Kamala Harris's Efforts Against Grocery Price Gouging and Big Food Mergers

Kamala Harris to scrutinize big food company mergers like Kroger's $24.6B purchase of Albertsons. Campaign seeks federal ban on price gouging for groceries. Proposal grants Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys generals investigative powers. Democratic lawmakers urged Biden to probe grocery chains for price manipulation. FTC lawsuit on Albertsons/Kroger deal to begin Aug. 26.

Vice President Kamala Harris links high grocery prices to corporate price gouging, a view popular with swing voters and progressive groups. Economists point to various factors like supply chain issues and increased demand from stimulus as main drivers of price hikes, rather than corporate actions. The Biden administration acknowledges corporate influence on grocery costs but deems other factors more significant. Harris plans to propose a federal ban on corporate price gouging, specifically cit..

Kroger to cut $1 billion in prices after $25 billion Albertsons merger announced in October 2022. Merger faces antitrust lawsuits over 4,000 stores, reported by Bloomberg News.

Kroger to lower prices $1B after $25B Albertsons merger; deal faces antitrust suits; Washington AG challenged; Colorado court trial Sept. 30; Kroger promised $500M price cut at Albertsons; merger announced Oct. 2022; Colorado AG Weiser set trial date.