McALLEN — The morning before Halloween, Alma Pérez walked into a Mexican candy store in the Rio Grande Valley. She was looking for the biggest bags of candy for the lowest price. She scoured the internet for deals. Target, H-E-B and Walmart were too expensive, she said.
Spanish-language radio blared and piñatas hung from the ceiling as Pérez pushed the cart through the store hunting for the five-pound bags of candy that she thought were just $12. Hope for a bargain was dashed when she looked at the price tag.
“Wow. I just don’t know if I’m willing to spend 20 bucks,” she said, looking at the candy. “It’s just outrageous for the typical family out there right now. It’s just outrageous.”
