Household budgets are stretched. Consumers are nervous. When commodity costs are down and prices are still high, should the price increases taken in 2008 to be rolled back in 2009? Not necessarily.

In perhaps the most challenging and volatile economic climate in over 35 years, holiday spending across food, drug, mass, and convenience stores saw a 5.8% gain. Other bright spots were online shopping, new movie releases and Blu-ray DVDs.