Shopping for nothing

Rumours of imported toothpaste being sold at absurdly low prices (can anything counted in millions be considered ‘low’?), had me scurrying to a supermarket today with a few bricks of cash wedged into a suitcase sized handbag.

Usually, my toothpaste purchases involve deals with ‘runners’ who cross into South Africa or Botswana for a living. The price I pay then is a combination of the price it costs in South Africa; the price of transport which has to factor in inflationary fuel costs; the price of the bribe to avoid a long queue; another bribe to the customs official to dodge duty OR, if that isn’t paid, the astronomical duty the runner needs to pay; an further indeterminate price – a figure from fresh air – based on the runner’s future projection for how much Rands or Pula will cost him when bought on the local forex blackmarket; and then finally the runner’s profit margin.

Toothpaste ends up extortionately expensive, but I need it, and I need the services the runner supplies, so I grit my toothpaste-requiring teeth and buy it.

What was galling for me the last time was that my runner arrived with a bulk batch of the WRONG brand. I had no choice but to buy it, but I feel irritated every morning when I brush my teeth with toothpaste I dislike. Hence my feverish rush to the supermarket today.

Of course the ‘cheap’ ‘toothpaste was completely sold out. I could see where it was by the brand name labelling the empty space on the shelf. I also noticed however, that the price was not very cheap at all, and totally different to the price paid by my friend less than a week before. This means that the first batch sold at a lower price had already sold out once, and been replaced with the next batch at an inflationary higher price, and that had sold out already too. So my trip, using valuable scarce fuel, was wasted and cost me money.

As usual I am observing the inflationary rise in prices in the space of a week, and I am also noticing the scarce supply of toothpaste in our town and I am thinking this is something to blog. But top of my mind, if I am honest, is envy for the lucky fresher-breathed sods who beat me to it and snapped up a tube or two. I wish my rumour grapevine was a little more efficient! Rather than writing this blog I wish I was right now brushing my teeth with a better brand of toothpaste!

But you know what… ? Beggars can’t be choosers and I’m lucky to have the foul stuff I’m using at the moment. Other Zimbabweans can’t buy food, and I really shouldn’t be so caught up with things so trivial.

Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe, economy, inflation, toothpaste, shopping, groceries

This entry was posted by Hope on Saturday, January 12th, 2008 at 11:02 am. You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.