In my LQS they hand write the price and so far I haven't noticed that the priced has changed. Fabric is getting too expensive, but I keep buying it!

Merchants have been marking up old stock to match the new for as long as I can remember. It's just good old-fashioned greed. Not all stores do it tho, and I appreciate those that don't, not taking advantage of their customers.

I have worked in retail, not fabrics though. When we had a sale, there was stock on hand to replace what was out on the floor. If an item was on sale, both got the sale price. If the item price had gone up, all products would be marked accordingly.
Price cards, stickers etc placed over another price was the norm. Was much easier for sales when items were on sale or being sold higher.
Our selling at a higher price depended on demand. An item selling well, would be increased, and one that wasn't was marked down to make it look like it was on sale.
I worked as an assistant buyer, and let me tell you, when you buy something on sale, the store is not loosing anything. Items are marked much higher then they buy them for and when you see a sale it grabs your attention.

DH receives many economic reports and I read them some but get depressed too much to read a lot. Right now chocolate prices are going out of sight and will chocolate prices will soar. Stock up now on chips, cocoa powder if you use a lot of it. Next Christmas you won't be able to buy much if it's available from the forecasts I read. It will level out some after a year or two when the crop revives. Remember when vanilla extract became $20 a bottle if you could find it a few years ago? It was in one of the reports about six months before. I bought several bottles then cheap and had enough to share with friends when the holidays came and no vanilla could be found on the shelf. I don't mean to alarm anyone but it doesn't hurt to have a heads up to save money on things to be able to afford the higher fabric prices. What I'm keeping a supply of now is cotton socks, underwear, tee shirts, and any jeans that are a stable everyday wear.

Or don't buy it!!!

You are allowed to vent. In the UK we have laws that stop them doing that, but I guess that you can get around anything, anywhere.

Thanks so much for the head's up! Will put away some chocolate chips for next Christmas!

chocolate is probably going up because it's almost valentines day! that is what happens. Gas here is just under $3 for unleaded.

I have always thought that was wrong. The grocery stores do it too. If they would sell the old stuff at the price they decided was the right mark up they would probably sell more, we would stock up. IMHO