Grocery Prices Are Out Of Control

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump promised to lower grocery prices on day one. Instead he canceled food stamps and WIC and inflated food prices and gas with the stupid war that he promised not to get into. And he promised to show us the Epstein files. We been had.

Never mind that food stamps and WIC are also effectively a farming subsidy that also keeps prices lower.

No. Because the subsidy goes on the buyer's side, it keeps prices higher. It allows the poorer consumer to compete at a higher price point. It's the same reason why giving grants to home buyers doesn't lower home prices.

Except that food aid keeps farmers in business. Farmers go out of business, the farms go out of business and get bought up by corporations, leading to less competition. The Iran war is already going to massively hurt farmers with the diesel and fertilizer prices.

This is all heading to a food cost spiral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[url]

Anonymous wrote:Went to Costco this week for the first time in a year and prices were noticeably high. Very little on sale, everything $3-5 more than a year ago.
We're two physicians and shop almost exclusively at Lidl. The produce is good, the rest is limited but ok and it saves us like $200/week over Giant.

I went to Lidl yesterday and was surprised by how expensive items were since the last time I went there which is just about 2 weeks prior. The mangos were so rotten and they were split open and leaking all over the place, the strawberries looked terrible, the blueberries were overpriced, TINY apples maybe 4-5 in a bag were $5 they're usually $2-3. I Left with a lot less than I expected to. I have never been to a H market but I'm going to try them next.

Weird. I was at our Lidl yesterday and all was well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump promised to lower grocery prices on day one. Instead he canceled food stamps and WIC and inflated food prices and gas with the stupid war that he promised not to get into. And he promised to show us the Epstein files. We been had.

Never mind that food stamps and WIC are also effectively a farming subsidy that also keeps prices lower.

No. Because the subsidy goes on the buyer's side, it keeps prices higher. It allows the poorer consumer to compete at a higher price point. It's the same reason why giving grants to home buyers doesn't lower home prices.

Except that food aid keeps farmers in business. Farmers go out of business, the farms go out of business and get bought up by corporations, leading to less competition. The Iran war is already going to massively hurt farmers with the diesel and fertilizer prices.

This is all heading to a food cost spiral.

Farmers get a different set of subsidies directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just went to Costco. 2 packs of their water, a rotisserie chicken, croissants, soup dumplings, yogurt and cheese dip was $60. Feel like it should have been $40.

those items in particular did not go up 50% come on - especially with the chicken still $5 like always.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command...”

More like the PP didn't realize they were already spending 50-55 on those items. I know the chicken is still $5 and the croissants are usually $6 for 12. I don't know exactly the other items they picked, but at most those have gone up 10-20% not 50% as stated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chipotle for two was $40!

How? My college kids love Chipotle and we live in a very high COL area. Two burritos or bowls are no where near $40.

This also is BS without a BUNCH of add ons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just went to Costco. 2 packs of their water, a rotisserie chicken, croissants, soup dumplings, yogurt and cheese dip was $60. Feel like it should have been $40.

those items in particular did not go up 50% come on - especially with the chicken still $5 like always.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command...”

More like the PP didn't realize they were already spending 50-55 on those items. I know the chicken is still $5 and the croissants are usually $6 for 12. I don't know exactly the other items they picked, but at most those have gone up 10-20% not 50% as stated.

I'm also replying to my own post be very clear. Prices DEFINITELY are up. They're just not up 50% for the average grocery trip. Lying about the increase does no one any favors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump promised to lower grocery prices on day one. Instead he canceled food stamps and WIC and inflated food prices and gas with the stupid war that he promised not to get into. And he promised to show us the Epstein files. We been had.

Never mind that food stamps and WIC are also effectively a farming subsidy that also keeps prices lower.

No. Because the subsidy goes on the buyer's side, it keeps prices higher. It allows the poorer consumer to compete at a higher price point. It's the same reason why giving grants to home buyers doesn't lower home prices.

Except that food aid keeps farmers in business. Farmers go out of business, the farms go out of business and get bought up by corporations, leading to less competition. The Iran war is already going to massively hurt farmers with the diesel and fertilizer prices.

This is all heading to a food cost spiral.

Farmers get a different set of subsidies directly.

They get additional subsidies, which are conveniently also getting cut. There's a reason food aid appears in the farm bill.

Not to mention cutting the inspectors and programs that protected livestock.

Everything Trump is doing is raising food prices.

[Anonymous]

I was just in London and was shocked how inexpensive groceries were compared to what I spend at Aldi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went to Costco this week for the first time in a year and prices were noticeably high. Very little on sale, everything $3-5 more than a year ago.
We're two physicians and shop almost exclusively at Lidl. The produce is good, the rest is limited but ok and it saves us like $200/week over Giant.

Costco is definitely more expensive now, but it's still worth it for the volume I can get for the price. With 2 teen boys, food goes fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chipotle for two was $40!

How? My college kids love Chipotle and we live in a very high COL area. Two burritos or bowls are no where near $40.

This also is BS without a BUNCH of add ons

Serving size varies tremendously by location and is even more varaible depending on the server and their bigotry, but they do BOGOs all the time and the big bowls are two servings and effectively $6 during the specials. Cant be beat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[url]

Anonymous wrote:Went to Costco this week for the first time in a year and prices were noticeably high. Very little on sale, everything $3-5 more than a year ago.
We're two physicians and shop almost exclusively at Lidl. The produce is good, the rest is limited but ok and it saves us like $200/week over Giant.

I went to Lidl yesterday and was surprised by how expensive items were since the last time I went there which is just about 2 weeks prior. The mangos were so rotten and they were split open and leaking all over the place, the strawberries looked terrible, the blueberries were overpriced, TINY apples maybe 4-5 in a bag were $5 they're usually $2-3. I Left with a lot less than I expected to. I have never been to a H market but I'm going to try them next.

Weird. I was at our Lidl yesterday and all was well.

+1 Agreed, I shop regularly in 3 different Lidl stores around the Tysons area and have never seen spoilt produce as you describe. Their stores are clean and restocked regularly. The prices have slowly increased but are lower than the regular grocery stores for comparable products.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chipotle for two was $40!

How? My college kids love Chipotle and we live in a very high COL area. Two burritos or bowls are no where near $40.

This also is BS without a BUNCH of add ons

Serving size varies tremendously by location and is even more varaible depending on the server and their bigotry, but they do BOGOs all the time and the big bowls are two servings and effectively $6 during the specials. Cant be beat.

Chipotle does BOGOs all the time? When?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just went to Costco. 2 packs of their water, a rotisserie chicken, croissants, soup dumplings, yogurt and cheese dip was $60. Feel like it should have been $40.

those items in particular did not go up 50% come on - especially with the chicken still $5 like always.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command...”

More like the PP didn't realize they were already spending 50-55 on those items. I know the chicken is still $5 and the croissants are usually $6 for 12. I don't know exactly the other items they picked, but at most those have gone up 10-20% not 50% as stated.

I'm also replying to my own post be very clear. Prices DEFINITELY are up. They're just not up 50% for the average grocery trip. Lying about the increase does no one any favors.

Underplaying it does no one any favors. Being able to afford food is a serious measure on how well a country is doing. We are not doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just in London and was shocked how inexpensive groceries were compared to what I spend at Aldi

Broadly, yes, they can be. It also depends on what you buy. And keep in mind wages are also much lower. And eating out is comparable or even more expensive.

I always stock up on extra sharp cheddar from M&S or Waitrose, typically £2.99 for a large block that'd cost me $25 at Whole Foods for comparable quantity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chipotle for two was $40!

How? My college kids love Chipotle and we live in a very high COL area. Two burritos or bowls are no where near $40.

This also is BS without a BUNCH of add ons

Serving size varies tremendously by location and is even more varaible depending on the server and their bigotry, but they do BOGOs all the time and the big bowls are two servings and effectively $6 during the specials. Cant be beat.

Coming here for the server bigotry.
I have noticed great variation in serving sizes. Online ordering seems to usually result in smaller portions.
Some servers think I, a UMC white woman, do not want a lot of food.
But I DO.
The older Hispanic ladies always get this right and give me nice big portions!