Apparently there’s some distress at the BBC over boohoo, that online retailer of tat clothing:

Online retailer Boohoo is investigating why the same items of clothing were sold for higher prices across a number of its fashion labels.

The BBC discovered that Dorothy Perkins and Coast, which are both owned by Boohoo, sold exactly the same coat but it cost £34 more at Coast.

There are price disparities across a range of Boohoo brands, which also include Oasis and Warehouse.

The secret is, of course, in that word “brand”. This being what a brand is, that miasma of beliefs, fashion, social status, market segmentation, capture of the consumer surplus and all that which enables a different price to be charged for the same item.

The same reason Skodas are cheaper than Audis, even if they’re made in the same factory.

Or even, the reason we’re told we should believe the BBC more than other media – because of the brand, you know?