Red roses could result in financial red for men nationwide today, with the price of the flowers rising around nearly 800 percent for Valentine's Day, a consumer group said yesterday.
According to the Consumers' Foundation, a single locally grown rose will cost NT$60 to NT$80 -- a price hike of nearly 800 percent from the usual NT$10.
The foundation said prices could jump even higher on Valentine's Day today.
Imported roses are even more expensive at NT$500 apiece, or more than triple the average NT$150.
As a symbol of romance and love, roses are the top seller for Valentine's Day.
Traditionally, Taiwanese men buy 999 roses for their true love, which at the higher-than-normal prices would total NT$500,000 -- equal to an average office worker's annual salary.
Flower sellers look forward to Feb. 14 each year.
"Valentine's Day is the most important occasion for florists," said Jessica Chang (
"Sales generated during the holiday period can be as high as a month's worth of regular sales," she said.
The Consumers' Foundation, however, is not so happy.
"The price of such romance is much too high. It is very unfair and unreasonable for consumers to pay such costs," said foundation secretary-general Cheng Jen-hung (程仁宏).
Cheng said the foundation would request that the Fair Trade Commission investigate the pricing practice and punish anyone found guilty of breaking retailing laws.
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