New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) said Monday that fresh produce, meat, seafood and other staples will be sold at a 30 percent discount in the city-run grocery stores he wants to open in every borough.
Mamdani, who made city-run grocery stores and affordability key components of his campaign last year, said the stores would save the average shopper about $1,000 annually.
“For many, that 30 percent discount is the difference between an evening spent around the dinner table with family or working another double shift to make ends meet,” said Mamdani, adding that the discount roughly equates to the inflation rate on food items since the covid-19 pandemic.
Americans are increasingly feeling pinched by rising food costs.
Grocery prices have risen about 30 percent since the pandemic, including recent increases linked to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran. A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that about two-thirds of Americans feel that groceries are unaffordable.
The discounted prices in New York, which also apply to bread, milk and eggs, will be set at the beginning of each month, Mamdani said. The prices will then remain constant until they are reset the next month.
Mamdani has announced two locations for the city-run groceries: one in the Bronx and another in East Harlem in Manhattan.
He put out a formal request on Monday to partner with a grocery store operator to run the stores.
According to the request, the city will cover the costs of the store’s rent, maintenance and property taxes. The private operator would then work with food distributors to stock shelves and manage the store.
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