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NEWS > U.S.A. > RISING PEANUT BUTTER PRICES BECOMING STICKY PROBLEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
RISING PEANUT BUTTER PRICES BECOMING STICKY PROBLEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
November 4 2011
New York, NY – Everything is more expensive than it used to be. It isn’t just that things seem more expensive because we have less money, things actually are more expensive. With an increase in costs in virtually every area of the economy inevitably those increases were going to be passed down to consumers, and now it has affected one of the staples of breakfasts and lunches everywhere.
Peanut butter, that favourite of children and adults all over the world, is rising in prices. A combination of factors – poor peanut harvest, increases in gas prices – are contributing to the largest increase in peanut butter pricing in decades, increases of as much as 40%, raising fears that not only will many families have to do without, but also of a increase in peanut butter related crime.
The three major manufacturers Kraft (Planters), ConAgra (Peter Pan), and J.M. Smucker (Jif) will all increase the price of their products this month, changes which have already started to trickle down to consumers, leaving many with no option but to move to the black market to purchase the staple.
“Unfortunately these price increases are unavoidable at this stage. The gross price of peanuts has increased dramatically over the last year and while we have tried to avoid passing that cost into consumers, we are no longer in a position to absorb that cost,” said a spokesperson for Kraft. “We hope that going forward costs will decrease which in turn will allow us to again lower the cost at retail, allowing all of our customers to continue enjoying this staple of children everywhere at an affordable price.”
Peanut prices have increased more than 30 percent from the same time last year with production down 13 percent across the country.
Already, areas where prices have increased have seen jumps in peanut butter related crimes.
“We are seeing the normal types of crimes such as shoplifting, which has been on the increase, but it is the rise in truck hijackings that has us principally concerned. Unfortunately, our only success has come in handling the street dealers, the product handlers, and not the power players behind them,” said a spokesperson for the NYPD. “It has been a sharp increase and we are concerned that this will only accelerate as time goes on, so long as prices stay high. Peanut butter related crime, specifically gun violence, has also increased.”
Dealers have apparently been isolated to a handful of corners throughout the city but because peanut butter possession is only a misdemeanour in New York State many are freed the same day they are rounded up.
“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we start to see these types of crimes across the country. Any good that can be made into profit by criminal organizations is something they will want to deal in and unfortunately it is their customers who will be caught in the middle,” said Scrape TV Crime analyst Willard Weston. “Ultimately it is them who are caught in the middle of disputes between power players and they who will suffer. But as long as prices stay up and people can’t shake their addiction to peanut butter, well this is going to be a problem.”
The FBI has apparently started a special task force to deal with the issues of interstate peanut butter trafficking.
Mike Michaels, American Correspondent
NEWS > U.S.A. > RISING PEANUT BUTTER PRICES BECOMING STICKY PROBLEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
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