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Beef prices have been climbing much faster than overall inflation, indicated by the blue line on your screen, even faster than prices for fish, poultry and eggs. (WJXT)<\/p>\nWASHINGTON \u2013 The U.S. Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into beef affordability, now targeting eight of the nation\u2019s largest grocery retailers.<\/p>\n
Assistant Attorney General Woodward sent letters to the following companies regarding recent increases in retail beef prices:<\/p>\n
Kroger<\/p>\n
Publix<\/p>\n
Walmart<\/p>\n
Albertsons<\/p>\n
Aldi<\/p>\n
Ahold Delhaize USA<\/p>\n
Costco<\/p>\n
Amazon <\/p>\n
\u201cBeef prices are a critical concern to Americans, and a priority for this Justice Department,\u201d the DOJ said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The department is seeking information about the companies\u2019 beef pricing, costs, profit margins and purchasing practices.<\/p>\n
The investigation comes as beef prices continue to climb, leaving shoppers frustrated by what they\u2019re seeing at the grocery store.<\/p>\n
Beef prices rising faster than inflation<\/p>\n
Dr. Tucker Omberg, an economics professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville, said consumers are not imagining the increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel like beef costs more, that\u2019s definitely not in your head,\u201d Omberg said.<\/p>\n
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows beef prices have been climbing much faster than overall inflation and faster than prices for meat, poultry and eggs.<\/p>\n
Beef prices have been climbing much faster than overall inflation, indicated by the blue line on your screen, even faster than prices for fish, poultry and eggs. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
That translates to what shoppers are seeing at the grocery store.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at beef prices compared to either the overall CPI, which tracks inflation, or the CPI for food, or even the CPI for meat and poultry, beef prices are rising much faster,\u201d Omberg said.<\/p>\n
Why is beef so expensive?<\/p>\n
The DOJ is looking at whether retailers may have engaged in anti-competitive behavior that helped keep beef prices high.<\/p>\n
But Omberg said the available data does not necessarily point to grocery stores being the main culprit.<\/p>\n
Wholesale beef prices, what retailers pay for the product, have been rising at a similar rate to the prices consumers pay.<\/p>\n
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Data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics show wholesale prices are rising at a very similar rate to the prices paid by consumers. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wholesale prices are rising at a very similar rate to the prices paid by consumers,\u201d Omberg said. \u201cSo that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s not collusion, but it makes the idea that this is collusion by grocery stores seem pretty unlikely.\u201d<\/p>\n
The DOJ\u2019s investigation actually began in May with the nation\u2019s largest meatpackers.<\/p>\n
Four companies, JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef, control more than 85% of U.S. beef processing, according to the DOJ.<\/p>\n
Omberg said that concentration could be a more important piece of the puzzle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a growing body of evidence that collusion among the actual meat packers has been increasing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Omberg also pointed to several other factors that could be contributing to higher beef prices, including tariffs, drought, higher energy costs and the return of screwworm.<\/p>\n
He said it is difficult to determine exactly how much each factor is contributing. For consumers hoping the DOJ investigation will lead to lower prices, Omberg said they may have to wait.<\/p>\n
He does not expect the retail investigation alone to produce a noticeable drop in beef prices.<\/p>\n
However, he said a pause on beef tariffs could eventually have an effect.<\/p>\n
Trump expands beef imports <\/p>\n
On Aug. 26, President Trump signed a proclamation increasing the amount of lean beef trimmings that can be imported into the United States at lower tariff rates, building on earlier action taken in February 2026.<\/p>\n
The new proclamation adds 300,000 metric tons to the in-quota quantity of lean beef trimmings allowed under the U.S. beef import tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for the remainder of 2026. The imports will be distributed in three 30-day tranches \u2014 100,000 metric tons each in September, October and November \u2014 on a first-come, first-served basis.<\/p>\n
Trump cited several factors driving the need for action, including restrictions on live animal imports from Mexico due to the New World Screwworm, drought and wildfire conditions in cattle-producing regions and what the proclamation calls the prior administration\u2019s \u201cWar on Cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs President of the United States, I have a responsibility to ensure that hard-working Americans can afford to feed themselves and their families,\u201d Trump wrote in the proclamation.<\/p>\n
The proclamation also includes a price-monitoring provision. If imported lean beef trimmings are not being sold at least 25 percent below current market prices, Trump has indicated he may cancel the remaining import quotas to prevent what he described as a \u201cwindfall to foreign producers.\u201d<\/p>\n
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