Why Your Grocery Bill Keeps Going Up—and What Congress Can Do About It

By Christina Hines | Mom on a Mission, Former Prosecutor & Candidate for Congress (MI-10)

Every family I talk to these days seems to have the same story. You walk into the grocery store with your list, but end up spending way more than you want to.

Now, if you ask my husband, this is a chronic problem for me, particularly at Costco (you can read my Ode to Costco here!).

But right now, we know this isn’t an issue of splurging. We are paying more for the basics: milk, eggs, produce, you name it.

Food prices remain stubbornly high, not because families are buying more, but because the people in Washington are not fighting for working families like ours. Let’s talk about tariffs and price gouging.

Tariffs Have Increased Prices

Research from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation found Trump’s tariffs amounted to an average tax increase of $1,000 per household in 2025, and that the cost is set to rise to $1,300 per household in 2026 if the policies stay in place.

Now, I support using tariffs strategically to protect American workers and critical industries. But retaliatory tariffs waged with no real strategy or plan are hardly protecting American workers, and in fact, they are hurting working families.

Not only are families paying more, but hardworking Americans are losing jobs. For example, last year, over 1,200 people lost their jobs at the General Motors Tech Center as a result of Trump’s tariffs and EV Rollbacks.

But regardless of who is in the White House, major economic decisions like tariffs should not be made unilaterally. They affect workers, manufacturers, farmers, and consumers across the country, and they should be debated, legislated, and decided through the democratic process.

When I am in Congress, I will fight to reassert congressional authority over trade and economic policies so that we can reflect the will of the people, not just the priorities of one administration.

But wait, there’s more: Corporate Price Gouging!

Grocery stores are increasingly engaging in price gouging and increasing prices based on what the algorithm says we will pay.

Here’s what is happening. Grocery store chains are increasingly using mobile apps, online shopping, and electronic shelf labels as a way to charge us different prices for the same items. Race, gender, income, shopping habits, and more can be used to track you from aisle to aisle.

Some large grocery chains have started using electronic shelf labels to price items. These electronic shelf labels have the ability to rapidly change prices using digital shelf labels based on who is in front of them or even the time of day. For example, grocery stores can increase prices right after work when people need to stop to pick something up for dinner on their way home.

As a former prosecutor, that kind of imbalance sets off alarm bells for me. When one side has all the power and information, abuse becomes far more likely.

That’s why, when I’m in Congress, I will co-sponsor legislation that prevents companies from price gouging and aims to restore fairness and accountability. It would:

• Prohibit excessive price increases on essential grocery items that can’t be justified by normal market conditions;

• Ban “surveillance pricing,” where companies use your personal data or purchasing history to decide what price you pay;

• Limit the use of technology that allows prices to change constantly without transparency; and

• Give federal regulators real authority to investigate and enforce violations.

Families shouldn’t be squeezed just because they need to eat. And for seniors living on Social Security or parents juggling childcare, healthcare, and rent, every dollar counts.

There are more millionaires in Congress than there are moms. Too many lawmakers don’t feel the pressure of deciding between name-brand and generic, or between groceries and gas.

I do.

That’s why this is so personal to me. I’m a Mom on a Mission to lower costs and protect families—especially against corporate abuse like this.

If you agree, then I hope you’ll share this post, talk about it with your neighbors, and stay engaged so that we can fight back together.

And if you’re able, please consider:

Together, we can build a Congress that actually reflects the people it serves.