I've been in the camp of price insensitive - to a degree - I buy things I'm used to and watch prices go up and up and up. Someone who is more savvy and perhaps open minded doesn't see such increases. So we both think each other are crazy when talking about expenditures.
That actually helps me understand both sides - so thanks for putting it plainly.
It's interesting to me to go back and reread all the replies with that mindset. Seems there is much disagreement as to which more accurately represents expenditures.
https://csimarket.com/Industry/industry_Profitability_Ratios...
Combine that with large grocery stores getting more data-driven it's kind of a no brainer for them to pick items they know they can increase the price of without blowback
Mom: "whelp, we tried the democrats and now my groceries are outrageous."
Gasoline, rent, shit service...it is not going unnoticed. I quit going to Starbucks because I had to wait a half hour for a simple menu drink every single time, busy or not. I can just stop going there...people can't stop buying cereal and milk, rather they won't and now have elevated expectations of government to control prices and their general well being.
I think what's going on here is a lot of profiteering because there's an easy way to raise prices without looking like a villain. More so than ever before, companies, suppliers, and stores can raise their prices arbitrarily, and easily blame the pandemic and "supply chain issues" without a huge amount of consumer blowback, especially from the upper classes.