NY Attorney General Warns Stores Against Price Gouging Ahead Of Snowstorm

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is warning store owners against price gouging during the weekend snowstorm.

Anyone caught boosting prices for winter essentials such as food, water, gas, batteries and flashlights will be prosecuted.

"Dangerous winter storms are not a time for businesses to exploit New Yorkers in order to line their pockets," Schneiderman said in a statement. "I encourage consumers to report any businesses that may be capitalizing on this snowstorm to distort their prices."

To report price gouging, call the Attorney General's office at 800-771-7755 or file a complaint at www.ag.ny.gov/pricegouging.

Meanwhile at the Acme grocery store in Jersey City, shoppers were stocking up on comfort foods.

"Getting ice cream, all goodies for my grandkids," shopper Margaret Scala told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond. "I bought soda, I bought chopped meat, I bought hot dogs, I bought a steak, I bought a pork chop."

Another shopper said she's buying chips with salsa and guacamole and getting ready to hunker down.

"If it lingers into Monday where I don't have to go to work that's even better," she said.

"My wife said she's going to treat me to a nice turkey dinner...we make the stuffing together and it's my mother's recipe," said shopper Dan Neskiss. "We're gonna sit in and take it easy."