Veloce isn't that expensive and is probably what most people go for apart from the budget end starting out bikes. Yes it now doesn't give a choice, but there was precious little choice anyway as very few retailers didn't just bolt Sora (or next one up) on.
Although Campagnolo are wonderful, warm and fluffy people they are still running a business so if it wasn't getting enough cash through the door...
Campagnolo are a pretty small company (in size, but not statue
) and more specialised compared to Shimano which turns out millions of bits and pieces for a variety of activities. When you're running off mass market low end stuff this size is always going to help keep the costs down.
I like to think of it as a master carpenter compared to Ikea
.