Shoppers demand action on high grocery prices
Americans are fed up with high grocery prices and want the government to bring them down, according to a recent study by the Global Strategy Group on behalf of The Kitchen Table Project, which surveyed 1,100 registered voters between May 5 and May 7.
Two-thirds of those surveyed said the rising cost of living places significant pressure on households, with grocery prices causing much of the strain, according to 63% of respondents, and 67% said grocery prices are unfair, particularly meat and poultry prices, which they believe have spun out of control.
Eighty-two percent of respondents want politicians to step in and lower the costs, with 84% of Democrats wanting the government to crack down on price gouging and corporate practices that eliminate competition, even if it means more regulation, to help control grocery sales and prices.
Seventy-eight percent of Republicans and 67% of independents agree that the government should intervene to lower grocery prices, as they identify tariffs and trade restrictions as the main reason for the high prices, while 46% believe large corporations raising prices to increase profits are to blame.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that grocery prices rose slightly in May, with food away from home increasing 0.1% month over month following an April rise of 0.7% that marked the largest monthly increase since the government work stoppage last fall.
Three of the six major grocery store food groups increased in May, including the index for nonalcoholic beverages, which rose 0.6%, and the index for beverage materials, including coffee and tea, which climbed 1.1%.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December directing an investigation into food price-fixing, targeting foreign companies and calling for the creation of a Food Supply Chain Security Task Force within the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.
The Trump administration also said it would tackle high beef prices by suspending the annual tariff-rate quota that creates higher duties once importers reach import limits, with officials designing the executive actions to address short-term supply shortages while providing a long-term window for refurbishing the U.S. cattle herd.
Sixty-five percent of those surveyed said relief needs to happen right away, while 35% were willing to wait years if officials fix the culprits behind the high costs, and as the government continues to grapple with the issue of high grocery prices, it remains to be seen what actions will be taken to address the concerns of American consumers, who are looking for solutions to their economic struggles.
They want the government to take action.
