On September 19, the last day of Joe Biden’s presidency, I went to a nearby supermarket and priced 28 items, including milk, eggs, bacon and potatoes.
Six weeks after my second Donald Trump presidency, I went back to the same store and priced the same items.
Why?
Because in the last presidential election, voters repeatedly complained about the economy and picked out high grocery costs.
There are good reasons.
Steve Lopez
Steve Lopez is a California native who has been a Los Angeles Times columnist since 2001. He won more than a dozen national journalism awards and was a four-time Pulitz finalist.
Inflation is a killer and anyone who shops in recent years has been very aware that in a supermarket, your money won’t make as much money as it used to be. Breakfast, lunch and dinner cost more than ever.
Trump cleverly defeated this reality as a candidate.
“The vote for Trump means your groceries will be cheaper,” he said during the campaign.
How long does it take to turn the situation around?
“When I win, I will immediately lower the price from day one.” Trump agreed.
You don’t need a PhD in Economics to know this is unlikely to happen. The market is more complex than this, and prices can swing over multiple factors beyond the control of elected officials.
But hearing voters think the price of groceries is not uncommon for them, and for them, it is a key issue, where inflation is generally the most important issue. Two-thirds vote for Trumpaccording to a survey.
Trump starts to fight back He won the election immediately. He said in December that he still believes that solving supply chain issues and drilling on U.S. soil to reduce energy costs will lower food prices. But he pulled up his first day’s promise, pointed at his fingers and said Biden pushed the price higher, and: “Once they stand up, it’s hard to fall down…it’s hard.”
If you feel what Deja vu feels, it may be because after he promised in his first term that cheaper, better health care for everyone right away—eventually a vow of Trump despite Republican control over Congress—he said, he said, he said, he said, “No one knows that health care can be so complicated.”
“The best way to do this is to increase consumer income,” said Daniel A. Sumner, a professor at UC Davis. The problem is “not food prices, but food prices relative to people’s income.”
(Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
On grocery prices, Trump’s opinion is As simple as democratic rival Kamala Harrishe promised to combat price fraud. Daniel A. Sumner, professor at the University of California, Daniel A. Sumner
If stores are forced to raise egg prices due to wholesale costs, Sumner said they could reduce the price of other items in theory where shoppers spend only a lot of money. If the store price the eggs at $5, even if that means a loss, they will likely raise the price of other items to make up for the difference. But, pin the price as much as possible to most items.
“The best way to do this is to increase the income of consumers, because the problem is not the price of food, but relative to people’s income,” Sumner said.
I’m willing to admit that despite Trump’s commitment to lower prices on Day 1, some of his policies may play a role in lowering prices in the coming months and years.
Or raise them.
So, I check it regularly.
Food economist David L. Ortega, a Michigan professor, said the U.S. president has little control over grocery prices, especially in the short term. ”
“The reason for such a sharp rise in the past four years is the fusion of factors including supply and demand, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, severe droughts and bird flu outbreaks,” Ortega said.
One way the president can influence prices is to create greater stability, Ortega said.
But the situation is happening, with Trump placing tariffs, deportations and cuts on federal agencies that monitor food safety and the spread of the virus.
“Even the threat of certain policies can be inflation, as companies are scrambling to come up with contingency plans so they can come from where they can come from or look for labor,” Ortega said.
Now, let’s go back to my Vons shopping at Eagle Rock. Trump used the campaign last August Groceries as props To illustrate inflation. These items include Cheerios, O’Lakes butter, gold flour, eggs, bacon, bagels, bread, sausage and fruit.
I have priced many of these products, and many others. My list includes Thomas’ bagels, Dave’s 21 bread, Farmer John Bacon, Ice Cream, Campbell’s Chicken Soup, Mott’s apple juice, triscuits, cheez-itz, oreo cookies, gold flour, c&h sugar, sugar and cheese banana, iceberg lettuce and Russian potatoes.
Of the 28 projects on January 19 and March 3, 24 were the same price. The prices of the four projects are different.
Food economist David L. Ortega, a Michigan professor, said the U.S. president has little control over grocery prices, especially in the short term. One way the president can influence prices is to create greater stability, Ortega added.
(David Zalumowski/AP)
Thomas’ bagel, six to one bag, rose from $5.79 to $5.89.
More than a dozen Lucerne-class AA big eggs rose from $7.49 to $9.99.
A box of 8.9 ounces of Cheerios rose from $5.99 to $5.29.
Navel oranges increased from $1.29 per pound to $99.
Biden’s total label when he was president – $146.03.
Trump Total – $147.63.
Makes you want to throw eggs, but they are too expensive.
steve.lopez@latimes.com
