Each Christmas feels more expensive than the last. Are we finding it increasingly difficult to resist the giddy extravagance of the festive frenzy? Are we really doing our best to keep costs down by comparing prices and seeking greatest value for money?
If we’ve temporarily lost the ability to shop frugally, we may be in good company. Using data gathered by software company Gatewit, a Supply Management article entitled ‘50-fold price difference on government Christmas trees’ reveals that yuletide extravagance has hit certain UK government departments too:
‘In 2012, the Department for Transport (DfT) spent £15 on a tree for display in its offices, but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) bought two trees for £750 each … Three quarters of departments spent nothing on trees for display on department premises, while the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spent the most, purchasing five trees for a total of £1,780.’
In sourcing roughly the same item for precisely the same purpose, such a deviation in cost is difficult to believe. Our advice? Strive to seek the most competitive price and don’t be blinded by the Christmas lights!
Enjoy the full Supply Management article here.
