Prices on the Up

We’ve all seen the rapid cost in prices with diesel and petrol hitting everyone particularly hard, plus this has a knock on effect for food in the shops and most other products we buy just to live. It looks like tackle will be the next in line.

Because of the turmoil throughout the financial world and the massive pull on natural resources I’m hearing that fishing tackle importers are being hit by huge price increases brought about by the rapid increase in prices for basic manufacturing commodities, especially steel and other metals. Goods from the Far East, which like it or not is where the bulk of what we buy is made, looks set to soar.

Some of these increases are as much as 20 and even 30% and are unavoidable and purely down to world commodities demand forcing the price up for everyone.

I’m also concerned that not only will we have to endure this increase, but on top, European and UK companies will also have to add price increases to stay level with fuel and shipping charges here in the UK as the full effect of transport costs feed through to us who buy from the front of the counter.

Difficult as it is to make ends meet, it’s no good getting too brassed off about it, as it’s the same in America, most of Europe, and even the Aussies are starting to struggle financially. Few are immune!

Interestingly enough, past surveys in the US indicate that angling is one of the least effected leisure activities during periods of economic hardship. We Brits seem to follow the same pattern and somehow manage to find the money to fish however empty our wallets become.