In a renewed push against Stop & Shop’s pricing practices, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, joined by Representatives Jim McGovern and Ayanna Pressley, have sent a formal letter to Frans Muller, CEO of parent company Ahold Delhaize.
The elected officials criticize the supermarket chain for maintaining unfairly high prices in several disadvantaged Boston neighborhoods, despite commitments made to reduce them.
A recent investigation by the Hyde Square Task Force, a local youth volunteer group, reveals that while prices have indeed decreased at the Jamaica Plain Stop & Shop store following political pressure, they remain abnormally high at other urban locations such as Grove Hall, South Bay, and Mission Hill, according to a statement from Senator Warren’s office.
“While it’s encouraging that Stop & Shop lowered its prices in Jamaica Plain after our intervention, we still see higher prices for families in other working-class neighborhoods,” said Senator Warren. “It’s no coincidence that working-class communities are the ones paying the most excessive prices.”
In their letter to Ahold Delhaize, the lawmakers demand explanations about Stop & Shop’s pricing strategy and highlight that seven stores have closed in Massachusetts since their first letter in September 2024.
“We urge Stop & Shop to lower prices in its Grove Hall, South Bay, and Mission Hill supermarkets,” the officials write. “And to ensure all Massachusetts families pay fair prices for the food they struggle to put on their tables.”
This mobilization of elected officials follows an initial investigation by the Hyde Square Task Force, which had revealed significant price disparities between stores located in low-income urban neighborhoods and those in more affluent areas. In response, Stop & Shop had claimed to have “launched a multi-year price investment strategy to sustainably lower prices” across its Massachusetts establishments.
However, according to the follow-up investigation conducted last month, these promises haven’t materialized in all locations. For the lawmakers, these findings demonstrate that “Stop & Shop” continues to profit at the expense of low-income Massachusetts communities by imposing higher prices for essential products.
The four elected officials are requesting a detailed response to their questions no later than May 14, 2025.
