Life Talk

Rural shoppers already knew the BBC's point: fuel IS the grocery bill

The GONOM post on grocery prices quoted the BBC saying the September inflation rise came mainly from petrol and diesel, a reminder that getting to the shops can move a budget as much as what's in the basket.

I live in a village in Somerset. The nearest big supermarket is a 25-minute drive each way. Everybody here has known this for years, but it's nice to see it written down. When fuel goes up, our 'cheap' supermarket trip quietly stops being cheap.

I'm not sure there's a neat answer. The village shop is closer but dearer, online delivery has its own fees. To be fair, a lot of people do combine trips, shopping on the way back from work. I'd be interested to know how people in rural areas of other countries handle it.