Is a potato cartel spiking the price of your spuds?

According to a recent lawsuit, four of the largest potato processors in America have been accused of running a rotten potato price-fixing scheme.

This tater trust, which controls 95% of the potato market, allegedly colluded to raise prices on all sorts of potato products you probably buy regularly — like frozen fries, hash browns, and tater tots. According to the suit, prices rose by 47% over the past two years, even as input costs for the companies dropped.

That’s no small potatoes.

This sort of scammy price-gouging happens frequently across the entire U.S. food chain. And it’s largely due to a lack of competition.

Like the potato cartel, just four companies in the United States control: 85% of beef processing. 82% of fertilizer production. 80% of corn seed distribution. And 69% of grocery sales.

These companies don’t have to worry about losing customers because those customers have so few choices. 

The result? Corporate monopolies get rich, and we pay the tab.

If we want to get to the root of high grocery prices, we must take on corporate power.