With inflation and high grocery prices still frustrating many voters, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday proposed a ban on “price gouging” by food suppliers and grocery stores, as part of a broader agenda aimed at lowering the cost of housing, medicine, and food.
Price gouging generally refers to spikes in prices that typically follow a disruption in supply, such as after a natural disaster. Consumer advocates argue that gouging occurs when retailers sharply increase prices, particularly for necessities, under such circumstances.
