The 3 supermarket chains accused of inflating product prices
Find out which supermarkets have been accused of inflating their prices and charging more for less than the advertised weight of various products.
The fallout from the pandemic hit the pockets of millions of American families as prices for various food products and items began to rise.
Despite the fact that inflation has fallen, several products remain expensive in supermarkets. As if this were not enough, some establishments have been called out for inflating the prices of several of their items and charging more for less quantity.
For example, Safeway, Vons and Albertsons supermarkets, which operate nearly 600 stores in California, reached a civil settlement for $4 million after being accused of engaging in false advertising and unfair competition.
According to Supermarket News, several customers noticed that the advertised prices of certain foods were higher than originally advertised. Additionally, several of these stores were found to have inaccurate weights on some of the foods they sold and were charging more for less than the advertised weight.
Despite reaching a multi-million dollar settlement, these supermarket chains did not accept guilt for the charges against them.
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This is how prices have risen in the United States in 2024
According to the most recent Consumer Price Index report, for September 2024, over the past 12 months, the index for all items increased by 2.4 percent.
The food index rose 0.4 percent in September, after increasing 0.1 percent in August. On the other hand, the household food index also increased 0.4 percent in September and 2.3 percent for the year.
Additionally, the index for food consumed at home increased by 1.3 percent over the past 12 months. The index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs increased by 3.9 percent over the past 12 months, and the index for non-alcoholic beverages increased by 1.3 percent.
During the same period, the fruit and vegetables index rose 0.7 percent, and the other household foods index rose 0.4 percent. The dairy and related products index rose 0.5 percent in September, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 0.1 percent over the year.