Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

A Louisiana Grocery Store Is Forced To Raise Milk Prices By State Regulators

You might have to read this post twice to make sure your eyes didn’t deceive you. This article is actually completely different from my recent pieces on stealth inflation, but is even more infuriating. In this case, a grocery store called Fresh Markets decided to sell milk at a bargain basement price as part of a promotion, yet the state has deemed the price “too low.” As a result, the chain is being forced to raise the price. Yep, at a time when millions are struggling every day to make ends meet, this is what the state of Louisiana has decided it a priority that the cost of milk is higher for consumers in the state. This is exactly what happens when bureaucrats exert to much influence in our daily lives. From the Daily Caller:
Louisiana state regulators recently cracked down on a supermarket chain’s weekly promotional deal because it was selling milk too cheaply — which violates state law.

The upscale Fresh Markets was selling gallons of milk for $2.99 as part of a weekly promotional deal. Louisiana requires that retailer price markups be at least six percent above the invoice and shipping costs of the product.

“They can sell it six percent over cost all day long. It’s when they sell it below cost that it becomes a problem,” State Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain told The Advocate.

After getting a complaint about Fresh Market’s promotional deal, Strain’s office sent an auditor to a French Markets store.

At least one Fresh Market shopper was outraged when he found that the state government had intervened to control the store’s milk prices.

More

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a total crock...stores should be allowed to price whatever they feel the market (or their finances) can bear.

The government has its noses under too many tents - and is crapping in all of them!

Anonymous said...

Was this what really happened? Or was this a save face move to raise milk prices back to make profit?

Anonymous said...

This will change quickly due to LA being Repubican controlled. Most likely an old law put in place by democrats to coddle Big Food corporations which hates these niche food stores like Fresh Markets and Whole Foods because it cuts into their profit margins.

David said...

Civil Disobedience. If the store owner had said he was going to leave the pricethe same, what would have happened?

Probably not much.

It isoppertunities like these that people must take advantage of. Yes it would have been inconvenient. Yes it could haveopened the store up to further scrutiny. BUT when you have an oppertunity to expose the hipocracy of any government take that oppertunity.

Civil disobedience. Do your part Salisbury. Do not make things easy for the current administration.

Thanks,
Joe

Anonymous said...

Amendments 10 & 13 prohibit this action. Get the government out of my way, please, I have a Constitutional agenda!