I've no idea what the magic formula is I'm afraid … I just hope that the 1 lb round remains in favour a little longer as I've got several hundred in my store to use up. I also dislike the 12oz hex jars with the shoulders that always seem to trap bubbles. Finally the 8 oz jars hardly seem to be worth the trouble of filling (though I suppose I might change my mind if I was able to charge over £4 for it).

BBKA have a go at estimating the cost of running a hive this month (last month?) - I've not read it thoroughly but have been thinking about this recently. For me it's a hobby and I don't need to turn a profit, though it would be good to recoup some of the outlay (like the new extractor I have my eye on). However, my time is the thing in shortest supply and bottling honey - washing jars, drying lids, labelling etc. - is very time consuming. Another reason for me to keep going with the 1 lb rounds for as long as possible.