"Sam's Club, Costco limit rice purchases as prices rise"
4/23/2008, 7:07 p.m. EDT
By MARCUS KABEL
The Associated Press =09
(AP) =97 The two biggest U.S. warehouse retail chains are limiting how =20=
much rice customers can buy because of what Sam's Club, a division of =20=
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., called on Wednesday "recent supply and demand =20
trends."
The broader chain of Wal-Mart stores has no plans to limit food =20
purchases, however. The move comes as U.S. rice futures hit a record =20
high amid global food inflation, although one rice expert said the =20
warehouse chains may be reacting less to any shortages than to =20
stockpiling by restaurants and small stores. Sam's Club followed =20
Seattle-based Costco Wholesale Corp., which put limits in at least =20
some stores on bulk rice purchases."