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The price of a cup of tea.

category international | consumer issues | news report author Friday October 22, 2004 19:06author by iosaf Report this post to the editors

a short review of average pricing of both necessary and most popular luxury items in the EU.

Eurostat workers annualy disguise themselves as shoppers and infiltrate supermarkets throughout the Union and beyond taking note of the average price of essential items such as Dairy Products, Bread and Cereals, Eggs, Oils and fat, Fruits, Vegetables, Sugar jams and Honey, and luxury items such as Tea, Coffee and cocoa, Mineral Water and soft drinks, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.

I wholeheartedly recommend keeping an eye on our pals site - http://www.finfacts.com/bestbuys.htm
At the moment Eurostat info is not that freely available on the internet and the Irish government is doing it's very best to hide the extent of "RIP OFF IRELAND" from you.

So, having spent this week considering amongst other things, the appaling figures for "food poverty" in the EU, (in Ireland alone there are 200,000 minimum without proper nutrition) I thought to list you the price of a cup of tea-




(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)

Belgium ........................................109
Czech Republic............................77
Denmark........................................171
Germany........................................104
Estonia...........................................79
Greece............................................103
Spain...............................................75
France.............................................95
Ireland.............................................143
Italy...................................................102
Cyprus.............................................131
Lithuania.........................................79
Latvia................................................69
Luxembourg....................................102
Hungary............................................80
Malta..................................................105
Netherlands.....................................97
Austria...............................................95
Poland..............................................65
Portugal............................................96
Slovenia............................................87
Slovakia............................................76
Finland..............................................132
Sweden..............................................129
United Kingdom...............................115
Iceland...............................................160
Norway...............................................163
Switzerland.......................................115
Bulgaria.............................................68
Rumania............................................77
Turkey.................................................80

As you will see Ireland comes in at 143 points and only Denmark offers a more expensive cup of tea at 171. Both Norway and Iceland (which are the most expensive states in Europe) out do Ireland. But they're not EU.

http://epp.eurostat.cec.eu.int/portal/page?_pageid=1090,1137410&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Maybe some of you would like to know the average scores for other items I'll leave them in the comments.

author by sweetiepublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 19:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)

Belgium ........................................92
Czech Republic............................65
Denmark........................................156
Germany........................................92
Estonia...........................................70
Greece............................................108
Spain...............................................108
France.............................................101
Ireland.............................................119
Italy...................................................113
Cyprus.............................................142
Lithuania.........................................70
Latvia................................................76
Luxembourg....................................104
Hungary............................................79
Malta..................................................94
Netherlands.....................................110
Austria...............................................101
Poland..............................................65
Portugal............................................117
Slovenia............................................92
Slovakia............................................72
Finland..............................................109
Sweden..............................................131
United Kingdom...............................107
Iceland...............................................167
Norway...............................................165
Switzerland.......................................132
Bulgaria.............................................58
Rumania............................................60
Turkey.................................................96

You will note that Ireland with a score of
119 is expensive but not exhorbitant for the sugar component of a sugar sandwich.

author by man doth not live by bread alonepublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 19:15author address author phone Report this post to the editors

(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)

Belgium ........................................103
Czech Republic............................50
Denmark........................................150
Germany........................................109
Estonia...........................................61
Greece............................................93
Spain...............................................104
France.............................................114
Ireland.............................................122
Italy...................................................106
Cyprus.............................................102
Lithuania.........................................54
Latvia................................................51
Luxembourg....................................116
Hungary............................................51
Malta..................................................80
Netherlands.....................................103
Austria...............................................123
Poland..............................................50
Portugal............................................99
Slovenia............................................99
Slovakia............................................49
Finland..............................................141
Sweden..............................................132
United Kingdom...............................89
Iceland...............................................178
Norway...............................................156
Switzerland.......................................152
Bulgaria.............................................40
Rumania............................................47
Turkey.................................................56

Ireland at 97 is just below average.

author by moo moopublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 19:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

100 is the EU 25 average.
the scores for Meat and Fish-

(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)

Belgium ........................................122
Czech Republic............................53
Denmark........................................142
Germany........................................117
Estonia...........................................62
Greece............................................76
Spain...............................................71
France.............................................124
Ireland.............................................118
Italy...................................................112
Cyprus.............................................75
Lithuania.........................................53
Latvia................................................46
Luxembourg....................................128
Hungary............................................53
Malta..................................................69
Netherlands.....................................113
Austria...............................................119
Poland..............................................47
Portugal............................................82
Slovenia............................................88
Slovakia............................................50
Finland..............................................119
Sweden..............................................121
United Kingdom...............................116
Iceland...............................................154
Norway...............................................184
Switzerland.......................................215
Bulgaria.............................................47
Rumania............................................41
Turkey.................................................72

With all our sea and cows we still come in above average, and almost three times the price of a burger in Rumania.

author by non smokerpublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 19:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

the scores for Alcoholic Beverages and the second figure is for Tobacco. Neither alcohol or Tobacco is essential for good gums or strong bones and doctors do not recommend you drink and smoke every day. So you thank Bertie for the relative expense
"this is for your own good".


(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)

Belgium ..........................87.............108
Czech Republic..............79.............50
Denmark..........................131..........140
Germany...........................88.............104
Estonia..............................89............39
Greece..............................92.............73
Spain.................................78.............73
France...............................87.............125
Ireland...............................182...........184
Italy.....................................102.............89
Cyprus...............................149............110
Lithuania...........................93................29
Latvia.................................83.................31
Luxembourg.....................83.................82
Hungary.............................74.................53
Malta...................................120...............95
Netherlands.......................98................96
Austria.................................92.................101
Poland.................................88.................35
Portugal...............................105..............68
Slovenia...............................83.................56
Slovakia................................70.................52
Finland..................................181..............123
Sweden................................152...............127
United Kingdom..................150..............206
Iceland..................................217...............178
Norway..................................250...............232
Switzerland...........................106.................99
Bulgaria.................................54..................28
Rumania................................69..................21
Turkey.....................................158................40

So now you understand why all the Finnish get pissed in Estonia, why everyone smuggles tobacco to the UK and Ireland no suprise comes in the top 3 most expensive EU states to "intoxicate yourself in".

Well done Bertie Ahern!

almost a quarter of a million of your not yet 4 million population don't have enough essential minerals, vitamins or protein, and despite the "healthiest" economy for the rich in the EU, the Irish people are paying on average the most for all food products.

final scores-

(100 is the Eurostat 25 state average)
ALL FOOD STUFFS NOT INCLUDING ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO.

Belgium ........................................107
Czech Republic............................59
Denmark........................................137
Germany........................................107
Estonia...........................................66
Greece............................................90
Spain...............................................84
France.............................................114
Ireland.............................................125
Italy...................................................115
Cyprus.............................................98
Lithuania.........................................60
Latvia................................................57
Luxembourg....................................119
Hungary............................................62
Malta..................................................82
Netherlands.....................................106
Austria...............................................111
Poland..............................................53
Portugal............................................93
Slovenia............................................91
Slovakia............................................58
Finland..............................................122
Sweden.............................................123
United Kingdom..............................103
Iceland...............................................155
Norway...............................................155
Switzerland.......................................158
Bulgaria.............................................51
Rumania............................................50
Turkey.................................................68


Oh can I just confirm that Ireland is the wettest country in Europe and has the least sunlight as well. Why don't you all leave?

author by alcoholicpublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 19:58author address author phone Report this post to the editors

" Let's get pissed!
Estonia..............................89............39
Finland..................................181..............123
So now you understand why all the Finnish get pissed in Estonia"

This is true. It makes no sense i have to pay 20 euros ferryride to get to Tallinn and then carry 30-40 litres vodka in my hands back home. Having done it i can assure it is heavy work and especially when you are drunk as duck coming back from Tallinn it can be verry hard work.

Next or week after that i will make this same trip agin. You should see that with your own eyes, it is absolutely unbelievable, 1000 human beings trying to get out of the ferry at the same time everyone carrying as much as they can, young and old, everyone loaded with alcohol.

Same prices, aproximately same salary inside EU, this would be reasonable, dont you think?

author by a Problem shared is a Problem halved and a page filledpublication date Fri Oct 22, 2004 20:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well you have touched on a widespread concern there, rest assured you are not alone in your plight, there are many others just like you, have you tried talking to a trusted loved one?
We think after carefully considering your letter, that your real worry is "can anyone believe that the current Irish State or the present European Union or contemporary freedom of Capital, which only _returned_ to the level last seen in 1895 in _2002_, is bringing prosperity, equality and liberty to either the peoples of Ireland, the EU or the world"

These type of worries hit us all at some stage, and rest assured you are not alone, there are many others just like you.
Thank you for writing to the Sunday Review/Preview/View/Sunday Papers. We will of course with-hold your personal details, and they have accordingly been filed away with the XXI century version of libertarian anarchism which was the response to such blatent inequality in the XIX.

The only thing that has changed is literacy.

We truly are as poor as our 19th century forebears, inarguably more monitored, and only slightly more democratically represented thanks to a suffrage which improperly reflects the true hopes and aspirations and articulation of Rights for both sexes.

We are happy now.
We have graffiti.
and we have the internet.
and Michael Moore.
and Diego Maradona.
and you.
and ourselves.
and our future.
and our planet.

author by cynical maybe in bad taste i must be getting desynthesised.publication date Sat Jul 16, 2005 22:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Bulgaria has blue flag beaches too, but doesn't seem as exotic many of its competitors, it also has a "reputation" problem for being both a former communist state and a former fascist state and helped ali agka (a turkish man ) try to kill the last pope by assisting syrian terrorists to train him on the their border, then the happy bulgars joined NATO, and the EU and stop stockpiling illegal scuds.
Bulgaria sorted it all out, by becoming a member of the coalition of the willing and bringing democracy to Iraq (reliant on the institutes of government weighted to kurdish contribution).

Bulgaria welcomes tourists to its beaches.

Bulgaria wants to get out of Iraq.

Bulgarian Guards shoot jellyfish from specially prepared infrastrucural improvement rafts if they pose an iminent threat to swimming tourists.

Critics of the plan suggest tourists might someday get caught in the guard versus jellyfish crossfire.

Analysts suggest is it too early to predict a complete restructuring of the tourism sector which relies on infrastructural develpment projects, airport building, air routes, fuel prices, property prices &c. and that Bulgaria will experience a slower curve to enjoying those tourist dollars/euros/what have you?

oh look its written in english too! "getting desensitised"..."emotionally detached"...floating
oh look its written in english too! "getting desensitised"..."emotionally detached"...floating

author by € = $publication date Thu Aug 10, 2006 07:57author address author phone Report this post to the editors

UBS is the largest swiss bank and sits around 7th in global banking power. I used to work there. They are a private bank who only open millionaire accounts, they're at the moment most worth watching in South America where ironically but very importantly they support left wing regimes as part of a capitalist strategy for the next two decades. Today the Irish independent will make many Irish people feel sort of smug as they digest the news that Dublin is one of the most expensive cities on earth according to the UBS. A widow in Cuba gets 3 kg of beans as part of her 30kg monthly food allowance, the average EU cow gets 4€ a day, the average African gets 1€ aid a day - the UBS only surveyed 70 odd cities. They think their own HQ city of Zurich is the best place to live. I can't stand it myself. Their report is really a tool for wealth management & as such bears little relevance to any of our real world situations, its appearance in today's Irish Independent may only be justified by the continuing smug complacency of those who think the "celtic tiger" beneficial or that neo-liberal anglo-saxon globalisation was the only means of improving the Irish lot.

Dublin is too expensive : even for capitalists.

This ought be the main point of political and social arguments against the form of Capitalism propagated by the FF/PD regime. & If you ever want me the national poet & intellectual to live in Dublin again you'll have to reduce the prices & provide proper housing and transport infrastructure, educational services, free books and lunches for school kids just like every other EU citizen gets and build hospitals with beds in. Obviously that's too much to ask for. Anyone have the price of a cup of tea?

author by Whats going on?publication date Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors


Hospitals.
Schools.
Transport.
Prisons.

and....

The cronies are getting wealthier

They own:

Chemists.
Communications infrastructure.
Land Packets for re-zoning.
Hospices.
The medico-legal establishments.

FG , yesterday stated that they support 'universal private health care', wherein
the state would buy patient care and sell it back to us. This was on foot of an
interview with Mary -Lou regarding SF protests on 11 sites being sold by the state
for private hospitals.

The centre is crowded with political parties who adhere to these concepts and traditional left-wing parties are making pre-election pacts with these right-wing
advocates of corporate control of individual lives.

Beneath this there are people living in extreme poverty in Dublin. The social -housing
bills are a masquerade for aggressive development. The housing/homeless sections
in Dublin corporation are a joke. people wait 18months-2years in hostels to be re-housed.

Individual civil liberties are being gradually eroded, including the right to protest, the sex-laws and anti-traveller legislation.

It is a utopia based on climbing over your friends and community to achieve a
mode of living which is based on spending and attaining.

The state schools- are deprived to the extent that principals are providing clothing and shoes to families that cannot afford them and bringing in trays of sandwiches to kids who will not eat properly except for this meal. (these are achieved through local sponsorship) Meanwhile. kids are being sent to private schools and the waiting lists are long (sometimes kids are added to the lists before birth).

Tell a single parent in Dublin, on welfare that they have to buy universal health insurance to get hospital treatments for their kids, when they can't even afford to dress and feed them- this is an obscene political policy.
Seamus Brennan is meantime planning to cut supports to these families with his 'Welfare to work scheme'. Which will suceed, with voting pacts and overall majority.

So how much is a cup of tea? -depends where you drink it-

author by ubs reportpublication date Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:00author address author phone Report this post to the editors

They also state:
Workers in Dublin have the third highest purchasing power in the world, with only workers in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva able to buy more with their net hourly wages, according to a new study by investment bank UBS

so its not all that bad!

cups of tea all round for the workers please!

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