Inflation, scandals, and money problems are evident in today’s economy.
It’s no secret that grocery prices have gone up in the past couple of years. It’s not just the grocery prices either, gas and many other things prices have tremendously skyrocketed. This phenomenon is due to inflation, which is defined as the general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.
The worldwide explanation is that this inflation and slight depression was caused after Covid-19 because that’s when it started. However this is just skepticism, and not completely proven. Logically it does make sense since the prices started going up after 2020 when resources were limited due to the pandemic.
Many people online have expressed their criticism of these rising prices, and have even gone as far as comparing their grocery bills from two years ago to now. People are not happy with these higher grocery bills and aren’t afraid to speak out on it.
The significance in these changes is very visible. The people posting their price differences online have noticed that basic goods and necessities have almost doubled in price and some of their favorite products contain less than they used to.
“Rising prices have definitely affected us, it makes budgeting tougher and makes it hard to always get those things you want and don’t necessarily need,” first time dad Phillip Roth said.
For a normal household of 3-4 people today the grocery cost according to a conveyed survey is anywhere from $230 to $350 dollars a week. It can also be more if the household has other necessities like diapers or formula for an infant, or food for an animal.
The most major grocery retailers that have been noticeably affected are Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Wholefoods, and many more establishments. This also means they’re the ones getting the most criticism.
Then not too long ago Walmart admitted in court that they purposefully raised prices during covid to make more money. This was the product of a lawsuit when customers realized that the store had begun to conduct a ‘pricing scheme’. They are now being required to pay back 1.64 million dollars for this.
People have found ways around this by using things such as coupons and other apps to save money on their essential items and groceries. When on the Kroger app for example, it gives free coupons and if you’re a frequent buyer you can also get paper ones mailed directly to your home. “I get discounts with my Kroger app, yes! It helps but it doesn’t nearly touch the difference in comparison to a few years ago,” stay-at-home mom Haley Mae said.
Another issue people have noticed is the uprise in prices of products, but not in their pay. This is severely affecting the middle class of America and it’s not just grocery products that this price rise is having an impact on. It’s anything from gas to the housing market. The average house price has gone up over 47% according to the housing index from 2020 to now. The average family home a couple of years ago in 2007 was $125,000 while the average 2020 house was over $320,000 due to this inflation, and the average now is $420,000.
Millions of Americans cannot afford these new prices and while the prices have gone up, so has the percentage of homeless. From 2019 to 2023 the homeless population has risen by over 23%. This may have been slightly caused by Covid-19 but it’s quite obvious it’s more difficult to get back on your feet after a virus and the prices are inflating.
“I’m glad we bought our house when we did in 2019, the prices are ridiculous nowadays,” mother of two Samantha Peek said.
