Corner Shops.

We hear a great deal about the plight of the owners of small shop owners in the face of supermarket expansion and to an extent, I have sympathy - but only to an extent.

True - they are unable to bring buy-in costs to anywhere close to those of supermarkets but many have joined national groups which has meant that these differentials are not nearly as bad as might be thought.

My point is that I have encountered many instances in my life where local shopkeepers have pushed prices to the highest possible levels.
When has this happened? - Whenever that shop has some sort of monopoly in a particular area.
Happily, such monopolies are now much fewer as the vast majority can easily reach a decent supermarket.
Some small butchers and fruiterers et al can still withstand the onslaught of the supermarkets - and they do so by working to a principal of quality which supermarkets are seemingly unable to match.
It is not just Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall who can taste the difference with meat, eggs etc.