Petrol and 0.9p
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Halmyre on 3 Aug 2010 08:08 On 3 Aug, 10:15, "Eccles" <peter(a)peter> wrote: > Chris Hills <c...(a)chaz6.com> wrote: > > What is the reason that petrol stations charge .9p per litre? I have > > not come across a single place that sells it as a whole number. > > To kid the innumerate (a fair percentage of the population) that they are > getting a significantly better deal than if the price were 0.1p more. > > It's the equivalent of the widespread 99p, or the pre-decimal 19s 11¾d. > ¾d? That's not pre-decimal, that's prehistoric! -- Halmyre
From: Mortimer on 3 Aug 2010 08:46 "Halmyre" <flashgordonreceding(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:13392251-752e-463f-bc4f-0d09f9577798(a)l14g2000yql.googlegroups.com... On 3 Aug, 10:15, "Eccles" <peter(a)peter> wrote: > Chris Hills <c...(a)chaz6.com> wrote: >> > What is the reason that petrol stations charge .9p per litre? I have >> > not come across a single place that sells it as a whole number. >> >> To kid the innumerate (a fair percentage of the population) that they are >> getting a significantly better deal than if the price were 0.1p more. >> >> It's the equivalent of the widespread 99p, or the pre-decimal 19s 11�d. > �d? That's not pre-decimal, that's prehistoric! I've just looked up on Wikipedia and apparently the farthing (�d) ceased to be legal tender as long ago as 31 Dec 1960. I'd thought that it continued right up until decimalisation in 1971. It's a sobering thought that "The current penny coin, which was introduced when decimalisation of British coinage took effect in 1971, [...] is worth 9.6 times as much when counted as a fraction of a pound. However, inflation has given it a purchasing power less than half that of a farthing as it was on the eve of the latter's withdrawal."
From: GT on 3 Aug 2010 09:29 "Ian Jackson" <ianREMOVETHISjackson(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:$B3Oy8AIaAWMFw8n(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk... > In message <8bqeguFlvfU1(a)mid.individual.net>, Roger Mills > <watt.tyler(a)gmail.com> writes >>On 03/08/2010 10:26, GT wrote: >>> "Chris Hills"<chaz(a)chaz6.com> wrote in message >>> news:i38f86$mka$1(a)chaz6.eternal-september.org... >>>> What is the reason that petrol stations charge .9p per litre? I have >>>> not >>>> come across a single place that sells it as a whole number. >>> >>> A very simple explanation - its a psychological trick played by all (bar >>> a >>> couple) of retailers. �9.99 is only 1 penny less than �10, but >>> psychologically, �9.99 is much less than a whole �10 (to most people). >>> Hence >>> the .99 in most places. One shop did decide to move to round figures a >>> year >>> or 2 ago and they added 1p to all their lines and made a fortune! >>> >>> >> >>It probably doesn't apply now that most people pay with plastic - but it >>used to claimed that it was done to prevent dishonest shop assistants from >>pocketing the tenner, because they'd have to ring it up on the till in >>order to get the penny change. > > Marks and Spencer's clothing prices are in whole pounds. > Unfortunately, they don't sell petrol (yet). But when they do... "This isn't just petrol. Its hand pumped, individually filtered..." etc!
From: Mortimer on 3 Aug 2010 09:44 "GT" <a(a)b.c> wrote in message news:4c5819a8$0$26029$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com... >> Marks and Spencer's clothing prices are in whole pounds. >> Unfortunately, they don't sell petrol (yet). > > But when they do... "This isn't just petrol. Its hand pumped, individually > filtered..." etc! But if they had Dervla Kirwan saying this seductively as she dispensed the petrol, they could get away with charging the earth for their fuel ;-)
From: Ian Jackson on 3 Aug 2010 11:20
In message <4c5819a8$0$26029$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com>, GT <a(a)b.c> writes >"Ian Jackson" <ianREMOVETHISjackson(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote in message >news:$B3Oy8AIaAWMFw8n(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk... >> >> >> Marks and Spencer's clothing prices are in whole pounds. >> Unfortunately, they don't sell petrol (yet). > >But when they do... "This isn't just petrol. Its hand pumped, individually >filtered..." etc! > Maybe. And the petrol will come from the Far East, and be very thin. They will have it in every quantity except the quantity you want, and even if they do have the quantity you want, when you get it home, you will find that the quantity is smaller than you expected. But I doubt if you will be able to return it and get your money back. -- Ian |