Latest Breaking News

BumRushDaShow

(142,386 posts) Mon Nov 4, 2024, 01:30 PM Nov 4

Top Democrats take another swipe at grocery prices as Election Day nears

Source: NBC News

Nov. 4, 2024, 5:00 AM EST

Two Democratic lawmakers are urging an investigation of grocery stores that they say might be overcharging customers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., sent a letter, seen by NBC News, to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Agriculture on Sunday, calling on the agencies to investigate whether “major grocery chains may be making false and misleading representations regarding food sold by weight, leading to customers paying more for groceries than expected.”

Both lawmakers come from overwhelmingly Democratic states and are on the ballot this year. Warren is favored to win re-election, and Schiff, currently a high-ranking House member, is ahead in his bid to become California’s junior senator.

Their move in the election’s home stretch isn’t likely to spark any near-term government action, especially not if Republicans regain the White House. It follows numerous efforts by the Biden-Harris administration to pressure grocery sellers to lower prices, and plans by Vice President Kamala Harris to curb excessive food price hikes if elected. She and former President Donald Trump have each sought to persuade voters that they’re focused on tackling living costs in an election where affordability is top of mind.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/top-democrats-take-another-swipe-grocery-prices-election-day-nears-rcna178297

Link to Senator Warren PRESS RELEASE - Warren, Schiff, Lawmakers Call for Probe of Albertsons and Other Giant Grocery Chains for False Advertising

Link to LETTER (PDF) - https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_ftc_and_usda_re_ca_albertsons_grocery_prices_settlement.pdf

8 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Top Democrats take another swipe at grocery prices as Election Day nears (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Nov 4 OP

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 4 #1

"Can't wait for the Harris DOJ to charge these grocery companies with price gouging" BumRushDaShow Nov 4 #2

Then there's the whole constitutional issue of making it retroactive. Igel Nov 4 #6

Well if stuff could be made "retroactive" BumRushDaShow Nov 4 #7

that would be better than playing dictator, wouldn't it? Skittles Nov 4 #3

Grocery store profit margins are approximately 2% MichMan Nov 4 #4

Way past time to do something about the Mega chain Grocery Store Industrial Complex Bengus81 Nov 4 #5

Everyone concerned should research who owns these grocery chains, their nationality and their citizenship, Jit423 Nov 4 #8

Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

BumRushDaShow

(142,386 posts)

2. "Can't wait for the Harris DOJ to charge these grocery companies with price gouging"

Reply to Name removed (Reply #1)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 02:44 PM

Nov 4

Congress has to pass a law FIRST in order for any of that to happen. And that means we have to retain the Senate and take the House back, since the media keeps claiming we would do neither.

Igel

(36,087 posts)

6. Then there's the whole constitutional issue of making it retroactive.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Reply #2)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 07:05 PM

Nov 4

That's not a trivial problem, if you support the constitution.

BumRushDaShow

(142,386 posts)

7. Well if stuff could be made "retroactive"

Reply to Igel (Reply #6)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 07:17 PM

Nov 4

then I could see 4 loaves of bread for $1 again!!!

Penny candy really would be a penny and the "5 and 10" stores wouldn't have to be 5 (dollars) Below stores!

Skittles

(159,374 posts)

3. that would be better than playing dictator, wouldn't it?

Reply to Name removed (Reply #1)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 03:25 PM

Nov 4

MichMan

(13,199 posts)

4. Grocery store profit margins are approximately 2%

Reply to Name removed (Reply #1)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 03:35 PM

Nov 4

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/profit-margin-supermarket-22467.html

All the current price gouging laws in states address retailers charging excessively during emergencies like weather related or power outages. They are not designed to determine what the market price of a box of Cheerios should be.

Bengus81

(7,372 posts)

5. Way past time to do something about the Mega chain Grocery Store Industrial Complex

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 03:35 PM

Nov 4

Way,way past time..............

Jit423

(296 posts)

8. Everyone concerned should research who owns these grocery chains, their nationality and their citizenship,

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Mon Nov 4, 2024, 08:08 PM

Nov 4

their connections to our politicians. It is also interesting to learn the history of the various brands and their former ownership. It is also interesting to learn what secondary brands are owned by the same conglomerates that own the secondary or store brands. What you will find is that there is NO competition whatsoever in the food industry. The food industry is 99 percent owned, operated, and controlled by four (4) major industry conglomerates. Too much to go into here and I am more comfortable encouraging others to find out information for themselves lest I give out one error and be accused of giving out fake info. It is very interesting how much we give permission in advance to wealthy oligarchs who would become dictators if they weren't so lazy.

Reply to this discussion