Price-fixing in markets is futile

A REVEALING economic laboratory experiment has been conducted in the egg market recently that has demonstrated the futility of price-fixing in markets.

Farmers, faced with rising agricultural costs and the reluctance of supermarket chains to raise prices, have reacted to this disincentive by not buying more young hens to furnish eggs for future domestic consumption. Given their losses, why would they?

Gaps in the supermarket egg aisles testify to this while the retailers point disingenuously to the adverse effects of avian flu on egg supply. Surely, retailers and farmers should act as a team to ensure continuity of supply and the cost rises must be passed on to consumers.

My twice-weekly ham and egg omelette is a great source of vitamins and minerals and I am certainly prepared to pay more for eggs.

Ian Roblin

Llanishen, Cardiff