Friend,

Outright inflation may be slowing, but an insidious form is still hurting working families -- shrinkflation.

Huggies dropped 12 diapers from the pack but still charges $29.99. Bounty paper towel rolls are 8% smaller for the same price.(1) These are two of hundreds of examples of corporations charging the same for less product, forcing us to buy more.

And shrinkflation is part of the reason why corporate profits are at a 70-year high.(2)

We need protection from this predatory pricing. It's time for Congress to take action and pass the Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would crack down on greedy corporate practices.

Tell Congress: Pass the Price Gouging Prevention Act!

Since the pandemic, Americans have been paying more for food, paper products, and other basic necessities. Meanwhile, ultrarich CEOs are getting paid tens of millions of dollars and telling consumers to eat cereal for dinner because it's cheap.(3)

At a time when food insecurity rates are climbing and people are struggling to afford basic necessities, these outrageous levels of shrinkflation and greedflation are unacceptable.(4)

Introduced by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Price Gouging Prevention Act would:

• Prohibit price gouging on a nationwide basis.
• Target companies that have taken advantage of the pandemic to jack up prices unnecessarily, and keep them high.
• Focus on companies whose executives brag to shareholders about increasing prices faster than inflationary costs.
• Require public disclosure of companies’ costs and pricing strategies.
• Increase the Federal Trade Commission’s funding to enforce these conditions.

We know that putting public pressure on greedy companies works. Just last month, fast food giant Wendy's shelved plans to introduce "dynamic pricing," which would have upped costs for menu items during periods of high demand.(5)

Let's keep the momentum going.

Sign now: Put an end to corporate price gouging!

Yours in the fight against corporate abuses,

–Irene, Annie, Angela, Isidra, Mario, Marvin, Alyssa, Jen, and Lindsay (the Courage team)

Footnote:
1. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/5/30/23737578/shrinkflation-retail-food-groceries-consumers
2. https://www.wral.com/story/fact-check-are-corporate-profits-at-record-highs-because-companies-are-overcharging/20068026
3. https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/kellogg-backlash-cereal-for-dinner
4. https://www.governing.com/work/low-wage-workers-are-still-unable-to-afford-basic-needs
5. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wendys-not-implement-surge-pricing-151238146.html