PRICE GOUGING AT PESACH

Here in NYC, there are laws against price gouging for Pesach. The problem is that there is insufficient over sight, and prices do go up more than they should.

Here are some examples:

Schatzer Shmura Matza went up $2 per pound. Wheat prices are down. Fuel prices are down. Labor costs have not increased. Why the increase? The stores that sell that matzah are being charged over $18 per pound. Nu, you tell us how much they will charge us for it! Last year, the wholesalers paid $14 per pound. Oh, and by the way- that is for matzah that is picked up at the bakery, not delivered.

Alle Packing is charging over $3.00 per pound for frozen turkeys. Those same turkeys are being sold in local super markets for well under $3 per pound. Why? We recently helped a restaurant buy turkeys at several local super markets because Alle’s prices are too high.

Alle Packing informed customers this week that there is a brisket shortage and then told each retailer how much brisket they would get. Of course, for a price, they might be able to get more…………

Here in the Metro NYC area, matzah can be had for $2 or $3 for five pounds. Of course, there are some matzas that sell for $5 for 5 pounds. So how come in the South, it goes for so much more? We have heard of people paying more than $12 for the same amount of matza.

Miller’s Cheese: The price that was a few weeks ago, has increased by almost 50%. Why?

Chicken prices go up almost by the day. Two weeks ago, family pack chicken cutlets were $4.99 per pound. Now they are $2 more per pound, and you have to buy a huge bag to get that price.

We took one look at the prices of Pesach baked goods and decided to totally skip them this year. Most of them are not worth the cost, so why spend the money? We will serve fruit and home cooked delights.

Frankly, we think it is a shandah. Even worse, the little, so called heimishe companies charge the most outrageous prices.

When will it stop?