for goods than the big supermarkets. Not just for confectionery, but for nearly all other products. The price of cleaning products in convenience stores is utterly scandalous.

    But there must be plenty of willing customers out there, prepared to pay over the odds because they are thriving.


  • #47
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    Convenience stores, particularly Spar, are much, much more expensive for goods than the big supermarkets. Not just for confectionery, but for nearly all other products. The price of cleaning products in convenience stores is utterly scandalous.

    But there must be plenty of willing customers out there, prepared to pay over the odds because they are thriving.

    I'm picking up my morning paper and fancy a Kit Kat I'm not heading to Tesco to save a few cents. It's a pittance.

    The Spars of this world may be thriving but it's not on sales of things like cleaning products. You don't see many doing anything like a weekly shop there. But if you're stuck for something it's convenient. It's why they are called convenience stores. They can't compete with the big supermarkets and we'll pay the premium for that convenience.


  • #48
    harr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,667 ✭✭✭harr


    Simple answer is smaller shops pay more for the product wholesale than the the supermarkets who can do deals and buy in huge bulk orders ,where as the smaller garages and shops would not have the same purchase power and most independently owed shops normally buy from a cash and carry who would have an influence on what what shop charges.
    Not only chocolate and stuff but all products they sell ...it's also true in some way on what people are willing to pay...my local shop/garage has a tesco express across the road and people will still pay 30 or 40 cent more for chocolate in the garage


  • #49
    Hopeful2016
    Closed Accounts Posts: 430 ✭✭Hopeful2016


    In terms of service stations, the margin on fuel is very small so they make it inside the store in the deli and the shop floor.


  • #50
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 99,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    In a lot of cases they aren't that much more expensive. They just don't stock any of the cheaper brands. So a full shop is going to hurt.


    Also the centra near me always has a queue. Always. So I just go on to the Lidl or Aldi because if I have to queue I don't want to pay for the privilege. Also if it's late early in the week then the discounters have no queue. And I might score an inflatable lilo or something.


  • #51
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,561 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    They tend to be in areas where rents would be high and also have long opening hours- hence the name. Costs would be recouped through high margin goods like confectionery and deli. stuff.


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    pablo128
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,210 ✭✭✭pablo128


    Olive Disgusting Kiln wrote: »
    I'm picking up my morning paper and fancy a Kit Kat I'm not heading to Tesco to save a few cents. It's a pittance.

    The Spars of this world may be thriving but it's not on sales of things like cleaning products. You don't see many doing anything like a weekly shop there. But if you're stuck for something it's convenient. It's why they are called convenience stores. They can't compete with the big supermarkets and we'll pay the premium for that convenience.

    Spars and Centras are part of the Musgrave group, so they can compete if they want. Obviously they have a different business model to the likes of Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi etc.


  • #53
    ofcork
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,587 ✭✭✭ofcork


    Spar are part of bwg group not musgraves


  • #54
    pablo128
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,210 ✭✭✭pablo128


    ofcork wrote: »
    Spar are part of bwg group not musgraves

    My mistake, but as they are part of a group, my point still stands.


  • #55
    ofcork
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,587 ✭✭✭ofcork


    Yes they have the buying power of a large group but are still expensive.


  • #56
    harr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,667 ✭✭✭harr


    Means nothing being part of group most shops the likes of gala and spars are still independently owed...only thing is that they have to purchase stock from a particular wholesalers and works off the same principle the more they purchase from wholesale the cheaper the product...in most cases the shop keeper is paying the likes of spar to use that brand name.


  • #57
    cajonlardo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,027 ✭✭✭cajonlardo


    In the film " Open Range" there is a scene I love.

    Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner are armed to the teeth and about to go into battle with a small army of bad guys.

    Duvall asks the store owner for 2 bars of his best chocolate and 2 of the best cigars.
    He then asks the owner if the chocolate tastes good but the store owner says he doesn't know - its just too expensive for him to afford to eat himself. Duvall shares the chocolate with the shop keeper after berating him for being surrounded with nice things he never partakes of. He and Costner then get down to killing whilst smoking fine cigars and chomping on melted chocolate.
    Only proper way to go to war :)


Advertisement
Advertisement