The meat market is a prime example how prices are arrived at. I have someone of the family working at a major meat exporter/abattoir. He often brings me export prime beef and it is a far cry from what you can get at local butchers or supermarkets. Nobody here in Australia can afford it, apart from some airlines for first class passengers. It comes from prime beef destined for the export market, and believe me, sales are soaring there. The local supermarkets and butchers buy the meat from old cows as does some of the export market for fast food. The American style prime ribs are something to dream about. You just cannot buy ribs like that anywhere in Australia. No red tinted liquid running out of them. And they actually taste like beef should taste. But someone has to eat the old cow meat, and I am afriad it is us, from "specials" at supermarkets or butchers.
