The admission by a Kroger executive that the company hiked prices on some goods higher than needed to account for inflation has sparked a reaction on social media from supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris, the Democratic nominee, proposed a federal ban on price gouging by food suppliers and grocery stores earlier this month, as part of a broader agenda aimed at lowering the cost of living.
“We all know that prices went up during the pandemic when the supply chains shut down and failed,” Harris said in Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 16. “But our supply chains have now improved and prices are still too high.”
The economy is viewed as the top issue for Americans ahead of the 2024 election and both Harris and former President Donald Trump, her rival in November’s election, have pledged to bring down prices if elected in November.
Harris’ plan to ban price gouging has been criticized by Republicans, with Trump accusing her of planning Communist-style price controls.
Some economists questioned how effective the policy would be at bringing down prices, while others said there was little to indicate that corporate greed and price gouging was responsible for high prices.
But other economists have argued that some companies took advantage of pandemic-era disruptions to hike prices to increase profits.
Earlier this week, Kroger’s Senior Director for Pricing Andy Groff testified in court that the grocery giant had raised pries for milk and eggs higher than inflation.
The admission led to some taking to social media to say that it showed Harris was right about corporate greed fueling high prices.
“Kamala Harris was right,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We need legislation to prevent Kroger and others taking advantage during a health care crisis. COVID was a national emergency.”
Kroger Executive Admits Company Gouged Prices Above Inflation – Newsweek Kamala Harris was right. We need legislation to prevent Kroger and others taking advantage during a health care crisis. Covid was a national emergency. https://t.co/489NrHfbos
— mountainviews (@mountainviews) August 28, 2024
Another wrote that many media outlets “claimed ‘greedflation’ isn’t real and universally panned Kamala Harris anti-price gouging plans. The fact checkers need to check themselves.”
Another wrote that anti-price gouging measures are “a key component of VP Kamala Harris’ campaign that was widely mocked, as many on the right denied the existence of price gouging, as they sought to solely blame inflation.”
Harris “was right. We all knew she was right,” another person wrote. “It’s not ‘communism’ to stand up for people when they’re being ripped off.”
One person wrote: “Remember MAGA crying about the price of milk and eggs? They can thank Kroger and other grocery stores for price gouging them. Once again, Dems were right.”
Another wrote: “Price gouging is the same as stealing right out of my pocket. Kamala Harris has promised to do something to stop it and I can’t wait.”
The Harris and Trump campaigns have been contacted for comment via email.
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