Each week, Food Tank is rounding up a few news stories that inspire excitement, infuriation, or curiosity.
Grocery Prices Continue Climbing Despite Administration Claims
President Trump has claimed his administration is lowering grocery prices, but recent data and economic analyses show food costs remain elevated. “Grocery prices are starting to go rapidly down,” Trump recently said during a speech in Detroit. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that grocery prices rose 2.4 percent in December compared to last year.
Staple goods have seen especially sharp increases. Coffee prices rose nearly 20 percent, while beef increased 16.4 percent and ground beef 15.5 percent. Prices rose in five of the six major grocery categories tracked by federal data, with only modest declines in dairy and eggs.
A report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) links the rising food costs to tariffs, a weakened labor market, and higher healthcare expenses. The Trump-Vance Administration’s economic agenda is “is making life less affordable for working families,” according to CAP .
The USDA projects food-at-home prices will rise by 2.3 percent in 2026, mirroring increases from 2025.
Billionaire Wealth Reaches Record High as Billions Struggle to Afford Food
A new report from Oxfam International finds that billionaire wealth surged 16 percent in 2025, reaching a record US$18.3 trillion. U.S. billionaires saw the sharpest increases, but fortunes rose globally at rates nearly triple the average of the last five years. Since 2020, billionaire wealth has grown 81 when adjusted for inflation.
The analysis highlights this trend alongside stark global inequalities. The world’s 12 richest individuals now hold more wealth than the poorest 4 billion people combined. Meanwhile, over 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, according to estimates published in Nature Food.
A study in PNAS, highlighting that extreme wealth concentration threatens democracy, finds that more unequal countries are up to seven times more likely to experience democratic erosion when compared to more equal countries. The Oxfam analysis notes billionaires are over 4,000 times more likely to hold political office than the general population.
According to an open letter signed by nearly 400 millionaires and billionaires from 24 countries, “society is dangerously teetering off the edge of a precipice.”
Maryland Proposes Ban on Dynamic Pricing in Grocery Stores
Governor Wes Moore has introduced legislation to ban dynamic pricing in Maryland grocery stores, citing consumer protection and data privacy concerns. Dynamic pricing uses real-time algorithms to adjust product costs based on factors like demand, supply, and competition. The practice, also called “surge” or “surveillance” pricing, has raised concerns among advocates and legislators.
During a visit to the local grocery store PD Provisions, Moore said, “This is not a fair market, this is a stacked deck. This is about profit, profit squeezing—profit that’s extracted from people who are seeing their bills increase and who are struggling to afford basic goods.”
The bill would require prices to remain fixed for at least one full business day and prohibit the use of personal data, such as facial recognition or purchase history, to influence pricing. Critics Detroit Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib warn that combining algorithmic pricing with facial recognition could deepen inequality and exacerbate affordability issues.
If passed, Maryland would become one of the first states to restrict dynamic pricing practices in retail grocery environments.
Treaty to Protect Ocean Biodiversity Enters into Force
A landmark global treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity in international waters officially entered into force this week. Known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the legally binding accord seeks to promote conservation and sustainable use of ocean ecosystems beyond the control of national governments.
The treaty, nearly 20 years in the making, establishes new frameworks for managing marine genetic resources, designating marine protected areas, conducting environmental impact assessments, and enabling technology transfer and capacity-building for ocean science.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the BBNJ fills a critical governance gap to secure a resilient and productive ocean for all. Countries that have ratified the agreement, such as China, Germany, France, Japan, and Brazil, are now legally obligated to implement conservation measures at the national level.
Tanzanian diplomat Mzee Ali Haji, who participated in the negotiations, notes that “everyone should bear in mind that there is now control of the activity in the high seas.” The treaty marks a step toward strengthening international cooperation over the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdiction.
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Photo courtesy of Karsten Winegeart, Unsplash
