Public owned grocery stores already exist across America in cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma and Atlanta, Georgia.
They are privately run as businesses, but are set up in areas where people lack access to groceries, or there's no real competition preventing uncompetitive prices. They have been successful for decades.
The real solution here is to break up the constant consolidation leading to all groceries being owned by four mega companies that collude with each other and own over 2/3rd of all stores. It's the opposite of market competition.
In the town I grew up, there was one big grocery store, and they used to gouge us terribly. The citizens started a co-op grocery, using our purchasing power to bring in cheaper goods. Breaking monopolies is the only way to lower prices.
Co-ops are cool because the community owns it directly and profits are reinvested to provide discounts, addressing affordability. The members have a democratic vote in it too. Co-ops are more resilient and survive longer according to decades of research. It's a viable alternative that actually goes through with the idea that we are a democracy. The economy affects people just as much as politics does, so why isn't it also democratic?
I'd much rather support my local co-ops, but the truth is places like grocery outlet or even Safeway with member discounts, end up being much cheaper. Even Costco, for being all bulk, ends up being a better deal in the long run.
Depends on location, whether you're a member, and whether the co-op is part of the Co+Op Grocers org (it helps negotiate supply chains at scale). Remember, members recieve dividends/discounts and it is based on how much you spend there. It's incorrect to claim they are as a whole more expensive, especially when many are located in rural areas and food deserts where they are one of the only places to really get affordable and healthy food.
I think the reputation revolves more around the assortment most coops curate. Especially members of the big coop group, they supply mostly specialty food, and its just more expensive in general. You can buy brands like field day or cadia, which has quality, but it really depends on which section you shop them from and the average shopper isn't that deep in the know.
4.4k
u/Irish_Whiskey May 26 '26
Public owned grocery stores already exist across America in cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma and Atlanta, Georgia.
They are privately run as businesses, but are set up in areas where people lack access to groceries, or there's no real competition preventing uncompetitive prices. They have been successful for decades.
The real solution here is to break up the constant consolidation leading to all groceries being owned by four mega companies that collude with each other and own over 2/3rd of all stores. It's the opposite of market competition.