Roses are a big seller around Valentine's Day, but the high demand means higher prices, with many florists charging top dollar for the classic gift.
Rosie Ladyka of Mona Lisa Florist said the cost for a dozen roses goes up about 70 per cent around this time of year.
She said she has no choice but to raise her prices around the holiday.
"Suppliers increase their cost of the flowers, so we obviously have to increase our cost for retail," said Ladyka.
Other florists say they only mark bouquets up a small amount around Valentine's Day.
In Full Bloom Florists said they raise their prices up by about $10.00 to $15.00, even though they pay double to stock up on roses during Valentine's.
"We could be charging more, but we don't want to offend people," said Jim Chouzouris.
However, is it really worth spending big bucks on roses when you can get a bouquet at a grocery store for $20?
Consumerwatch asked the florists and Winnipeggers if they could tell the difference between an expensive and reasonably priced dozen.
While the florists could easily spot the difference, most people CTV asked at random on the street said the roses looked the same.
Although florists know consumers can get cheaper flowers elsewhere, Ladyka says it's worth it to come into her shop.
"They know they're getting good quality product flowers as opposed to picking through the bunch hitting and missing," said Ladyka.
