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Are we really being ripped off in Britain?

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Ripped off Britain indeed?  My gripe is aimed at those people who always feel ripped off and their ill informed rants and badly researched opinions about how they are being ripped off.  Let me be clear, if you receive poor service, shoddy products or encounter dishonesty there is a clear reason to be upset and a good reason to shame the responsible and debate the issue.

What I find objectionable are those people in Britain who simply decide they are paying too much.  You can see these comments on these pages for a diverse range of products and services such as sandwiches, pizzas, opticians, trendy bars and garages etc.  They seem to believe that they are being "ripped off" because the prices of the items do not meet their own highly questionable economic criteria.

Do people not understand that if all these places sell a large sandwich for £3 - £3.50, it is not because they have met up and agreed to rip off the great British public, it is because the item sold has a cost, and a profit should be made (controversial I know - but hey, you can say what you like on these pages).

Ripped off Britain If there are many sandwich shops (just as an example, but you can follow it through with anything) the competition increases, as does the diversity of what is on offer and the price will be kept at reasonable level.  Its a pretty easy to understand formula really.

I question those who deem themselves "ripped off", specifically on how they make their living?  I guess they are on a salary and only have to justify themselves to their boss once a year at pay review.  I doubt very much that they run their own business and if they ever had and, used their odd economic rules I seriously doubt their business lasted very long.

It would be interesting though to turn the spotlight on these kinds of people; to justify their own salary against the products and services their particular company offers and decide if they too are part of the conspiracy which is known as "ripped off" Britain!

By: Rags


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JazGlasow

JazGlasow

Blind or what? The prices in the UK supermarkerts/shops, gas, petrol, electricity ect ect have risen well above inflation and yes some of us did have a small business therefore know about overheads
Show us major food retailers/suppliers, energy suppliers, oil companies ect who are struggling and are running a loss?.
15/02 JazGlasow
3
Wilma

Wilma

Why do we pay a standing charge for electricity.
01/01 Wilma
2
John

John

Yeah, plastering the Republic of Ireland with union jacks in the article picture is extremely ignorant and offensive to Irish people (I'm British by the way).
18/03/21 John
0
cogent

cogent

Why have you a graphic of the Republic of Ireland swathed in the Union Jack? Rip off.
16/01/14 cogent
-1
Pissedoffwithsnobs

Pissedoffwithsnobs

Post code ripoff, because us trades people take one look at the area, what's parked on the driveway, how long it is, and the presumptuous turned-up snouts, then we double our prices. It's then that we find half of you haven't two pennies to shove between the crack of your bums.
25/11/13 Pissedoffwithsnobs
1
Postcode Rip-Off

Postcode Rip-Off

Why do window cleaners and domestics charge us an hourly rate which is 50% more for their labour than elsewhere just because of the area which we happen to live in is somewhat up market? They're ripping me off. Why does the price of a repair double in my parish?
25/11/13 Postcode Rip-Off
2
boblet

boblet

At the risk of repeating my self "Cheated" Research the word Thatcherism & all will be revealed.
22/11/13 boblet
1
Cheated

Cheated

Why do I feel cheated in every business transaction I make, or every time I try to book something or buy something?

Why when I cook meats or cook eggs do gallons of water pour out of the food?

Why is bread so tasteless?

Why are tomatoes so awful?

Why when I book something or buy something online do I have to pay an extra charge for using a credit card?

Why do I have to pay a "booking charge" for buying theatre tickets online?

Why, when I go to French restaurants in England, do I have to put with obsequious waiters with fake French accents?

Why do the prices rise rapidly, like in a fake auction, if I don't immediately accept the price offered for booking of a holiday, hotel or plane ride online? Why do I pay more for a booking made from England?

Do I really have to accept cookies?

Why is commerce and business so disgustingly immoral?

May the Lord Mammon remain amongst you for ever more.
22/11/13 Cheated
7
Natural Selection

Natural Selection

Everywhere I go I am ripped off. Its the nature of business: maximally to exploit you for whatever money you might have, with minimum return.

As a consumer you are ripe for being taken for a ride.
04/06/11 Natural Selection
-2
Boblet

Boblet

What I do "Pinch" is write a short snail mail to those who might have some influence on things, recommending they visit this site.
25/02/11 Boblet
-17
Boblet

Boblet

I used to have a small repair garage, and would buy towel rolls on QT of the girl who used to service the towel roll machine, to use as general porpose cloths in the garage. I then discovered a good length of the stuff in a so called friends van, so who was ripping who of?
25/02/11 Boblet
-16
la grumpa

la grumpa

I looked up the term ripped off because I wondered whether it was a typically British condition. I'm English and I feel ripped most of the time.

I'm living in Mexico at the moment -rip off central perhaps? In tourist areas people will try to fleece you here quite blatantly so I'm used to that - it is natural. I've lived in the centre of Mexico City in a nice area for a while and it's different here.

HOWEVER, Tonight my boyfriend and I went for a meal and when the bill came they had charged us 2 extra glasses of wine and way too much for the pizza. He saw it as a simple mistake but I was pretty annoyed. After pointing out these 'discrepancies' it was deducted from the bill but my question is...

a) do people deliberately and constantly rip us off?

OR

b) is the British psyche particularly sensitive to being ripped off?

I suppose what I am really asking is whether other nations feel like this or is this a particularly British thing like tea and gloom. Is it just another symptom of our love of moaning?? Was he right or was I? It might be answered very simply but the most simple fact is that I HATE BEING RIPPED OFF!!
25/02/11 la grumpa
-25
Well Loaded

Well Loaded

The real cost of living in the UK will soon be felt by us all. Far from the governments predictions of 'economic improvements' we can almost NEVER pay off this spiraling debt. Things will get worse; and the multinational greed merchants who control such a lot of the consumer 'wants' inthe UK will fight tooth and nail to maintain profit ( Centrica, BAA, The major banks, the water companies, oil companies etc).

Be under no illusion that to many corporates this is a 'treasure island', where the residents shut up and don't complain. In other words we are treated as mugs. We are lead to believe that we cannot manage without this and that, and the GOD of consumerism is all powerfull. Well, I did say WANTS, which are often so different to our NEEDS. Take petrol. If we all just obtained the stuff when we needed it as opposed to us WANTING it, ( Ie,trips we could do without or take by some alternative method ) the companies and the government would soon be on the back foot.

If you are wondering why we are taxed to the hilt remember that your money is being used to pay interest on astronomical loans precured by 'Robber Baron Brown' and our previous administration. Remember also that you are funding a war which we cannot truly win, and no one wants.

However, not being psychic I can however predct that the worm may well turn. We are seeing major changes in the middle east due to people power. There is only so much one can be ripped off before fighting back and that time is fast approaching in the UK. The government had better take note.
23/02/11 Well Loaded
-3
Petethebell

Petethebell

High Street Sales Rip Off....

I was looking to buy 2 stools (the gas strut type you find in bars). HOMEBASE had a stool we liked for £75 BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free). I noticed the box also had an Argos product code, so I nipped next door (on the same retail park) and Argos had the same stool in their catalogue for £37.99 full price. So in fact the Homebase 'megadeal' would save me £1 compared to Argos for 12 months of the year!!

I hate the way you are led to believe you are getting a massive bargain when in fact they hiked the price between Nov-Dec to set the false sales deal. Similarly John Lewis are selling a Sony DAB stereo for £99 but I can Google it and find it for £15 less.

Are we really getting the deals we think??
05/01/11 Petethebell
-5
man

man

We will be ripped off when they put VAT up again! My salary just can't keep up with it!
25/12/10 man
-17

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