SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Food prices in San Diego County are rising noticeably, squeezing families’ wallets amid broader inflation trends.
San Diego topped all major cities in May when it comes to inflation, and food costs factor in.
“We’re up about 3.9% compared to a year ago,” said Alan Gin, an economics professor at the University of San Diego Knauss School of Business.
That inflation starts at the front door.
“Housing prices were up almost 5% compared to a year ago, and so that’s higher than the overall rate of inflation,” said Gin.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Consumer Price Index shows food is another big area.
“Things that we buy at the grocery store are up only about 1.6%. It’s the food away from home — eating out at restaurants — that was really high that increased about almost 7%,” according to Gin.
He added that the price for cereal and dairy is down, while fruits and vegetables, eggs and meat, and poultry are up. A possible strike could change that.
UFCW Local 135, which represents more than 13,000 workers in San Diego and Imperial Counties, voted to authorize a strike against Albertsons and Kroger over unfair labor practices. The parent companies of Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions have 87 stores in San Diego County.
“If there’s disruption in terms of operations that might lead to shortages in terms of some products. When there’s shortages, sometimes then the price will go up,” said Gin.
A Pavilions near La Jolla Shores, for example, is the closest major grocery store for residents in the area.
“The closest other one is Ralphs but that’s too far away,” said shopper Dana Billings.
If a strike were to happen, people like Billings may have to shop elsewhere.
“It will cost gas because gas prices are really high as well, so that’s also a factor as well so maybe if I have to shop once and then 15 days don’t buy anything,” said Billings.
The economic pattern has others wondering when it will end.
“Think of a circle and in the circle someone raises something, and then the next person has to raise that something because they buy from that person and who in the circle is going to say I’m not going to raise my prices,” said shopper Eugene Walsh.
Despite the possibility of ripple effects, Walsh is throwing his support behind the union.
“There’s no reason why the worker should be the person who suffers the most,” he stated.
FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Kroger and Albertsons for comment and did not hear back at the time of publication.
The final round of bargaining is set for June 25 through 27.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
