Trying to justify the high prices of things in CH...

Although OT, I must add that the customs procedure was eased by the fact that I had quite a few odd items in my suitcase, such as an Earth Pan frying pan (special sales at Walmart, $10.60), a cotton clothes line 100 ft. ($4.99), a swiveling spice rack (two at $19.99, but one stayed in Michigan), a dinosaur poop excavation kit (no kidding; that's the crazy stuff my little brother loves; $12.99), a silicone dough spatula ($6.59) and a lint brush ($3.88), to name just a few. I presented my detailed list of 16 items including carefully stapled receipts. Result: see above. Offer cooperation and you'll get it.

Thanks for the post smoky...Switzerland has many things to be forgiven of...but at least treats its animals in a "relatively" better way that many other so-called "civilized" countries. I could write many things about how meat is in the end poison for the body, and how many people fail to recognize the strange "coincidence" between "All you can eat" mentality and spread of cancer in the western world.

I suggest everybody looks at the movie at http://www.earthlings.com

For the record...I'm not a "tree-hugger", but I understand that for people coming from certain "democratic and civilized" countries everybody that doesn't agree with their consumerist and antropocentric view of the world is tagged as a "socialist tree-hugger".

Sorry, I just signed the death contract on your thread .........

If the subject was not so close to the intestines it would have been more widely discussed.

Everyone seems to be afraid to investigate or to have knowledge of how their food arrives in their shopping basket.

I eat meat .. but only sheep. Because I know the farmer who farms the sheep I eat. They live a good natural life, free to roam in the weather, given homeopathic medicines if they are ill, and only get killed to make room for the babies that were born - and to allow for the availability of hay. The sheep is taken away from the others, to a quiet private barn, gently handled ..... and then gets a bolt to the head that knocks it unconscious instantly. Then it is slaughtered.

This meat does not have that "stink" that commercial factory farm meat has.

They also have no fear of humans.... they come running when they see people at the farm.

Oh dear .. now I have put myself off even the Bratwurst that I usually enjoy at a bbq or village fest.... Ja, it`s a slow process of de-conditioning a lifetime of habit and acceptance ... to the changed and sad conditions of this world.

Gawd, I wish was four years old again, too... Does The Jolly Green Giant also work on that "farm"?

I don't know if you notice the truly annoying derogatory, patronizing tone of your posts. Also your cause-effect reasoning is beyond me. Coincidence between overeating and cancer ? How about :

Or maybe:

Or perhaps:

Actually I don't really know why I'm replying to your post. If I wanted to make strange connections between seemingly unrelated facts I should be reading freakonomics .

Never mind faeces . What about dangling dirty babies within 20cm OF MY FACE. Yes that's right. 20cm OF MY FACE!

Something must be done.

AYB

Do you ever post anything other than this thing (not really sure why the repitition of it) or your passive/aggressive posts about why you'd like us all to feel the same way as you do about life here....?

Have you ever tried aromatherapy?

On reviewing the last few of your posts, you seem unable make a point about anything in response to posts except question their right to be made. Get over it and move on.

AYB

I'd drop this one, if I were you...

Thats how you got 2000 rep points ..... I'll take your wisdom and maturity

Grasshopper.

So the high price of things in CH. As humour is clearly not your strong point, got anything on topic to say ?

AYB

errrr..... Because the market seems to stand high pricing and has done for many years?

Oh, come on guys...I was trying hard to flame the OP, and you're spoiling my fun.

I'm done....go for it

....the least you can grant me is a:

"because it has always been thus"

or perhaps

"We don't do that here"

or even

"we don't mind paying high prices for swiss quality"

as a "justification" for high prices ?

AYB

The most clear and true piece of economic wisdom i ever got was "the value of something is ONLY the price that somebody is prepared to pay for it"

So its pointless discussing why prices are the way they are. Its the way it is because people are prepared to pay

Umm, isn't that what baby feces 20cm from your face is?

Tom

Gosh - you have 5 fans thanking your for your "useful" posting!

No idea what a farm is? Tis not a "farm" .... tis a real place .... out in the countryside where food is grown.

Real food comes from farms.

Factories produce synthetic stuff which they call "food".

Long long ago there were lots of farms. Now there are "farm" factories.

The Jolly Green Giant? Nein, just a jolly Swiss farmer and his wife... and lots of jolly fat sheep, and real vegetables and fruits.

Indeed. But that says nothing about the forces and regulatory environment. If there is no competition for food and you must eat, then clearly the price will be set by the seller.

Let's consider a country like...Switzerland, and much as I know you hang on my every word, let's instead hear what the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has to say (my bold):

AYB

The hair product I use cost 2.87 Euros at any Real store in Germany.

The exact same product is 11.95 CHF in Coop city.

The product is manufactured in Germany (so right next door)

I cannot fathom any justification except profiteering in this case. sorry.