NGA Introduces ‘Fair Markets, Fresh Choices’ Advocacy Campaign
During The NGA Show in Las Vegas earlier this month, The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade organization representing the independent grocery sector, launched Fair Markets, Fresh Choices, an advocacy campaign for indies to achieve a level playing field in the food retail industry, despite ongoing and historic challenges, among them major operators evading fair pricing laws, exorbitant fees set by credit card behemoths, and excessive regulatory red tape.
“While independent grocers are innovating, investing and serving their communities, powerful mega chains manipulate the system to protect their monopolies at the expense of hardworking Americans,” noted Greg Ferrara, president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based NGA. “Fair competition is a fundamental pillar of our economy and essential for a robust Main Street. When small businesses and local entrepreneurs have a level playing field to compete on, American communities prosper, jobs grow, and consumers benefit. Our new campaign aims to educate and inform both lawmakers and everyday Americans about these imbalances and what can be done to fix them.”
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Fair Markets, Fresh Choices features real-world stories from independent grocers, highlighting the immediate need for:
- The strict enforcement of antitrust laws to end pricing schemes that disadvantage independent businesses and consumers and prevent the free market from working.
- Credit card processing fee reform to stop financial giants from siphoning billions in hidden costs from retailers and customers.
- The elimination of costly, unnecessary government regulations that ultimately drive up food costs.
- The ability for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to make their own food choices according to their own dietary needs.
“With this campaign, we are making it clear: Independent grocers are not asking for special treatment — we are simply demanding fair treatment,” explained NGA Chief Government Relations Officer Chris Jones. “We won’t allow unchecked buying power, regulatory overreach and anticompetitive practices to dictate the future of food access and consumer choice.”
