Altruistic impulses of the retail sector
Changes are mainly to be expected due to the planned increase in value-added tax as of January 1, 2007. "Anyone who only raises prices at the turn of the year is to blame themselves," said Rolf Pangels from the BAG retail association to the news agency AP. It is important to create enough leeway in the calculation beforehand, so that one can say on January 1, 2007, that one is keeping prices stable. The spokesman for the German Retail Federation, Hubertus Pellengahr, said that a price increase at this date "would not be accepted by consumers."
Exactly. The wonderfully selfless retail sector is raising prices in anticipation of the tax increase only for us consumers, because we wouldn't accept it otherwise. We are so to speak forcing our money onto the retail sector, we are compelling the poor, misunderstood retail sector to raise prices. We should be ashamed.