MAKE IT STOP
Shoppers demand answers after 4 largest retailers including Walmart and Costco caught ‘hiking prices’
Plus, a unique way the government plans to battle costs
SOME Americans have called out major retailers for the current costs of some merchandise.
Walmart and Costco, among others, are facing blowback this month for the alleged hikes on several items.
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A peeved shopper has claimed that the pricing changes are unnecessary and have nothing to do with President Donald Trump's tariffs, which have sparked controversy over whether or not the increased tax on imports would be passed on by retailers to customers.
"Please investigate why Walmart, Sam's Club, Kroger & Costco are hiking prices," they pleaded in a post on X.
"Once you audit these 4, the prices in the other grocery stores will come down."
"Tariff[s] should NOT affect all the products," they claimed.
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Many economists have argued that a result of the tariffs could mean higher prices for Americans, per Bankrate.
Data collected by the Yale Budget Lab predicts that the average household could pay an extra $1,600 to $2,000 annually, depending on several factors.
Still, to the consumer's point in their X post, many of the price fluctuations seen as of now remain as a result of inflation after the coronavirus pandemic or potentially due to a preemptive move to prepare for what the tariffs could mean.
Several CEOs have recently sparked fear and issued warnings to shoppers about potential upticks.
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FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Consumer spending habits also remain similar, with many still fearing that inflation will skyrocket, per a consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan.
Inflation increased by 0.5% in January, with energy and food and drink costs still taking hits.
Popular grocer with 440 stores follows Costco's lead and sets 'purchase limit' on essential grocery staple after brawls
The ongoing egg shortage as a result of the H5N1 bird flu virus has also been a specific blow to grocery prices.
Some states saw costs for a dozen above $10, and retailers like Walmart and Costco have been forced to place limits on purchases.
It's also not going to go away anytime soon, according to what Dr. Jim Keen, director of veterinary sciences for the Center for a Humane Economy and former research scientist with the USDA, told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive conversation.
"There is always a delay in addressing the egg supply shortage due to the control effort, the repopulation of poultry farms with new birds, and the time for pullets to reach egg-laying age," Dr. Keen explained.
CPI and Inflation explained
The Consumer Price Index is how the federal government measures inflation.
Every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shares its CPI numbers with detailed breakdowns of which items have changing prices.
The CPI shows the amount prices rose or fell over the previous 12 months.
The calculation process is complex, but measures the changes in price for urban consumers, those living or working in an American metropolitan area.
While that does not cover everyone, it measures prices for about 90% of the population.
"I expect it will take several minutes for the egg shortage to be addressed and for egg prices to lower."
A recently updated USDA report projected egg costs to go up by about 41.4% in 2025.
Beef and veal are also expected to rise by 3.2% this year, with pork by 1.2%, fresh fruit by 2.4%, sugar and sweets by 6.4%, and nonalcoholic beverages by 4.4%.
FED'S PROMISE
Even so, Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, assured Americans earlier this month that "the US economy continues to be in a good place," per a news release.
"The labor market is sold, and inflation has moved closer to our 2 percent longer-run goal."
This is accurate, as the inflation rate from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February was 2.8%.
It's down considerably from the average inflation rate just two years ago of about 4.1%, per the US Inflation Calculator.
KEEPING FOCUS
The Trump administration has also issued plans to particularly cut costs in several areas through the implementation of an "affordability czar" and "affordability council," per what US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently noted during an interview on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
Bessent explained that the "affordability czar" would be directed to choose "five or eight areas" where the President can help working-class Americans.
"We are laser-focused on this," he said.
It remains unclear what the government will choose as the five to eight areas to target for lower pricing, but grocery prices could very likely be among them.
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A beloved juice brand's high prices are also turning some consumers away this month.
There's also a salad staple that's predicted to be "more expensive than caviar" soon for a crucial reason.