It hasn't been necessary to raise my prices. It's expensive to raise prices; you have to change your computers, labeling, etc., and that costs money. Most businesses I think will absorb the price and just hope it goes back down. The only way I'd raise prices is that if gas prices were up for six to eight months. Then I'd probably raise them because of the deliveries we make. |
Our sugar prices are up 20 to 25 percent right now, but right after Katrina they were higher. There are still some problems with transportation. There are only so many trucks in Louisiana. Wholesalers in turn have had to ration. Demand is still higher. |
Store owners at one point went to Sam's Club to buy their sugar. I'd heard it got to the point that Sam's put a limit of two 10-pound bags. It had created an interesting supply-and-demand problem. |