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Seattle, WA, United States (AHN) – Get ready to peel off more bucks for your Starbucks lattes, frappuccinos, espressos and standard brews.

The Seattle coffee chain announced Tuesday that it is raising prices an average of 1 percent in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions. Cities that will see higher prices include Boston, New York, Washington, Atlanta, Dallas and Albuquerque. Prices will remain unchanged in California and Florida.

The increase comes as Starbucks faces higher commodity costs. The company will not raise prices for its packaged coffee sold in its cafes and at grocery stores. That increase came last year when Starbucks raised prices of packaged coffee 17 percent at its cafes and 12 percent at grocery stores.

The coffee giant believes the increases will have little effect on its consumer base, which is less sensitive to prices than some of its rivals.

In early afternoon trading Wednesday, shares of Starbucks were trading higher by 2 percent at $46.21 per share.

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Atlanta, GA, United States (AHN) – U.S. teens are not eating enough fruits and vegetables, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The findings, based on data complied from nearly 10,800 students in grades nine through 12 who took part in the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study 2010, found median consumption was 1.2 times per day for both fruits and vegetables.

Median fruit consumption was much higher among males than females, and much higher among grade nine students than among students in grades 10 and 12.

A little more than 28.5 percent, or one in four, of the high school students ate fruit less than once a day, and 33.2 percent ate vegetables less than once a day.

Only 16.8 percent of students ate fruit at least four times a day, and only 11.2 percent ate vegetables at least four times a day.

Vegetable consumption was lowest among Hispanic and black students, the study found.

Researchers said the findings show that most high school students do not meet the daily fruit and vegetable recommendations, and more needs to be done to see the recommendations are met.

The researchers wrote in the Nov. 25 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, “The infrequent fruit and vegetable consumption by high school student highlights the need for effective strategies to increase consumption.”

Steps have already been taken at schools throughout the country to remove sugary snacks, sodas, high fat, high salt and low nutrient dense foods. New programs such as farm-to-school initiatives, school gardens and salad bars aim to improve access to both fruits and vegetables.

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London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – British Transport Secretary Philip Hammond indicated that the government is ready to end the “war on the motorist” by hiking the motorway speed limit to 80 miles per hour from the current 70.

In preparation for the change, Hammond sought a more thorough cost benefit analysis of speed limits beyond safety issues. Safety concerns alone would lead most governments to lower the speed cap to 10 mph, Hammond said.

Among the other aspects of the issue is the cost of additional travel time with slower speed caps, particularly at a time when petrol prices continue to soar in the international market. Another is the frequent violation of the 70 mph speed limit, which caused the coalition government to spend a lot on purchases of speed cameras after the election.

According to data from the Department of Transport based on a 2009 research, 52 percent of British motorists drive beyond 70 mph on highways, of which 37 percent have 70 to 79 mph speeds.

However, the planned hike on speed limits could result in another rift by the Tory government with coalition partner, the Liberal Democrats. Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne, a LibDem, is against lifting the 70 mph ceiling because driving faster uses more fuel. A 10-mph difference from 70 to 80 speed would consume 10 to 20 percent more fuel.

Because of the recent oil price hikes, survey by AA found that 59 percent of 15,000 British drivers who participated in the poll are willing to slow down if it would save them some money. During the 2008 petrol price hike, average British motorist speed dropped to 69 mph from 70 mph, but the drivers’ speed went up once fuel prices decrease.

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London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – Consumer watchdog Which? has slammed British supermarkets for their excessive packaging, which contributes to pollution and landfill materials.

The group found at least 50 products that is said had too much packaging. Which? cited as an example quadruple chocolate cookies sold in Tesco which were inside a hard cardboard tube, with a metal top and bottom that encased the tray of cooked, and further encased in a plastic sleeve. While the tube was very strong, the lid did not fit well for buyers to reuse the tin tube to keep the cookies fresh.

Other items cited by the watchdog include oranges sold in plastic trays with plastic film, printer cartridges in oversize packaging, toys packed six times the size of the actual toy and cereals that filled only half of the plastic bag inside the box.

However, Which? pointed out that supermarkets have made significant progress in cutting down on excessive packaging that consumers in the end pay for.

In 2008 the Local Government Association reported that up to 38 percent of food packaging in a typical supermarket cannot be recycled. On a second investigation, the association found there was a 2 percent improvement in reducing excessive packaging.

The association identified Marks & Spencer as the worst offender, since only 62 percent of items sold in M&S stores could be recycled, versus an average of 76 percent from high street retailers and 74 percent from markets.

Like Watch?’s finding, the LGA study also criticized the excessive packaging of cookies, which often came in plastic tubes plus a tray.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States (AHN) – Procter and Gamble is set to raise wholesale prices of Pampers and other products due to rising costs of materials.

The retail giant told Marketwatch the increase would be limited to prices of the diaper brand, Bounty paper towels and Charmin toilet paper in the United States.

Bounty and Charmin products will increase about 5 percent, while wholesale prices of Pampers diapers will rise 7 percent. 

The increases will follow a price hike by competitor Kimberly-Clarke, which manufactures Huggies diapers, because of higher costs.

Procter and Gamble, which early this month announced the sale of its remaining food brand, Pringles, to Diamond Foods, is scheduled to release its third quarter earnings on Thursday

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London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – A 40 percent spike in petrol prices over the past few months failed to dampen the Easter travel plans of many Britons.

Despite high air, rail and land fares, and petrol pump prices, Britons are leaving cities in droves to get relief from the heat and enjoy as well the Easter break.

About one million Britons are anticipated to crowd Britain’s airports in the next four days, while another 18 million motorists will travel over the holiday weekend.

Among the added expenses the vacationing Britons will have to bear are higher fuel surcharges and Air Passenger Duty tacked on their air fares or $11.19 (GBP 7.46) more for road travelers to fill a tank for a small family car.

The exodus for domestic holiday destinations would mean motorists will spend an extra $3 (GBP 2) at the gas pump. On top of higher fuel cost, motorists will also have to contend with parking fees collected by local councils.

The large number of vehicles on the road prompted the British government to issue a smog alert after air monitors on Marylebone Road registered readings over European benchmarks on ozone and pollutant particles.

To lessen pollution and gridlock, London Mayor Boris Johnson encouraged residents to stay in the capital city and offered a temporary beach at the Thames south bank, near London Eye The temporary beach offers funfairs, candy floss and 230 feet (70 meters) of sand. However, canoeing on the Thames River is not allowed.

In addition to the heavy Easter travellers, London is expecting to host over 250,000 local and foreign tourists who want to witness the royal wedding on April 29.

In addition to the Easter holiday and the royal wedding, a third holiday – the MayDay weekend – is expected to boost the earnings of the transport and tourism sectors in Britain.

In anticipation of the holiday rush, the Highways Agency suspended road work at many major sites and reopened the M1 between junctions one and four, which was damaged by fire. Network Rail added 18 percent to its capacity.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – New York City Council member Leroy Comrie Jr. filed a bill on Wednesday that proposed to ban fast food chains from using toy prizes in advertising as an attraction to children.

The restriction would not apply if the food has less than 500 calories and 600 milligrams of sodium, and less than 35 percent of the calories should come from fat. The meal must include a half cup of fruit or vegetables or a serving of whole grain products.

Among the food chains expected to be affected by the bill that aims to curb childhood obesity is McDonald’s, which offers toy prizes for its Happy Meals.

The bill is patterned after a similar measure passed in San Francisco in 2010 despite the intense lobbying against the law by fast food chains. A similar lobby is shaping up in New York City against the Fast Food Toy Ban Bill.

The New York State Restaurant Association said the government could not legislate what parents should feed their children and the bill would be an added burden to their businesses.

McDonald’s pointed out that the average child eats at McDonald’s three times a month, so childhood obesity should not be blamed on the food items and the enticing toys the chain offers since the kid has other sources of meals which could be the culprit behind the child’s weight problem.

McDonald’s currently offers Young Justice action figures and plastic animals for buyers of Happy Meals, which have varying nutritional content ranging from 380 calories and 460 mg of salt for Chicken McNuggets with apple slices, low-fat caramel dipping sauce and apple juice, to 700 calories and 1,060 mg of salt for a cheeseburger, French fries and low-fat chocolate milk package.

Comrie admits he filed the bill based on his experience as a parent whose two children – now aged 17 and 13 – grew up on McDonald’s Happy Meals because of limited time and limited options.

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Melville, NY, United States (AHN) – Sbarro, the popular Italian food chain, has filed for bankruptcy protection to reorganize its business and eliminate $200 million of debt.

The Melville-based company on Monday asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to approve a $35 million debtor-in-possession agreement with first-lien lenders.

Two creditors, MidOcean Partners and Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, will backstop a $30 million rights offering, the proceeds of which will be used to repay the debtor-in-possession and provide the reorganized business with additional equity capital and liquidity.

The company has reached an agreement with lenders and 70 percent of noteholders about a restructuring plan converting second-lien debt and senior notes to equity.

The proposal whittles debts by more than half, to about $175 million. The remaining, first-lien debts would continue to be held by lenders, but maturity would be extended five years after the chain emerges from bankruptcy.

In its Chapter 11 filing, Sbarro listed debts of $486.6 million and assets of $471 million.

Sbarro has 1,000 restaurants worldwide, nearly half of which are wholly owned by the company. It reported a continuing decline in profits late last year due to “reduced consumer spending throughout the United States as a result of the current economic environment.” Rising costs of commodities, particularly cheese, combined with weak domestic demand last year to reduce earnings.

The 50-year-old company says operations in its restaurants are continuing normally despite the bankruptcy filing.

“We look forward to emerging from this process as quickly as possible with a capital structure that will firmly position us for continued long-term success,” Nicholas McGrane, interim president and chief executive, said in a statement.

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Austin, TX, United States (AHN) – The University of Texas System Board of Regents is set to vote on a plan to raise tuition at medical and nursing schools in anticipation of cuts in state funding. States nationwide are struggling to address huge deficits, and Texas is facing an estimated $27 billion budget shortfall.

At the top of the agenda of the special meeting of regents is a proposal to raise tuition and fees beginning in the fall next year.

Tuition at UT Southwestern Medical Center will rise 6.4 percent to $16,640 while at UT Medical Branch at Galveston it will increase 6.7 percent to $15,875.

At UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, tuition for new students will grow 6.7 percent to $16,855, while current students have to pay 3.7 percent more. The highest increase is at UT Health Science Center in Houston, at 16 percent to $14,509.

Tuition will rise by as much as 8 percent at dental schools, and by 6 percent to 12 percent at nursing schools.

The plan will provide an additional $1.1 million annually for financial aid, partially offsetting the state’s decreased revenue for the coming two years.

Texas is expected to earn $72.2 billion in general revenue in the next biennium, nearly 3 percent lower than earnings in 2010 and 2011, according to a report from the state comptroller.

Regents last year voted to raise tuition and fees for UT’s nine academic institutions by nearly 4 percent a year for 2010 and 2011.

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Plano, TX, United States (AHN) – Frito-Lay is about to roll out a quieter SunChips compostable bag after receiving customer complaints about noise.

The company, a unit of PepsiCo, says the new bag is two times quieter than the old packaging, which made so much noise it was discouraged from being sold in some theaters.

More than 47,000 people also joined a Facebook page, “Sorry But I Can’t Hear You Over This SunChips Bag.”

Texas-based Frito-Lay said research teams found that using a different adhesive in the packaging significantly reduced the noise.

The new adhesive holds together the inner and outer layer of the SunChips bag while keeping the packaging true to its claim of being 100 percent biodegradable.

The new packaging is being initially used for the original flavor of SunChips while Frito-Lay gathers feedback from customers.

The company resumed using traditional plastic bags for five of six flavors last October in response to complaints, but it then received negative feedback from customers who put a premium on sustainability.

The first-generation SunChips compostable packaging, which was launched early last year, was the first fully biodegradable chip bag. The packaging is made of a plant-based substance called polyactic acid. According to Frito-Lay, it breaks down in about 14 weeks if the compost temperature is above 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

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