EXCERPTS:
"BEIJING—Chinese shoppers are clearing supermarket shelves of soap, laundry detergent and shampoo after media reports warned of sharp price increases, the latest signal of public alarm over rising inflation despite government attempts to bring it under control.
State media began reporting late last week that the four consumer-goods companies that dominate the market for detergents—Unilever PLC, Procter & Gamble Co., Guangzhou Liby Enterprise Group and Nice Group—are expected to increase prices soon by 5% to 15%.
That news spurred consumers across the country to flock to supermarkets to fill their shopping carts. At a Tesco PLC grocery store in Shanghai, a service manager said customer numbers doubled over the weekend, and the shoppers stripped shelves bare of laundry detergent.
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China's consumer-price index rose 4.9% in February from a year earlier, unchanged from January's rate and higher than Beijing's target of 4% for the year. Chinese consumers here have been hit hard by rising food prices, which increased 11% in February from a year earlier. Prices of everything from eggs to garlic have surged.
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Many consumers feel their only course of action is to stock up on goods that won't spoil quickly.
"Shampoo is already way too expensive, and I can't bear any further price increases," Ms. Wang said.
With five bags of Tide laundry detergent in her grocery cart, Ramona Yan, a 24-year-old website editor, said buying in bulk now would save her money in the coming months."
