Cheap cuts aren't cheap - and nor is anything else, it seems

I finally found a beef cut that's popular in France but hard to find here (back in England) - cotes de boeuf or beef ribs, ironically sold at my local organic butchers as pot au feu. It's not ridiculously expensive at £8.75 a kilo (though that includes quite a lot of bone and fat) and should easily serve four. But it would have been no more than 8 euros a kilo (about £6) in France.

It underlines just how pricey so called 'cheap cuts' have become - including mince and braising steak. The only thing that's really cheap still is offal and how many people like offal? Not a lot.

I managed to spend £33 just now on restocking the fridge and storecupboard - admittedly just over £19 of that at the health food shop (on yoghurt, eggs, granola, oatcakes, crackers, hummus and two different cheeses for which I realise they've managed to overcharge, not intentionally I'm sure). That's just this weekend's eating.

Prices have definitely gone up in the month we've been away, but why are they so much more expensive here than in France? There'd be rioting on the streets if the shops charged as much there.