Autumn Barongan grocery shops for her family using her recently replenished EBT on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Fareway in Winterset.
San Diego, California – San Diego County is feeling the squeeze of rising inflation more acutely than any other major American city, with food prices emerging as one of the most visible and unavoidable pressure points for working families.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the region’s overall inflation rate climbed 3.9% in May compared to the previous year. However, the impact extends beyond abstract percentages. At the dinner table, the grocery store, and the neighborhood restaurant, residents are being asked to pay more for less.
“Things that we buy at the grocery store are up only about 1.6%,” said Alan Gin, an economist at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business. “It’s the food away from home — eating out at restaurants — that was really high, increasing about almost 7%.”
Gin noted that while prices for cereal and dairy have fallen, other staples — fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, and poultry — continue to climb. That’s on top of rising housing costs, which are up nearly 5% from last year, outpacing the general rate of inflation and further straining household budgets.
Yet, it’s not just market forces that affect the cost of food in San Diego. Labor unrest is looming, and it could exacerbate an already difficult situation. UFCW Local 135, which represents over 13,000 grocery workers across San Diego and Imperial Counties, has authorized a strike against Kroger and Albertsons — the corporate parents of Ralphs, Vons, Pavilions, and Albertsons — citing unfair labor practices.
Those four chains operate 87 stores in San Diego County. If a strike proceeds, economists warn that it could disrupt supply chains, reduce store operations, and drive prices even higher. “When there’s shortages, sometimes then the price will go up,” Gin explained.
For residents like Dana Billings, who shops at a Pavilions near La Jolla Shores, a strike could mean longer drives to less convenient stores — at a time when gas prices are already higher than they should be. “It will cost gas… maybe if I have to shop once, then [I’ll] wait 15 days before buying anything again,” she said.
Still, others see the labor struggle as part of the larger economic feedback loop they’re caught in. “There’s no reason why the worker should be the person who suffers the most,” said shopper Eugene Walsh, adding his support for the union’s stance.
