Do you know how much it costs to make a car? Or flat-screen TV?I Agree the price of the raw materials has gone up but do you really expect anyone to believe that it costs over £300 more per marker to manufacture?
I doubt it cost £300 or more to make one in total!
Just how much profit do manufacturers need to make?
Answer - what ever they can get away with
I'll give you a clue - a damn sight less than what you pay in the stores. The rest goes on paying wages, R&D, Marketing etc. etc. all of which are essential costs in today's business environment if you plan on being around longer than 20 minutes.
Or perhaps you would prefer a communist/socialist state where the Government controls the price & supply of everything?
Christ - why is it everytime a PB manufacturer is forced to raise prices, people act like it's a personal attack on them? Take the bigger picture, look at how much cheaper most equipment is compared to just a few years ago and follow the golden rule of retail - if you don't like the price of something, then buy the cheaper alternative!