Colorado Democrats introduce bill to take on price gouging of grocery store items聽
House Bill 1010 would make it illegal for businesses to increase costs 10% above average in a bid to bring down prices of essential goods
Robert Tann/Vail Daily
Colorado lawmakers are seeking to clamp down on price gouging with a new bill that would make it illegal for businesses to raise costs beyond what is average for certain products.
, one of the first to be introduced in the 2025 legislative session, would prohibit price gouging of necessities like food and other grocery store items. If a product’s cost remains steady for 90 days before increasing by 10% or more above its average price, that could be considered price gouging, according to the proposal.
The legislation is being sponsored by first-year Democratic Rep. Yara Zokaie, who represents parts of Larimer County, alongside Boulder County Democrat Kyle Brown.
A mother of three, Zokaie said she understands the pressure put on working Coloradans.
“It is hard to get by,” Zokaie said. “It’s an issue that’s close to me personally, but also around Colorado it’s an issue that we’re hearing about and want to do something about.”
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Grocery store prices vary across the state depending on different regions’ microeconomic factors. In high-cost mountain resort towns, for example, staple grocery store items at Kroger-owned stores can cost slightly more than in Denver, according to a recent analysis by the Vail Daily.听
A Kroger spokesperson said increased fuel and labor costs are the main driver for higher prices on the Western Slope, though the analysis shows that prices are higher in areas with less competition.
Still, pledges to take on price gouging have become a rallying cry for politicians across the country as they confront a host of cost-of-living issues, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Vice President Kamala Harris, in her failed 2024 White House bid, .
whether price gouging is a culprit for rising costs which they say have largely been driven by inflation and supply chain issues as a result of the pandemic.
A , however, points to “elevated profit levels” for grocery retailers that “casts doubt on assertions that rising prices at the grocery store are simply moving in lockstep with retailers’ own rising costs.”
“I think there’s a lot of reasons why costs go up, why prices go up,” Zokaie said. “To the extent that corporate greed is one of those factors, which I believe it is 鈥� we want to hold that accountable.”
Zokaie’s proposal builds off legislation passed in 2020 that empowered the Colorado Attorney General’s Office to investigate claims and levy fines worth up to $20,000 in most cases for businesses that engaged in price gouging .
If passed, House Bill 1010 would expand the scope to include allegations of price gouging during any time, with a focus on essential grocery store items like food, medical supplies and hygiene products. It does not, however, outline specific penalties for offenders.
Zokaie said the business community has “come to the table” to work with her on the legislation.
Cynthia Eveleth-Havens, chief strategy officer for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, which represents business groups across the state, said the chamber has not yet taken a position on the bill.
“But we are concerned about the unintended consequences of any legislation creating additional regulatory burdens on business,” Eveleth-Havens said in a statement. “We’re in the process of reviewing the bill and getting feedback from our members.”
Aurora Democrat Mike Weissman, who is sponsoring the bill in the Senate, said the legislation’s intent is not to target businesses that are increasing costs to meet the demands of inflation.
“We want to make sure we’re allowing honest businesses, which are most businesses, go about their day-to-day operations,” Weissman said, adding the legislation is meant to give the Attorney General’s Office “more tools to be on the lookout to help people make ends meet and to take action against economically-unjustified or abusive prices.”
The bill does not have a Republican sponsor in either the House or Senate, but Weissman hopes it will garner bipartisan support.
Zokaie said she “has not heard much fierce opposition from the other side of the aisle.”
“I am hopeful that we’re all going to be able to come together on this,” she said.
Democrats currently hold a 43-22 majority in the House and a 23-12 majority in the Senate. A House Republicans spokesperson said members don’t currently have a comment to provide on the legislation.
The bill has been assigned to the Business Affairs & Labor Committee, which will vote on whether or not to advance it. A hearing date has not yet been set.
