Where can I find historic prices?
December 11, 2011 9:11 AM Subscribe
Planning to use inflation as a way to show my maths students where percentages are used.
I've found a load of inflation calculators online. (E.g. from this thread). But what I would really like, is a comparison of the price of different goods over the past decade or so. Well known brands would be better, e.g. can of coke, can of heinz beans, Kellogg's cornflakes. UK prices if possible.
The reason for the brands is it would get the students to have more interest. We can then have a discussion about how people change brands to avoid the higher prices etc.
Ideally I would have a table of data, with goods down one side, and prices across the top.
Thanks so much, in return I'll upload the lesson for future teachers.
The reason for the brands is it would get the students to have more interest. We can then have a discussion about how people change brands to avoid the higher prices etc.
Ideally I would have a table of data, with goods down one side, and prices across the top.
Thanks so much, in return I'll upload the lesson for future teachers.
Not quite what you're asking for and not knowing how old these kids are or how bright this may be unsuitable but you could do worse than start with the Big Mac Index or variations of the theme. Even if you decide that economic theory is beyond them there's a data set you can download for a fee to get the total of Big Mac Index data since 1986. So even if you decide to stay well clear of the actual economic theory you could just use the price of a Big Mac Meal over the last 25 years in the UK for your purposes. And if you want to make it more complicated for the peeps the information and explanations are all there.
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:47 AM on December 11, 2011
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:47 AM on December 11, 2011
This is for the UK, but not specific brands. The National Archives has the Retail Prices Index. You add it to your "cart" and then check out (it's free). You must give them your email address, but they display a download link on the website. It downloads a .zip file with 170 files inside, which have prices for groceries and more.
For example, the price of "Beef, British: Beef Ribs", ""Bread: White bread, sliced (800g)", "Milk: Milk (skimmed) per pint" and so on (and includes non-grocery items like electricity per kwh, soap, cigarettes, and fuel). In new pence for recent years. The data runs from 1947 - 2004.
posted by Houstonian at 9:57 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
For example, the price of "Beef, British: Beef Ribs", ""Bread: White bread, sliced (800g)", "Milk: Milk (skimmed) per pint" and so on (and includes non-grocery items like electricity per kwh, soap, cigarettes, and fuel). In new pence for recent years. The data runs from 1947 - 2004.
posted by Houstonian at 9:57 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
I haven't been through the site in a long time so I'm not sure if it will work for your purposes, but kids might relate to The Economist's Big Mac Index.
posted by echo0720 at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2011
posted by echo0720 at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2011
It depends on the age of the students, but inflation might not be a great way to demonstrate percentages. The reason is that there are other variables at play. Has the price gone up because the currency is worth less, or because the thing is worth more? If there is a bad growing season, cornflakes might go up 10%, but meat might go up 50%. If fuel costs rise, local products will be cheaper when they are in season and much more expensive when they have to be flown in from Spain or Brazil. If something happens that makes a country's currency less valuable, prices for internally produced goods and labor might not change much, but imported goods will increase.
posted by gjc at 6:23 AM on December 12, 2011
posted by gjc at 6:23 AM on December 12, 2011
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posted by Green With You at 9:47 AM on December 11, 2011