Reply to: You know Britain is becoming poorer, the people broke, when

[Zero Liability]

People aren't very rational.

That's because it's a loaded term, and usually what is implied is that people don't spend much time researching their decisions, which is true to some extent, and certainly true in politics, where the incentives are skewed against the voter actually doing so.

The Millionaire Next Door is a fun read on the consumption habits of the rich, but it's written with a US focus.

[SueEllen]

Wait to you see the upper upper classes. Drive an ancient Ford as it doesn't matter if it gets another dent....

Its always fun watching the differences between new and old money when seeing friends down in London.....

Glad it keeps you entertained.

It's actually more fun having one of those cars as other drivers keep away from you.

[original PM]

That explains all the XK8s & BMWs in the car park.

That'll be the pikeys - always out for a good bargain the pikeys are....

[barrydidit]

lord haw-haw

[eek]

Wait to you see the upper upper classes. Drive an ancient Ford as it doesn't matter if it gets another dent....

Its always fun watching the differences between new and old money when seeing friends down in London.....

[original PM]

So you asked a few people at the school gates who you have naively grouped into 3-4 classesand then extrapolated from that their shopping habits. Not sure that would pass peer review

No did I fook

I had a theory and made up the facts to support it....

Now what you have to do is a lot of research to prove me wrong

[scooterscot]

Poverty in the UK? Really? ... I think they need to organise a bus tour to Rawanda to get some perspective on what that term actually means.

You're not considering scales of economy here and you're also making the assumption Rawanda is living in the past. Unbelievably poverty is rife in our country. There are those that cannot afford to feed themselves relying on handouts whilst in Rawanda people have employment and the means to feed themselves. Yes you read that correctly. And country is enjoying growth our economists could only dream of.

Economic growth pulls Rwandans out of poverty

It is astonishing, embarrassing, and shameful that in 21st century Britain this could be true. For a country to be so rich and privilege yet we treat our own citizens like they were something to barter.

[Doggy Styles]

So you asked a few people at the school gates who you have naively grouped into 3-4 classesand then extrapolated from that their shopping habits. Not sure that would pass peer review

It's as good as lord haw-haw using the opening of one chain of shops to judge the state of a nation.

[russell]

They are - lower classes love them and always will,

it is the upper middle adding to their customer base.

the lower middle and middle middle are still too stupid and brand conscous to make the switch.

So you asked a few people at the school gates who you have naively grouped into 3-4 classesand then extrapolated from that their shopping habits. Not sure that would pass peer review

[Doggy Styles]

They are - lower classes love them and always will,

it is the upper middle adding to their customer base.

the lower middle and middle middle are still too stupid and brand conscous to make the switch.

I like them.

I also like the odd things they put on sale. We got a USB vinyl deck in Aldi last week for about 30 quid. It works pretty well.

[russell]

People aren't very rational.

Sorry I meant the population as a whole, not CUK.

[original PM]

I thought Lidl and Aldi were booming, like Poundland?

Mind you, M&S food is doing well too.

They are - lower classes love them and always will,

it is the upper middle adding to their customer base.

the lower middle and middle middle are still too stupid and brand conscous to make the switch.

[Doggy Styles]

It's interesting - after this thread started on Thursday/Friday I had a bit of a look around and asked a few mums n dads at the school gate.

I found

The lower middle classes will be happy to continue to get into debt whatever - it is how they live their life - so they will not do Lidl/Iceland and do insist on a new Ford every three years on whatever options deal is available to take £200 per month out of your account.

The average middle - will not shop in lidl/Aldi because of snobbery also need a new ford on the driveway every 3 years.

The upper middle - not bothered about the snobbery - happy to shop in Lidl etc - because they have a brain and know it makes sense.

I thought Lidl and Aldi were booming, like Poundland?

Mind you, M&S food is doing well too.

[original PM]

It's interesting - after this thread started on Thursday/Friday I had a bit of a look around and asked a few mums n dads at the school gate.

I found

The lower middle classes will be happy to continue to get into debt whatever - it is how they live their life - so they will not do Lidl/Iceland and do insist on a new Ford every three years on whatever options deal is available to take £200 per month out of your account.

The average middle - will not shop in lidl/Aldi because of snobbery also need a new ford on the driveway every 3 years.

The upper middle - not bothered about the snobbery - happy to shop in Lidl etc - because they have a brain and know it makes sense.

[Mich the Tester]

It's called the market, rational people will always look for the lowest price for the same/comparable product. That you don't see this is worrying.

People aren't very rational.