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Federal investigators are examining pricing throughout the beef supply chain

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The Justice Department has expanded its beef-price investigation to eight major retailers, including Walmart, Costco, Amazon and Kroger.

• Investigators are examining whether market concentration or anticompetitive practices have contributed to rapidly rising beef prices.

• A historically small U.S. cattle herd remains a major cause of high prices, suggesting consumers may not see relief anytime soon.

The U.S. Justice Department has expanded its investigation into rising beef prices, bringing eight of the nations largest grocery retailers under federal scrutiny.

The retailers are Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Aldi and Ahold Delhaize, the parent company of such chains as Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward sent letters to the companies concerning recent increases in retail beef prices, according to the department. The action expands an antitrust investigation that initially focused on the companies that process most of the nations beef.

Beef prices are a critical concern to Americans, and a priority for this Justice Department, the agency said in announcing the expansion.

The investigation does not mean the retailers have been accused of wrongdoing. Federal officials have not disclosed whether they are investigating a specific pricing practice or requesting particular records from the companies.

The retailers had not publicly responded to the investigation when it was announced.

Investigation began with meatpackers

The Justice Department launched its current investigation in May, focusing on the four dominant meatpacking companies: JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef.

Together, those companies control more than 85% of U.S. beef processing, according to the department. Federal investigators are examining whether the high level of concentration has reduced competition or contributed to higher prices.

The government says it has reviewed more than 3 million documents and interviewed industry participants as part of that investigation.

By turning its attention to major grocery companies, the department is examining another stage of the beef supply chain the point at which wholesale beef is priced and sold to consumers.

Retail beef pricing can be affected by several factors, including the price stores pay suppliers, transportation and labor costs, promotions, local competition and the profit margin retailers apply to meat sales.

Antitrust investigators may examine whether companies coordinated prices, exchanged competitively sensitive information or used their size to limit competition. However, the department has not publicly alleged that any of the eight retailers engaged in those practices.

Beef prices have risen sharply

The investigation comes as families are paying historically high prices for hamburger, steaks and roasts.

The average price of a pound of ground beef reached $6.89 in July, up about 10% from a year earlier and nearly 57% from July 2021, according to federal inflation data. Steak prices increased by approximately 35% over the same five-year period.

A lack of cattle is widely considered one of the biggest reasons for the increase. The United States had approximately 86.2 million cattle and calves at the beginning of 2026, the smallest herd since 1951, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Years of drought, high feed costs and other financial pressures caused many ranchers to reduce their herds. Restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico, imposed because of concerns about the New World screwworm, also tightened supplies.

Strong consumer demand has allowed prices to remain elevated despite the higher cost.

What it means for consumers

The expanded investigation could eventually result in enforcement action if officials uncover evidence of price-fixing, collusion or other violations of federal antitrust law. It could also end without charges if investigators determine that market forces, rather than illegal conduct, explain the price increases.

Consumers should not expect the investigation itself to lower supermarket prices immediately. Even if competition problems are identified, rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd could take several years because of the time required to breed and raise cattle.

In the meantime, shoppers can reduce costs by watching weekly promotions, comparing unit prices and choosing less expensive cuts such as chuck roast, round steak or higher-fat ground beef. Chicken and pork may also offer lower-cost alternatives when beef prices rise.

The central question for the Justice Department is whether todays high beef prices are entirely the result of tight supplies and strong demand or whether business practices by dominant processors and retailers have made the problem worse.

Theyre cutting prices on some items and promoting lower-cost options

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Walmart, Stop & Shop and Giant Eagle are among the retailers cutting prices on selected groceries.

• Kroger, Target and other chains are expanding private-label products to give shoppers less-expensive alternatives.

• Many reductions are temporary, regional or tied to loyalty programs, so consumers should compare the cost of their entire shopping list.

Facing resistance from consumers weary of high food prices, several of the nations largest supermarket chains are reducing prices on selected products and expanding their lower-cost store brands.

The initiatives dont amount to across-the-board grocery price cuts. But they could provide some relief on staples such as meat, produce, snacks and packaged foodsparticularly for shoppers willing to compare prices and substitute private-label products for national brands.

Walmart recently lowered prices on a variety of groceries, including ground beef, produce, snacks and store-brand foods. One ground-beef product received a reduction of nearly 12%, according to Grocery Dive.

The retailer is also expanding Bettergoods, its private-label food line, to nearly 1,000 products. Walmart has said the brand has attracted customers across income levels, including higher-income shoppers looking for value.

Regional discounts

Stop & Shop has lowered prices on thousands of products at stores in New York and New Jersey. The reductions are part of a broader effort by the regional supermarket operator to improve its price position and compete more effectively with discount chains.

Giant Eagle, which operates stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio and surrounding states, temporarily reduced prices on approximately 300 products. The company said the reductions, scheduled to remain in effect through Labor Day, average about 10%.

Kroger has also made lower prices a central part of its strategy. The company says it is investing in its everyday prices while expanding its selection of private-label foods. Kroger executives report that store-brand sales are growing faster than sales of national brands.

Store brands gain ground

Other retailers are addressing affordability by offering consumers more private-label choices rather than simply reducing the prices of existing products.

Target plans to add 600 store-brand food and beverage products over two years. About 400 will be sold under its Good & Gather brand.

Dollar General is also adding private-label products and has promoted more than 70 back-to-school items priced at $1 or less.

Meanwhile, Aldi continues to expand its U.S. footprint. The discount grocer, where most products are private-label, is on track to open 180 stores in 2026 and another 400 through 2028.

The growth of private brands suggests that consumers shopping habits may be undergoing a lasting change.

From January through May, sales at value-oriented retailers rose 11.6% compared with a year earlier, while conventional retailers recorded growth of only 2.3%, according to NielsenIQ data cited by Reuters.

Retailers say the search for value is no longer limited to lower-income households. Middle- and higher-income shoppers are also switching to store brands or visiting discount chains as they try to control grocery spending.

The savings have limits

Consumers should examine the details before concluding that their preferred supermarket has become significantly cheaper.

Some advertised reductions apply only to selected products or stores. Others are temporary promotions or require membership in a loyalty program. A supermarket may also cut the price of highly visible staples while leaving prices unchangedor raising themelsewhere in the store.

That means the total at the bottom of the receipt is more important than the discount on any one product.

Consumers may save more by creating a list of frequently purchased items and comparing their regular prices at two or three nearby stores. Unit prices, which show the cost per ounce or pound, can also reveal whether a sale item is actually less expensive than a different package size or store brand.

Shoppers should also check whether a discount requires a digital coupon. Some supermarket promotions must be activated through an app before checkout, which can prevent consumers who dont use the app from receiving the advertised price.

Even with those limitations, the emerging grocery price competition is good news for consumers. Traditional supermarkets are under pressure to narrow the gap with Walmart, Aldi and other value retailersand shoppers willing to compare prices are in the strongest position to benefit.

The products bear an unauthorized USDA inspection mark

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Shanghai Ravioli Corporation is recalling approximately 24,900 pounds of frozen buffalo chicken products produced without federal inspection.

• The recalled Buffalo Chicken Rangoon and Benedettos Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks were sent to foodservice businesses in five New England states.

• No illnesses or injuries have been reported, but restaurants and other foodservice operators should not serve the products.

Shanghai Ravioli Corporation is recalling approximately 24,900 pounds of frozen buffalo chicken products because they were produced without the required federal inspection, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The Boston-based companys recall covers two not-ready-to-eat products:

• Cardboard boxes containing 100 pieces of BUFFALO CHICKEN RANGOON, with sell-by dates ranging from July 8, 2026, through June 29, 2027.

• Cardboard boxes containing 120 pieces of BENEDETTOS BUFFALO CHICKEN MOZZARELLA STICK, with sell-by dates ranging from July 8, 2026, through June 29, 2027.

The products were manufactured on various dates from July 8, 2025, through June 29, 2026. They were shipped to foodservice locations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

FSIS said the packages display a false USDA inspection mark bearing establishment number EST. 18004. The establishment associated with that number does not have a federal grant of inspection.

The agency discovered the problem during routine surveillance activities.

Why the lack of inspection matters

Federal inspection is intended to ensure that meat and poultry products are produced under sanitary conditions and meet labeling and food-safety requirements.

Because these products were made without that oversight, they could potentially contain harmful bacteria, undeclared allergens or other contaminants. The recall announcement did not identify a specific pathogen or report laboratory evidence that the products are contaminated.

No confirmed illnesses or injuries associated with the products had been reported when the recall was announced.

The recall has been designated Class I, the USDAs most serious classification. That designation applies when there is a reasonable probability that consuming a recalled product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

What foodservice operators should do

The products were distributed to foodservice businesses rather than identified as being sold directly through grocery stores. FSIS is concerned that some of the recalled items may still be in restaurant or institutional refrigerators and freezers.

Foodservice operators should check their inventory for the affected Buffalo Chicken Rangoon and Benedettos Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks. The products should not be cooked or served. They should be thrown away or returned to the supplier.

Anyone concerned about an illness or injury after eating one of the products should contact a health care provider.

Questions about the recall may be directed to Jordan Wu, quality control manager at Shanghai Ravioli Corporation, at 617-989-3833 or shanghaicorp@gmail.com. Consumers may also contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.

Product labels and additional information are available in the USDA recall notice.

The recalled fruit was distributed in four states

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Panorama Produce is recalling 302 boxes of Martina-brand mangoes that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

• The mangoes were sold at select Walmart stores in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

• Consumers should check for a light-blue Agrofepac sticker with PLU 4584 and dispose of or return recalled mangoes.

Panorama Produce is recalling hundreds of boxes of mangoes sold at select Walmart stores because the fruit may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recall covers 302 boxes of size-9 mangoes distributed in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania from Aug. 10 through Aug. 21, 2026, according to an announcement posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The mangoes were shipped in cases bearing the Martina brand name. Individual pieces of fruit have a light-blue sticker displaying the following information:

• Agrofepac

• Produce of Mexico

• PLU number 4584

• UPC 07503061948050

The company initiated the recall after FDA sampling detected Salmonella in mangoes grown on the same farm. The sampled fruit did not enter U.S. commerce, but because it came from the same source as the distributed mangoes, Panorama Produce voluntarily recalled the affected shipment.

No illnesses connected to the recalled mangoes had been reported when the company issued its announcement.

What to do

Consumers should check any recently purchased mangoes for the identifying sticker and numbers. Recalled fruit should not be eaten, even if it looks or smells normal. Consumers should throw it away or return it to the store where it was purchased.

People should also wash and sanitize any surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with the mangoes. Anyone who develops symptoms and believes they may have eaten recalled fruit should contact a health care provider.

Salmonella infection can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Diarrhea may sometimes be bloody. Symptoms commonly begin within several hours to several days after exposure.

Most healthy people recover without treatment, but the infection can become serious or fatal for young children, older adults, frail people and those with weakened immune systems. In rare cases, Salmonella may enter the bloodstream and cause more serious conditions, including infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis.

Consumers with questions may email Panorama Produce at information@panoramaproduce.com from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Saturday. Additional information and product photographs are available in the FDA recall announcement.