The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, April 17, edition that Unilever is raising the price for retailers of its Hellmann's mayonnaise by 9 per cent, highlighting the impact of rising fuel costs on grocery prices. The Globe's Susan Krashinsky Robertson and Mariya Postelnyak write that Unilever says the price hike reflects a "significant increase" in its costs. Last week Maple Leaf Foods and other suppliers began informing retailers of a new surcharge on their deliveries. Those food and beverage vendors have explained that the moves are linked to rising transportation costs, as the Iran war has upended global energy supply chains. Sobeys parent Empire has declined "a few requests" for fuel surcharges, says spokesman Karen White-Boswell. "We believe the fuel market is too unpredictable to take any decisions that could adversely impact the value we provide to our customers." Loblaw spokesman Scott Bonikowsky declined to comment on dealings with specific suppliers, but said in an e-mail that "we continue to push back on unjustified cost increases that would cause inflationary pressures for Canadians and that includes for fuel surcharges, which we have now seen a few come through."