I take it this is wrong -
The point is that when somebody in the UK hears that the Euro area inflation is 8.9% they imagine that this is what Europeans are actually experiencing - and I’ve actually heard a Tory politician claim this - but most Europeans are not experiencing this - the average is distorted by very high rates in very small countries like the Baltic states (that also have historical links with Russia).
France is 6.5%. Germany, with the largest population and more than half of the entire euro economy, is 8.2%.
I think ‘euro area inflation’ is a meaningless figure unless you’re a central banker or currency speculator.
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As I said, unless you are a statistician it is all relative. People might find it interesting to look at their personal inflation rate. Mine is low because of where we live and our lifestyle.
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The point is Geof this is the official inflation figure for the Eurozone from the EU’s own statistical office. Belgium, Spain, Greece and the Netherlands are not small Baltic States and have rates above the UK’s so clearly inflation is rising across Europe, suggesting otherwise is wrong.
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Yes, prices are going up all the time and it’s very worrying, but it’s difficult to objectively compare here with abroad. What I’d like to see is a price by price comparison on a basket of everyday items. I don’t know if Carrefour is more expensive than Tesco’s, but it would be interesting to know.
I forgot to comment on that 
Try this thread I started
It’s an old ploy Geof that I’ve watched for forty years. A news item that reveals things are shit in the UK is then quickly followed by an another item saying they are worse somewhere, anywhere else. Propaganda plain and simple IMO.
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Not what I’ve said John but then I’m not the one wearing ‘rosie specs’.
we are both pensioners and if we lived in the UK we would be paying tax on our modest pension income, having to eat inferior quality food and our accommodation/basic living expenses and costs I estimate would be higher. Our health would suffer as a consequence and this would not be mitigated by a supposed “free at the point of delivery” Health Service, of which - once, I was very proud.
Now the UK is a disaster under a neo-fascist regime worsening by the day run by a world beating pack of jokers with no clear vision of sorting out the mess.
At then end of the day, it is our disposable income which matters to us and I have no doubt that we would less well off financially and closer to the breadline if we were living in the UK.
These things are all relative and it is very much your lifestyle and personal choices which matter…
We are totally content with our French lifestyle - no keeping up with the Jones’ (with apologies to JJ 
) a relatively newish car, no credit debt nor borrowing to make ends meet, a single storey property and terrain which is within our means to maintain and sufficient funds in savings accounts garnered from excess of modest pension income over expenditure monthly and very little, if any stress.
What’s not to like?
And @tim17 I am not wearing rose tinted spectacles… I’m coming at this from a practical and personal point of view… simple!
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I am going in a couple of weeks so I’ll see if I get time to check some prices. I know it can be hard to compare because things are very different here. Must admit I thought Weetabix was dear here (not available at the moment) but that is more expensive in the UK. Cheddar cheese is definitely cheaper in the UK.
That’s not exactly the shock of the century though is it?
so it might be… but we eat local French/European fayre - our lifestyle and tastes have changed (probably for the better) over time and we no longer hanker over things that were once in our lives before coming here.
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Yes - generally both UK and multinational ‘brands’ tend to be more expensive in France, and comparisons like this leap out if you like those brands. But set against this are many things such as housing, transport, leisure, study, etc, that are much cheaper here - and better quality in things like a lot of food and clothing. Overall, as Graham says, we’re better off here (on average, I believe the calculation is over 8,000€ a year better off).
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I totally agree with Graham that we can live here more cheaply than were we living in the UK but food etc is getting more expensive and things would be much worse if the government hadn’t subsidised fuel and electricity.
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@Geof_Cox 8k€/annum is a huge amount
The point is Tim, they have taken practical and meaningful steps to help rather than just employ weasel words and sound bites. Even more so that this has also helped non-French residents with bills too…
Bananas 
Ladt time I was in UK, ,last May. 79 p/kilo. Here, Netto was 99cents/kilo but suddenly jumped to €1.59. Carrefour €1.99 so (probably) more expensive than Waitrose, M&S
straight or curved? 
Oh, I see you added some further clarification
Maybe, the choice for most governments is let inflation increase or add to the national debt.
I’ve seen arguments for and against both… I think @Geof_Cox has posted a commentary on the feature/benefits for and against both in recent times.
At the end of the day, for mere mortals like you and me, it’s more about quality of life
That’ll be interesting. But frankly I’m confident the sans-culottes here (AKA gilet jaunes) will keep prices below the sheeple in Blighty.