Monday, 27 August 2012

Where's the inflation?

So beer has rocketed up in price lately, eh? That's what I thought until I started thinking about three pints I've drunk.
Here are the figures - all for a pint of Batemans XB in The Red Lion, Nettleham, Lincs.

  • 2nd August 1985 - £0.68
  • 2nd August 1993 - £1.36
  • 26th August 2012 - £2.90
That's a 100% rise in the first 8 years of my legal drinking life, and 113% in the next 19 years.  What is reassuring is that the beer and the pub are still as excellent as they were 27 years ago.
Anyway, let's knock off VAT and the prices are:

  • £0.59
  • £1.16  (97% increase in 8 years)
  • £2.41 (108% increase in 19 years)
If beer had gone up with inflation, in 1993, my pint would have been £1.00 (inc VAT) and £1.80 now.
If we start with the £1.36 price in 2993, it should now be £2.30

I'm not quite sure what my point is, but it's probably something like "How the hell do I remember the price of beer?"  I'm also a little disconcerted that I remember VAT rates too.

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