The escalating cost of respirator masks and other personal protective equipment has led to complaints of price gouging in B.C. but one company stated that its increased prices reflect the reality of getting highly sought after goods into Canada in the midst of the pandemic.
The Showcase store at Lansdowne Mall was selling N95 masks for $10 apiece and similar KN95 masks which Health Canada recently approved as an alternative to the N95 for $8 apiece. Even in bulk, the company charges $399.99 for a box of 50 KN95 masks at its website which is a price that some customers felt was unreasonably high.
The CEO of Showcase stated that the company is actually charging less than its usual markup for the masks, indicating a huge increase in the cost of getting goods into the country including the hike in air freight charges.
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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200504-coronavirus-what-is-the-best-kind-of-face-mask
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/types-of-face-mask
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/face-masks-importance-battle-with-covid19