Nations health to improve as breakfast roll sales fall

[Green_Bear]

Sales of breakfast rolls have been hit hard over the last year, as have sales of surround-sound systems, according to David Fitzsimons of Retail Excellence Ireland, which represents over 4,000 stores in Ireland. Sales of electrical goods were between six and eight per cent lower in June 2008 than in the same month a year earlier – the best trading period since 1999.

Recession hits sales of breakfast rolls and TVs
independent.ie/business/iris … 22868.html

[Calina]

Yes. I have the following questions:

1. what is the market penetration of surround systems. I mean I haven’t bought one yet but I don’t see the point in doing so till I buy the flatscreen 42 inch to hang on a while which I won’t buy till I own the wall to hang it on. I mean if almost everyone - except me - has one at this stage, obviously the number of sales is going to start falling. The demographics back this up; fewer people are doing the Leaving Certificate plus there’s net emigration at the moment, apparently.

2. is the fall in breakfast roll sales matched by a corresponding rise in the sales of smoothies by any chance? Me thinks there could be a higher profit margin on same.

3. How much of the fall off in electrical sales can be tracked back to sales going to (significantly less expensive) internet sellers who are probably not a member of Retail Excellence Ireland?

4. the mere concept of a breakfast roll makes me very sick.

[provost]

@Calina

4. the mere concept of a breakfast roll makes me very sick.

Yeah when I have a horrible belly after drinking, it seems the wrong thing to do.

However, eating the breakfast roll stops me from being sick.

[johnnyskeleton]

David McWilliams school of anecdotal economics.

The reality is that a recession hits luxury goods more and necessities less, so while less electrical goods might indicate a recession, less breakfast rolls certainly does not. Factor in Calina’s points 1)-3) (she is entirely wrong on 4)) and it is virtually impossible to know the reason for the drop off (especially a relatively small drop of 6-8%).

[yoganmahew]

@johnnyskeleton

David McWilliams school of anecdotal economics.

The reality is that a recession hits luxury goods more and necessities less, so while less electrical goods might indicate a recession, less breakfast rolls certainly does not. Factor in Calina’s points 1)-3) (she is entirely wrong on 4)) and it is virtually impossible to know the reason for the drop off (especially a relatively small drop of 6-8%).

But breakfastrolls are a luxury good. Compare the economics of them to a bowl of cereal, porridge or some toast at home and you see that substitution provides a cheaper alternative.

[johnnyskeleton]

@yoganmahew

@johnnyskeleton

David McWilliams school of anecdotal economics.

The reality is that a recession hits luxury goods more and necessities less, so while less electrical goods might indicate a recession, less breakfast rolls certainly does not. Factor in Calina’s points 1)-3) (she is entirely wrong on 4)) and it is virtually impossible to know the reason for the drop off (especially a relatively small drop of 6-8%).

But breakfastrolls are a luxury good. Compare the economics of them to a bowl of cereal, porridge or some toast at home and you see that substitution provides a cheaper alternative.

That assumes rational consumer behavior, which is not always the case. People who buy breakfast rolls buy them because they are too late into work or too lazy to make their own breakfast. You might see less sales of breakfast rolls because less people are going to work each morning, but on the other hand you might see more as people are increasingly under pressure to work longer hours for less money to pay the bills and so need quick easy and relatively cheap food to keep them going.

[Calina]

I’ve never bought a breakfast roll. How much do they cost?

However, I make my own smoothies.

Maybe I should do the maths on the combined cost of 3 limes, two boxes of strawberries, six bananes, a litre of yoghurt, two litres of Tropicana and see how it compares to 6x3.75 which is what a freezely squeezed smoothie costs at the nearest juice bar.

[johnnyskeleton]

@Calina

I’ve never bought a breakfast roll. How much do they cost?

However, I make my own smoothies.

Maybe I should do the maths on the combined cost of 3 limes, two boxes of strawberries, six bananes, a litre of yoghurt, two litres of Tropicana and see how it compares to 6x3.75 which is what a freezely squeezed smoothie costs at the nearest juice bar.

€3-5 depending on what part of the country you are in. Is there nutrition in smoothies? I thought they were just empty vitamins?

[Canny_Scot]

Might there be a direct correlation between the decline in building activity and the decline in the sales of breakfast rolls?

If the builders are all in bed, then they wont be buying rolls in Spar. I wonder if tea sales are down as well?

[iguana]

@johnnyskeleton

People who buy breakfast rolls buy them because they are too late into work or too lazy to make their own breakfast.

About 7 years ago I spent a few months making breakfast rolls. About 70% of the people who bought them were builders and most of the builders bought 2 breakfast rolls each day. The first between 8 and 8.30am and the second at around 10.30am. The rest were mainly purchased by second and third level students. I always got the impression they bought them less out of hunger and more out of habit. I used to see a lot of half eaten breakfast rolls around the place.

[finnie]

Maybe it was the way you were making them??

IMHO a breakfast roll should contain buttered baguette, rashers with fat chopped off, sausages sliced in half horizontally, puddin’ and hash brown mashed in on top with brown or red sauce depending on your mood at the time.

No effen runny egg…
No effen watery mushrooms…
No effen soggy tomatoes…
No effen nuttin else… Right!

[Ozzy]

@finnie

rashers with fat chopped off

Are you effin mad,

The bacon fat is the best bit

[johnnyskeleton]

@iguana

@johnnyskeleton

People who buy breakfast rolls buy them because they are too late into work or too lazy to make their own breakfast.

About 7 years ago I spent a few months making breakfast rolls. About 70% of the people who bought them were builders and most of the builders bought 2 breakfast rolls each day. The first between 8 and 8.30am and the second at around 10.30am. The rest were mainly purchased by second and third level students. I always got the impression they bought them less out of hunger and more out of habit. I used to see a lot of half eaten breakfast rolls around the place.

Exactly…too late or too lazy…brickies & students.

[iguana]

@finnie

Maybe it was the way you were making them??

Then why would they come back for another two hours later?

@finnie

IMHO a breakfast roll should contain buttered baguette, rashers with fat chopped off, sausages sliced in half horizontally, puddin’ and hash brown mashed in on top with brown or red sauce depending on your mood at the time.

We had very strict criteria for making them. Baguette cut vertically rather than horizontally - it makes them look fuller than they are. 2 rashers in first followed by an egg cut in two. 3 sausages cut diagonally, so it looks like you have 6 sausages instead of 3. Topped off with brown sauce or ketchup. Anything else cost extra.

I made so bloody many of the things in 3 months that over a year afterward I was still cutting my baguettes wrong at home.

[finnie]

@Ozzy

@finnie

rashers with fat chopped off

Are you effin mad,

The bacon fat is the best bit

Theres method in my madness…

Crispy bacon fat is indeed a treat but sadly almost impossible to get. Most of the rashers served in ireland have this rubbery undercooked string which if you wern’t careful could choke you or at least make you gag. Do you ever get a smell of fish off your rasher???

someone told me the piggies are fed fish meal and this causes the smell.

Iguana… sorry didn’t mean to diss your B-Roll technique and process you mentioned is a ok (except for the egg