Will Harris's Anti-Gouging Plan Tame Food Inflation? Here's Why Economists Are Wary

2024-08-20 99

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to combat high food prices by banning price gouging and blaming corporate greed for inflation. While her plan targets the food industry, which has seen elevated margins since the pandemic, economists are wary. They argue that price controls could lead to shortages and be difficult to implement effectively. GOP candidate Donald Trump criticized the plan as "Communist price control." Economists prefer increasing competition to direct price controls, with mixed opinions on anti-gouging laws during emergencies. Harris's focus on competition could make her plan more appealing to economists.