In decades gone by, the standing joke was that there was a cafe on every corner. Things have changed as the retail giants keep up the relentless pressure to get a bigger slice of the retail pie.

A supermarket on every corner is now a reality. Shoprite appears to be currently in the lead, but the rest of the pack are not far behind. Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Spar ... all chasing the next loaf of bread and can of Coca-Cola as they collectively embark on a programme of opening up more outlets.

The weekly “specials” have become boring, with very little difference in the pricing. Millions are being spent in making the shops look attractive, as the poor franchisees suck the hind tit, by having to comply with the endless demands of their franchisers.

Sometimes I think that the small Pakistani- and Bangladeshi-owned shops make bigger profits, by offering convenience at a higher price.

It is not inconceivable that a retail cartel, controlling prices, is manipulating the industry, a ghostly third force.

The retail/supermarket industry, in conjunction with the manufacturing monoliths that have emerged, are treating the consumers with disdain. They are holding guns to our heads, a most worrying situation as disposable incomes shrink at an alarming rate.

Peter Bachtis, Lakefield, Benoni