Once I went to a scrap yard where there was notice that said, "This is not a scrap yard, it is a car dismantler's yard and ...."

You expect to pay more at such a place.

Edited by hillman on 21/12/2018 at 13:50

A company I deal with had been a family concern since it was established 20+ years ago. The owner retired and sold-up to a multi national, their prices went up ~25-30% in the first two years!

"Almost complete lack of competition" and "utter, shameless greed" are two factors never admitted to when prices go up. Instead, there is constant flanneling about "the falling exchange rate", "the cost of Brexit", "uncertainty about [insert trending topic here]"; "the cold snap"; "European safety regulations on [.....]" , "disrupted oil production owing to the civil unrest/war in [insert oil producing country here...]"; "millions of motorists driving without [insurance/road tax/faulty headlights/rear view mirrors]" and the like. Ebeneezer Scrooge is alive and well and prospering in the car parts business!