Inflation hitting home for Columbus shoppers

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Inflation means the cost of everything is going up – food, electric bills, gasoline, and more.

A new report shows that inflation is now at a 40-year high, something the Biden administration said it is working to address.

However, while the White House works on a solution, the price of everything like meat at the local grocery store is hitting highs never seen before.

Beef prices, for example, are up 30 percent over 2020 prices, with some blaming supply chain issues and labor shortages.

Others said companies are taking advantage of a recovering economy to price gouge, but it’s not just food; everything has seen a price increase over the last year or two.

Shoppers at Weiland’s Market in Clintonville remain pessimistic about things improving anytime soon.

“Shoot, I don’t know who I’d blame,” said retired teacher Connie Hawk, who is living on a fixed income. “I just wish it would end, but I don’t know that it’s going to do that anytime soon.”

“We limit ourselves to salads a lot, soups a lot,” said shopper Steve Herbert. “Don’t buy meat that much anymore.”

A White House spokesperson said inflation is something President Joe Biden is actively working to address.

“We’re doing everything we can in every area of the economy that we can to lower prices for people and we’re going to stick at it because he knows that families are feeling the pain when they go to the pump or they go to the grocery store and we’re going to continue to work to lower those prices,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher.

Some of Biden’s ideas to reduce inflation were included in the Build Back Better bill, which stalled in the Senate. Meagher said the administration is looking to pass individual parts of the plan to get Americans the help they need.