Latest news with #pricehike
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Hershey raising the price of candy bars due to cocoa shortage
Your favorite chocolate bar will soon come with a bigger price tag after Hershey announced it was raising the price of its candy over the high cost of cocoa. Hershey is expected to raise its prices for retail customers by double digits. Prices will generally increase between the low teens and 20 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing a company official. But the WSJ reports three-quarters of the candy maker's products should continue to cost $4 or less. Hershey executives have said demand for its products has remained strong, per the WSJ. The company has yet to see its full profits for the summer, when consumers are inclined to grab a pack of Hershey's bars for S'mores by the fire. High cocoa costs are to blame for the price increases at Hershey and other treat companies. Last December, cocoa prices hit over $12,000 per metric ton, according to the WSJ. While costs have fallen to about $8,100 per metric ton this week, they still exceed historic levels. West Africa, which accounts for about 70 percent of the world's cocoa supply, has been hit with poor weather, plant disease, aging tree stocks and destructive small-scale gold mining. While weather conditions have slightly improved, industry sources told Reuters earlier this month West Africa will likely see another 10 percent decline in cocoa output in the 2025 to 2026 season. The WSJ reported in another recent article Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Spruengli had attempted to pass rising cocoa costs onto consumers through price hikes, but even that wasn't enough to make up for the higher cocoa costs.
CNET
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Peacock's New Subscription Pricing Is Here. Here's What to Know
If you've been waiting to sign up for Peacock to binge Love Island, the streaming service will now cost more for new or returning subscribers. Pricing goes up on its monthly and annual plans beginning July 23, and will increase in August for current subscribers. With a bump of $3 more each month for Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus, the rates are going from $8 to $11 for the ad-based option, and from $14 to $17 for the ad-free version. For the yearly plan, the price is up from $80 a year to $110 for Premium, and Premium Plus is $170 instead of $140. Existing customers will see the change in their bills on or after Aug. 22. Though Peacock raised its prices last year, these new rates put it on par with HBO Max and other rivals like Disney Plus, whose bundle offerings can help save money. The streamer said that it's testing a new tier called Select, -- which is now available on the site -- a cheaper offering with current programming from NBC and Bravo, along with a slate of library titles. Because it's positioned as Peacock's lowest-priced option at $8 per month ($80 a year), you'll have the choice to upgrade to either Premium or Premium Plus. In addition to Love Island USA, the platform is home to movies, TV shows and live sports from Universal Pictures, NBC, Bravo, SyFy and more. Watch content such as Poker Face (a Peacock original), Yellowstone, The Traitors, NFL Sunday Football, The Real Housewives franchise, Law & Order and Wicked. Later this year, viewers will be able to stream NBA on NBC, Wicked: For Good, Jurassic World Rebirth and the Love Island reunion. And in 2026, cord-cutters can watch Super Bowl LX on Peacock.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Walmart employee claims price of shrimp doubled overnight
By A Walmart employee was stunned to see the price of shrimp double overnight. When the worker shared a photo on Reddit — showing a jump from $4.98 to $9.99 — it quickly went viral. Commenters dubbed it a case of 'shrimpflation,' blaming recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. 'I don't really get into politics but I know whatever is going on is screwed up,' the South Carolina-based worker wrote. Several shoppers claimed tariffs and 'corporate greed' were the key players behind the unbelievable price rise. Others claimed the cost rose because it's the 'start of shrimp season,' and that the price tag has not risen in all of the chain's 10,000+ stores. Price fears were highly talked about for months after Walmart CEO Doug McMillon sounded the alarm on grocery prices last year. Things got worse in the months to follow, and employees went viral for leaking photos of price changes after tariffs forced Walmart to raise product costs . Walmart and Target executives had issued a tariff warning a month before the price hikes became a reality. 'We had a productive meeting with President Trump and his team and appreciated the opportunity to share our insights,' Walmart said of the meeting. The meeting may not have been as useful in the eyes of shoppers who caught a peek of the dreaded price hikes in May. Employees in a string of Reddit posts showed the cost of popular items jumped as much as 80%. Some of the employees' photos included a $3.44 can of Great Value cocoa powder that rose to $6.18 and a $49.97 Hasbro-brand baby doll that used to cost $34.97. The warnings grew drastically last month, and some employees claimed over 15,000 items were repriced in a single store . Workers who aren't thrilled about the price changes may have been the lucky ones since tariffs were a factor in Walmart's decision to slash 1,500 US jobs . Chaos erupted in May after a Target employee posted a photo of a $17.99 USB-C cord that used to be $9.99. 'It's happening,' the worker wrote about the 80% growth. More and more Target employees have since blown the whistle on other products , and claimed that 'everything's going up.' Other chains that fell victim to tariffs include Macy's and Chinese online retail brands Shein and Temu . has reached out to Walmart for comment about the product.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Hershey to increase chocolate prices by double digits
Hershey is set to increase prices for its chocolate products for retail customers by double-digit percentages, ranging from the low teens to 20 percent. The primary reason for these price hikes is the significantly elevated cost of cocoa, which reached over $12,000 per metric ton in December and remains high at around $8,100. Despite the increases, approximately three-quarters of Hershey's products are expected to continue retailing for $4 or less. West Africa, responsible for about 70 percent of the world's cocoa supply, has faced challenges including adverse weather, plant disease, and aging tree stocks, impacting global cocoa production. Other confectionery companies, such as Lindt & Spruengli and Mondelez International (makers of Cadbury), are also implementing price increases due to the rising cost of cocoa.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Nest Aware is getting pricier, but users says the service isn't keeping up
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority TL;DR Nest Aware users are unhappy about rising prices despite worsening service quality. Users are bringing up issues with broken video history playback, unreliable familiar face detection, and more. Many are switching to alternatives like Ubiquiti or Reolink that offer better reliability and local control without subscription fees. Google recently increased the prices of its Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions, but many users say the service isn't improving to match the higher cost. The standard Nest Aware plan has gone from $8 per month ($80 per year) to $10 per month ($100 per year), while Nest Aware Plus has jumped from $15 per month ($150 per year) to $20 per month ($200 per year). While price increases are very common in tech subscriptions, this one has struck a nerve. Users are frustrated that they're now paying more for a service they feel is becoming less reliable. Just yesterday, we covered growing complaints about the declining performance of Google's smart speakers and hubs. It's clear that Nest camera users are facing similar frustrations, especially judging by reactions in this Reddit thread. How do you feel about the Nest Aware price hike and current service quality? 0 votes I'm fine with the new prices. Nest cameras and Nest Aware still work well for me. NaN % I'm annoyed by the price hike, but I'll stick with Nest cameras and Nest Aware for now. NaN % I'm actively looking for alternatives like Ubiquiti or Reolink. NaN % I've already canceled or plan to cancel Nest Aware soon. NaN % In the r/googlehome community, long-time Nest users are voicing their frustration about Nest Aware features not working despite rising prices. A popular thread titled 'Please explain to me why you're raising my prices when 90% of the time this is what I get when I try to look at the history?' has sparked a chain of comments highlighting the ongoing service problems. One of the biggest complaints is that Nest Aware's video history feature, a major selling point of the subscription, has become very unreliable. Users frequently see 'couldn't load video' errors when trying to review footage. 'It's so bad. It can never load videos. The only supposed improvement since last time they raised prices is the AI stuff, and I still don't have access to it even though I've been in the Public Preview for months,' a user commented in the Reddit thread. Some users are also reporting problems with Google's familiar face detection feature. Nest cameras apparently misidentify people, showing alerts for individuals who haven't been near the house in years, or simply failing to detect anyone. 'The detection used to be good. Now it can't seem to tell who is who anymore. My house constantly has people that I haven't even spoken to in years walking around,' said a user. While Google's Nest services have received several new features, including Gemini smarts, in the recent past, many users say they haven't noticed meaningful improvements, especially to the Nest Aware service. Instead, there's a general feeling that the platform is stagnating and neglected. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Many Nest camera users are looking elsewhere for their security camera needs. Brands like Ubiquiti, with its UniFi Protect surveillance system, and Reolink are gaining traction among former Nest customers. People are praising these Nest cam alternatives for their reliability and freedom from recurring subscription fees. Ubiquiti users especially appreciate the integration with Home Assistant, allowing for greater customization and privacy control. One such user who switched to Ubiquiti said, 'I didn't even bother to sell my Nest cameras. I just gave them away for free. I moved over to Ubiquiti Protect cameras. They are 100% reliable and 100% less headaches. Now I'm almost all on Home Assistant.' Meanwhile, some users who aren't ready to leave just yet say they are preparing to cancel their Nest Aware subscriptions before the next renewal cycle. How has your experience been with Nest Aware and Nest cameras in general? Take our poll and let us know in the comments section. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
