INVESTIGATION: Are your groceries costing more because of this?

 

We’ve all seen grocery prices skyrocket in recent years, as stores blame supply chain issues – despite reporting record profits. As consumers brace for how proposed tariffs may drive up the cost of food, a new investigation by Consumer Reports has found another shocking culprit: some grocery stores are mislabeling shelf prices that could leave shoppers paying 18 percent more on certain items at checkout! Our investigation into one of the nation’s largest grocery chains, Kroger – which operates in 35 states and also includes stores like Ralphs, Fry's and Fred Meyer – found significant errors on discount price labels on store shelves in 7 out of the 13 states and D.C. we shopped. In these Kroger stores, our shoppers found over 150 labeling errors on the store shelves, which would have cost an extra $260 at checkout! It’s tough enough to make ends meet these days without these kinds of pricing issues. Join Consumer Reports in demanding Kroger makes the price right and publicly commits to fixing this problem, and honors the shelf price for all items at checkout. Sign the Petition CR examined Kroger because it’s one of the nation’s largest chains, and after store employees told us and other news organizations that pricing errors were rampant due to a shortage of staff (through staffing cuts and reduced hours) to change out expired shelf price labels. Kroger has known about its pricing errors for years and has yet to meaningfully fix the problem, according to class-action lawsuits filed in four states, and consumer complaints filed in others. Shopping for groceries shouldn’t cost you more because of these pricing issues. Sign our petition, and let’s make sure your local Kroger store follows the law and ensures shoppers get the advertised price. Sign the Petition In addition to this mislabeling problem, we are looking into the broader issue of rising digital grocery pricing. Years ago, most groceries were affixed with a paper price tag. But now, stores are integrating bar codes, electronic shelf tags, and loyalty programs that offer different prices to different shoppers – which could leave consumers in the dark about what an item actually costs. Using technology and algorithms raises questions about the replacement of workers and potentially opens the door not only to surge pricing – the practice of increasing prices at times of high demand – but to potential misuse of customers’ personal data and shopping habits, prompting Consumer Reports to launch our Make the Price Right campaign to make sure you’re protected from potential abuses.  After you act, we’ll send you a copy of our investigation. And please share this petition with friends and family, so we can use our consumer power to tell one of the nation’s largest grocer to listen to shoppers, and do the right thing! Thank you, Angel Han Consumer Reports
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