Final answer:
The variable costs for a manufacturer of supermarket ready meals typically include raw materials, direct labor costs, utilities, and packaging costs, all of which vary with the production levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The variable costs for a manufacturer of supermarket ready meals might include:
- Cost of raw materials like vegetables, meat, and spices, which vary depending on the amount of meals produced.
- Direct labor costs, which refer to the wages paid to workers directly involved in preparing and packaging the meals.
- Utilities such as electricity and gas, which fluctuate with the level of production activity in the facilities.
- Packaging costs, which include the materials used to package the ready meals for consumers, varying as production levels change.