Healey Vows to Stop Firms "Ripping Off" Shoppers
The Chancellor, John Healey, has promised to crack down on supermarkets and petrol retailers he accused of “ripping off” the public, pledging that he “will not allow” shoppers to be taken for a ride at the checkout and the pump. The message, echoed by the Prime Minister’s promise that more cost-of-living help is “on its way”, is aimed at households squeezed by high prices. It sits awkwardly, though, beside Mr Healey’s own warnings of spending cuts to come.
With petrol at its highest since the Iran war began and food prices under renewed pressure from drought, the government is keen to show it is on the side of hard-pressed families. Ministers have long accused retailers of failing to pass on falling wholesale costs, and a fresh push on pump and grocery pricing plays well politically. Yet the tough talk on “price gouging” must be squared with the reality of a tight Budget and few easy levers over private firms. Delivering visible savings will be harder than promising them. Watch whether the government backs the rhetoric with regulation.