Vice President Kamala Harris to Focus on Combating Price Gouging

As part of her economic policy agenda, Vice President Kamala Harris to Focus on Combating Price Gouging, she will unveil her plan at a rally in Raleigh, N.C., where she aims to introduce a national ban on price inflation for food products in grocery stores.

Harris’ proposed plan will grant new powers to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general, allowing them to prosecute companies that artificially raise prices. Inflation, particularly in food prices, has been a central theme of her campaign, and the Biden-Harris Administration has already laid the groundwork with the creation of the Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing.

This group, which held its first public meeting in early August, includes representatives from the FTC and the Department of Justice (DOJ). During the meeting, FTC Chair Lina Khan emphasized the widespread concern about high grocery prices, sharing that consumers frequently report feeling burdened by the rising costs of essentials like meat and eggs. “It still isn’t clear that Americans are fully getting the competitive, affordable prices they deserve,” Khan remarked.

The strike force has initiated an investigation to determine why grocery prices and profits remain high even as other costs begin to decline. Khan stressed the importance of enforcing corporate accountability, stating, “We must stop any corporate law-breaking that inflates costs for American families.”

Further highlighting the issue, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) recently announced an investigation into Kroger’s use of digital price tags, suspecting that these devices might be used to gouge customers. Kroger denied the allegations, asserting that their pricing strategies aim to provide value and fight inflation, with digital shelf tags intended to lower costs.

Other major chains, including Walmart and Schnuck Markets, have also adopted electronic shelf label technology, demonstrating a broader industry shift in pricing strategies.