New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Monday that the average family could save as much as $90 a month by shopping at the city’s upcoming government-owned grocery stores. The announcement comes as the mayor tries to address rising food costs in the city.
Latest Update
Mamdani said rising costs and surveillance pricing have made it feel like groceries are out of reach for many New Yorkers. To fix this, the city plans to price a core set of goods 30 percent below typical retail prices and these discounts will stay the same for the entire month.
The discounted items will include all fresh produce, meat and seafood along with 20 other essential grocery products such as cheese, milk and bread.
“This core set of goods will include all fresh produce, meat and seafood along with 20 other essential items like cheese, milk and bread,” Mamdani said.
“Once a month, our five city-run grocery stores will set prices for this core set of goods 30 percent below typical retail prices. No exceptions. No gimmicks. The savings will last for the entire month. That means no weekly fluctuation. No sticker shock at the checkout line.”
As per the AP, the stores will not sell hot food or items like beer and cigarettes, so as to avoid taking business away from private grocers. “We are not looking to compete with bodegas or grocery stores when it comes to their ability to survive. What we’re looking to do is to provide affordability that is guaranteed to New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.
Also Read: Mitch McConnell releases new ‘proof of life’ photo from hospital: Is Kentucky Senator getting back to work?
“In the wealthiest city, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, no New Yorker should have to worry about being able to afford to feed their family.”
What will be cheaper and how can families save up to $90 a month?
Products at the stores will carry stickers with QR codes that shoppers can scan to check prices and policy details.
Also Read: Zohran Mamdani edges past Trump in early TIME Person of the Year poll
Two of the five planned store locations have already been identified: La Marqueta in Manhattan and The Peninsula in The Bronx. However, as per AP, the first store is expected to open in the Bronx toward the end of 2027, with all five stores planned to be operational by the end of Mamdani’s four-year term.
And as per reports, La Marqueta is the first site selected, but it may not be the first to open, since construction is still needed. The construction work is estimated to cost $30 million.
Mamdani’s plan drew criticism from opponents who called it the democratic socialist mayor’s first step toward creating “communist bread lines” in the city. However, Mamdani said the goal was simply to make food more affordable, not to compete with private businesses.
“Thirty percent off adds up to real money for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said at a news conference at a warehouse in Brooklyn, standing in front of a display of fruits and vegetables, according to AP.
source
The city is also looking for private companies to run the day-to-day operations of the five stores. “Our vision of affordable, well-run, city-owned grocery stores can only be accomplished with experienced operators who know how to source products, stock the shelves and help answer shoppers’ questions,” Mamdani said, as per NBC News. “Today, we are also issuing an RFP for private operators to help us with the day-to-day management of the five city-run grocery stores.”
