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Are your costs for essential consumables and supplies up just 1.5% over the past year?

“The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.5 percent before seasonal adjustment.”- BLS News Release

The CPI-U is a measure of ‘Inflation,’ used by Washington D.C. Officials as a basis for  policy and legislation decisions.

Official Inflation  just 1.5%, Stealth Inflation- look at your grocery bill...
Official Inflation just 1.5%, Stealth Inflation- look at your grocery bill…

The Cadbury Egg, on the other hand, has decreased by almost a third, while the price remains the same. The Cadbury Egg is an indicator of “Stealth Inflation,” which is what consumers REALLY face in their day to day purchasing behavior.

According to Consumer Reports, it is not just Cadbury Sneaky Product Packaging

While these facts are relevant to us as consumers, the same forces are at work in our small businesses, as we continue to see price increases or declines in product provided for the price for our shop supplies and miscellaneous purchases.

1.5% official inflation? Yeah right.
1.5% official inflation? Yeah right.

Consumer Inflation Graph courtesy Shadowstats
Don’t believe me? how about the NYTIMES: Halving the Portion, but Not the Price
Cadbury Egg Photo and Blog

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