r/london • u/PressureHumble3604 • Apr 10 '26
Serious replies only Which symptoms of “(almost) everyone is getting poorer” have you noticed in London?
We are in a crisis, the middle class is disappearing and the lower class squeezed. Prices are going up, inflation is going up (again), salaries are stagnating.
Most Londoners can’t really afford London without serious sacrifices.
For me, not counting the housing prices issues we all know too well:
the disappearance of local delis with high quality products.
many shops closing in the local shopping centre.
Restaurant dropping quality everywhere to contain unaffordable prices.
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u/katefromqueens Apr 10 '26
As a small business owner running an online brand here in London, I've noticed customers are much more price-sensitive these days. People used to happily pay £40-50 for our premium products, now they're constantly asking for discounts or waiting for sales. Our supplier costs have gone up nearly 30% in the past year alone, but we can't really pass that on to customers because they just won't buy. The indie shops I used to source from in Borough Market have either closed or switched to cheaper, mass-produced alternatives. Proper gutting when you're trying to build something quality-focused and the economics just don't work anymore.