Colleen Klaasse, Fish Hoek
How much longer are prices for just about everything going to end in 99 cents?
Do shopkeepers really still believe that when an item costs R9.99 the public psychologically sees it as costing R 9? I've got news for you all. Even the most uneducated of us know it's R10.
This might have worked 100 years ago, but these days there is nothing you can buy for one cent, even if you could still get one, two or even five cents.
Then there is Woolworths who no longer sell a plastic bag because it's so bad for the environment. What about the packaging of 90% of the food they sell? It’s all plastic which they have made no effort to reduce in their stores.
The one luxury I allow myself is a bit of cream in my coffee, so I buy a 1-litre bottle at a time, being cheaper in the long run. However, for the last three years, I’ve noticed Pick n Pay do not carry it in stock in December and half of January. It costs R60, and I would be forced to buy four small ones at R20 each (R80) if I continued shopping there. Guess what Pick n Pay, Checkers have never run out over this period nor have Spar although they charge R5 more. So guess where I do my weekly grocery shopping now?
Then there are the special offers of “buy two punnets of berries and get R10 off”. How does this help pensioners? I live alone and cannot eat two of whatever is offered before it would go off. Nor one bag each of potatoes, onions, butternut and whatever for R129.99 that Food Lovers is offering right now.
• Pick n Pay Western Cape responds: We are really sorry to hear our customer wasn’t able find the product she wanted in her local store. Cream is particularly popular over the festive season, and we always try to have a few brands or alternatives available so customers are never left without the product they need.
While Food Lovers Market and Woolworths acknowledged receipt of the Echo’s media enquiry, they did not respond by the time of going to print.