Why Your Groceries Are So Expensive: It's Not Just Tariffs, It's Oligopoly
By
Sandeep Vaheesan, Claire Kelloway
Crackles when you bite it. Shows the baker did the work.
Summary
This guest essay argues that high grocery prices, particularly beef, are not primarily caused by tariffs but by a highly concentrated meatpacking industry that has operated with oligopolistic behavior for over a century. The author notes that while President Trump considered reducing beef tariffs to lower prices, such measures would not address the core structural problem of market concentration in the food sector.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThe price of beef is sizzlingly high.
Grilled sirloin will cost more than $14 a pound, on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, up 20 percent since last year.
Such moves would not be enough to fix the core problem: a highly concentrated sector that has controlled our meat supply for much of the past century.
America's highly concentrated food sector, one that has feasted on oligopolistic behavior for more than a century.
You might also wanna read
Tomato prices surge 40% as tariffs and shipping costs drive affordability crisis
Tomato prices have surged 40% over the past year, becoming a symbol of America's affordability crisis. The spike is driven by poor crop yiel
bit.ly·1d ago
Tomato prices surge 40% as tariffs and shipping costs drive affordability crisis
Tomato prices have surged 40% over the past year, becoming a symbol of America's affordability crisis. The spike is driven by reduced crop y
apnews.com·1d ago
Economist Chris Blattman warns of AI-driven layoffs and economic collapse risk, citing Trump policies as exacerbating factor
Economist Chris Blattman warns of "hard proof" of an impending economic collapse, citing "The AI Layoff Trap" as key evidence. He argues tha
rawstory.com·30m ago
Why Americans are furious at utility companies: A broken monopoly system drives soaring costs
Utility costs in the U.S. are reaching record highs, and antitrust analyst Matt Stoller argues the root cause is a broken system where utili
msnbc.com·3h ago
Argentina's Milei defies 108 economists' predictions of economic devastation three years into presidency
Three years into Javier Milei's presidency in Argentina, the maverick leader has defied predictions from 108 notable economists who warned h
foxbusiness.com·3h ago
America's billionaire boom: How tax cuts and policy fueled a new plutocracy
The article examines the unprecedented growth of America's billionaire class, fueled by Trump-era tax cuts and policies favoring the wealthy
nytimes.com·6h ago