The Price of Milk

When I bought milk during a recent shop, my mind drifted back to an interview I heard on ABC radio years ago.  For a long time the cost of 3 litres of milk was $3, and the host was interviewing listeners if they were in favour of increasing the cost $.50 to support Australian dairy farmers who were doing it tough.  The majority of those calling in were surprisingly supportive of the idea as $.50 was not asking much.  Shortly thereafter, the cost of milk was increased $.50--along with all other dairy items.

This was something that was not discussed in the ABC interview.  Their pitch to consumers was to increase the cost of milk to help dairy farmers, but the host did not mention that this possibly could or would impact everything milk was used to make.  Since I buy groceries on a weekly basis, I immediately noticed a corresponding increase in other products like cheese, cream, yogurt, sour cream, milk chocolate and ice cream.  A proposed fifty-cent increase ballooned to well over $10 extra in a single shop.  While this wasn't the end of the world or a cause to stop buying dairy products, to me it highlighted the need for transparency and being honest up front in about other increased costs.  It would have given people being interviewed pause with a more complete understanding of the overall impact.

With COVID came extra costs and "shrinkflation," which meant people were paying the same or more money for items which had less product.  Packaging was cleverly changed to make the reduced quantity less obvious to consumers.  This has caused me to be more observant with purchases to ensure best value for money.  When I bought milk last week, I noticed the price had gone up without fanfare to $5.15!  It is remarkable to me how long milk was one dollar per litre and has almost doubled in price since.  Sentiment of concern for the bottom lines of the farmers has truly shifted to consumers and the high cost of living.  I find it compelling the shift away from one dollar per litre of milk was a common subject on the radio and the initial increase was broadcasted by news reporters, but additional increases have been ignored.  Fair enough, as suggested changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax stand to cost Aussies a lot more than milk.

I wonder if people on the radio who agreed to spend $.50 more on milk to help farmers would have happily to pay $2.15 more (with the majority going to a corporation)!  The increase of the cost of milk and the additional cost to other items illustrates how sin can look agreeable early on but has an insidious impact on the rest of our lives we never considerd.  Temptation to sin does not come with a warning of addiction, ruined relationships or failing health:  it simply presents something our flesh desires.  Eve looked longingly upon the forbidden fruit that looked delicious, and she ate it even after God said eating it would result in death.  God told her the high cost of disobedience up front, but she would continue to pay the price with being cut off from fellowship with God, the death of her son Abel, and her ultimate demise.  Praise the LORD Jesus has paid the price with His own blood to atone for our sins, so we can be free from the power and punishment of sin.  We don't need to be strung along by increasing demands of sin because Jesus has set us free by the Gospel.