Happy Valentine’s Day, people – now fork out a ridiculous sum of money to avoid anyone thinking you don’t buy into the concept of love.

Quick, throw some choccies into the mix and make it a nice, round R1 000. And that’s before you’ve forked out for a blood diamond.

Ah, romance.

It’s true, though, because Checkers had the cheek to sell roses for R700 a bunch on Valentine’s Day.

Facebook user Gershawn Coetzee was as shocked as you are, and uploaded this image:

A quick sum tells us that 50 roses for R700 works out at R14 a rose. February 14th – R14 a rose? Illuminati?

Maybe South African’s new bachelor, Lee Thompson (we’re talking about DStv’s The Bachelor SA, which premiered last night), should have snapped up this deal.

Then he could have given the 24 women that are competing for the money his heart two roses each, and had two left over to hold while he rocks himself to sleep at night.

Seriously, those women were like gannets at a fishing trawler last night, and it really is only a matter of time until the wheels come off that show.

We digress.

Coetzee took the photo at the Checkers in Protea Heights, Cape Town, and Business Insider did some digging:

Checkers Protea Heights branch manager Wessel du Plessis said four of the five bouquets were left by Thursday afternoon.

“We have received very good response from them since we displayed them yesterday,” Du Plessis told Business Insider South Africa.

“One guy bought a bouquet alongside three other smaller bouquets.”

Du Plessis said no one remarked that the roses might be overpriced.

Sure, but you only sold one of the five bouquets? To me, that seems like a bit of a flop.

Coetzee, who posted the photo, said that these are the things we do for love, and that “love doesn’t have a price tag”.

That’s exactly what they want you to say, Gershawn. We’ve lost another soldier.

By the way, NetFlorist basically told Checkers to hold their beer, because they were flogging a “Red Rose Extravaganza” at a whopping R4 500.

Observe:

A few observations…

100 roses and a round glass vase – wow, showstopper. Even if you price the vase at R1 000, that’s R3 500 for 100 roses, or R35 a rose.

Why are their roses so much better than Checkers? The people want answers.

Also, buy the bloody R4 500 thing and they’re still charging R79,95 for delivery? You must be jas.

That’s quite enough rose-related ranting for one day. Happy Friday.

[source:businessinsider]