The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, May 7, edition that Loblaw is rejecting cost-increase requests from vendors, even as rising fuel prices spurred by the Middle East conflict are putting pressure on the cost of transporting food to store shelves. The Globe's Susan Krashinsky Robertson writes that Loblaw chief executive officer Per Bank says: "We are fighting back on price increases from our suppliers. So, so far, we are not seeing any price increases due to that reason." Last month suppliers such as Maple Leaf Foods, Tree of Life and Unilever were informing grocers of their plans to apply fuel surcharges or overall cost increases. Loblaw is not alone: Metro also said last month that it is pushing back on such requests, and Empire's Sobeys said it had also declined a supplier's fuel surcharge. Rising gas prices have lowered consumer confidence, prompting shoppers to choose discount stores and cheaper cuts of meat. Mr. Bank says people are swapping out steak for minced beef, for example. Competition is intensifying as retailers try to attract customers increasingly shifting their spending to discount stores due to food inflation.