A recent confession from a Kroger executive admitting that the company raised prices on certain items more than necessary to cope with inflation has ignited discussions on social media, particularly among supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Earlier this month, Harris introduced a federal ban on price gouging aimed at food suppliers and grocery stores, which is part of a larger initiative to ease the financial burden on consumers.
“We saw prices surge during the pandemic when supply chains faltered,” Harris stated in Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 16. “Now that supply chains are back on track, prices are still unacceptably high.”
As the economy continues to dominate concerns leading into the 2024 election, both Harris and former President Donald Trump—her opponent in November—have committed to reducing prices if they win.
However, Harris’ price gouging proposal has faced criticism from Republicans. Trump has derided it as an attempt at Communist-style control over prices.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Some economists are skeptical about the effectiveness of such a policy in actually lowering prices, while others argue there isn’t sufficient evidence that corporate greed is to blame for the current high costs.
Conversely, some analysts contend that businesses exploited the disruptions caused by the pandemic to enhance their profit margins.
This week, Kroger’s Senior Director for Pricing, Andy Groff, testified that the grocery chain had increased prices for eggs and milk beyond what inflation would justify.
This revelation spurred social media users to argue that it validated Harris’ concerns about corporate greed influencing pricing.
“Kamala Harris was right,” one user posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Legislation is necessary to prevent Kroger and others from profiting during a healthcare crisis. COVID was a national emergency.”
— mountainviews (@mountainviews) August 28, 2024
Another commenter pointed out that despite media dismissals of “greedflation” and mockery of Harris’ anti-price gouging measures, the truth seems to be emerging, suggesting that fact-checkers need to reconsider their stances.
“Anti-price gouging measures are essential for Harris’ campaign, and many have ridiculed them in favor of blaming inflation instead,” one supporter chimed in.
One user summarized the sentiment well: “It’s not ‘communism’ to advocate for consumers who are being exploited.”
Another reminded folks of the previous complaints from the right regarding rising milk and egg prices, attributing the issue to grocery store price gouging.
Lastly, a supporter remarked, “Price gouging feels like theft. I’m eager to see Harris take action against this.”
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns have been reached out to for comments via email.