Are food prices based in reality or just plain greed?

[SouthernDem4ever]

I see a million articles why food prices are so high. While I am sure some of this is legitimate I also think greed has taken over. Grocery stores don't seem to want to compete for my dollar anymore. Used to be you could go to a store and it always had the products you needed. Now it's like a farmers market. Some days it's there and some days it's not and it's not just products affected by Russa/Ukraine, etc. Prices have risen more than 100% in the last three years, with some items going up a dollar a week over the last month. Do they really need to charge these prices? Will the economy collapse if the shareholders of these companies share in some of the pain and not gouge us. I think they are just in a "we can just raise the price to increase profits" mode using inflation as a cover for some of it - at least it sure feels that way.

[we can do it]

1. Greed greed and more greed

[Raster]

4. Heartily concur!

Greed, greed, and even more greed.

[mitch96]

18. When in doubt, follow the money...nt

[Johnny2X2X]

2. 100% in 3 years?

Source for that?

[SouthernDem4ever]

3. My grocery receipts

I track every thing I buy. I have a weekly grocery allotment so I can't afford not to watch what I buy.

[Johnny2X2X]

8. You must be buying some really specialized foods

Because officially, food has gone up about 25% over the last 3 years. Doesn't mean that certain items haven't doubled in price, but on average it's a 25% increase. And grocery prices actually are down over the last 3 months.

[SouthernDem4ever]

9. Not here.

But I'm glad for those who are finding it better in other places.

[brooklynite]

5. No idea what you mean by "some days it's there and some days it's not"

I haven't seen supply chain issues since the height of COVID.

[SouthernDem4ever]

7. That's my point

In my local stores things are not stocked again like they were. If my local store runs out of a product, it may not return for a month or longer or not at all but the other products similar just keep going up in price. They don't care if we get what we want, but they are just controlling what we get and raising prices to cover their new store practices which seem to be price over quantity. If you ask for them to get something back, they usually won't. Used to be the more they could sell the more profit they made. Now they seem to be trying to make more profit by doing less.

[brooklynite]

14. And my point is that I'm not seeing that happen.

I visit multiple supermarkets, geographically, and am seeing no missing items.

[SouthernDem4ever]

15. Like I said to others not having the problem

Nice to know it's not happening in your area(s)

[Silver Gaia]

20. I see it happening here and I'm in Northern CA.

It's hit or miss. I often have to shop multiple stores just to get basic items I need.

I saw it explained somewhere, and I wish I could remember where and exact details, but it has to do with operating on a different supply model. Maybe someone in retail will know what I'm getting at. It's something like they used to keep a level of supply on hand that prevented running out of items, but during covid they adjusted to a different model due to all the supply chain issues that was more on-demand ordering that kept the store's actual on-hand inventory much lower. They found they could survive that way, and it has not, and may never, go back to the way it was, despite unhappy customers.

And yes, my grocery bill is much higher than it was, and it keeps going up. I've seen some very large price increases, too.

So, you are not alone in what you're experiencing.

[Demsrule86]

6. Food prices are fine where I Iive.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

12. Same here, avocados .79 cents, eggs less than $2 a dozen, I cook fresh, not prepackaged anything

Just got 5 lbs of jumbo shrimp fresh off the boat for $25, life is good

[SouthernDem4ever]

17. Avacodos here are 1.29, eggs 4.59

although eggs are down from their high of 6.50 so there's that Would be good if that were all I buy.

[Demsrule86]

21. I cook fresh too... and watch the sales...I have a menu every week.

Great deal on the shrimp! I get eggs really cheap both at Aldi and at Giant Eagle.

[Mysterian]

10. Groceries are more expensive in the USA than Germany

My German girlfriend comes to the states and she is shocked at the prices. We are getting ripped off. But that's capitalism. Profits are everything - not the well-being of society.

[Think. Again.]

11. If you're talking about....

...the American corporate food industry, it has to be greed. The only reason any for-profit incorporated company exists is to get the highest possible profit from it's activities.The executives running corporations are under legal obligation to produce the highest possible return on investment to the shareholders. It's called "America".

[CousinIT]

13. GREED. Right now it's PURE GREED.

They're jacking up prices because they CAN and meanwhile bragging to investors about record profits and how much they're able to make us pay.

[mitch96]

19. Same with automobiles. They add on "dealer adjustment" b/c they can.. Problem is people are

paying those prices. Up until the population says NO and stops buying the product the prices will stay high. Supply and demand.
m

[sarcasmo]

16. Corporation induced inflation is all greed.