Yes, COVID-19 price gouging is still happening. But we have a solution.

Back in March, at the height of COVID-19 panic, my father ventured into Costco on a mission to get the one thing prized above all during quarantine: toilet paper. At the time, we only had six rolls in the house. He waited in a line for an hour to get the pack. As he made his rounds through the rest of the store, he left his cart unattended for a minute. This was a mistake. When he returned, he discovered someone had snatched his hard-earned treasure right out from under him. He was shocked, and continued grumbling about the thief for days on end.

Our next plan of action, like many others, was to simply order some toilet paper off of Amazon. Unfortunately, we were met with exorbitant prices for everyday essentials. I’ve personally seen a box of disposable gloves for $295 and a 5-pack of disinfecting wipes for nearly $170 — both nearly 10 times the normal price. Sellers are taking advantage of a tragedy to prey off of people’s desperation. They utilize loopholes within the current laws regarding price gouging in order to make their profits.

Price gouging only exacerbates existing inequalities. What may be a simple nuisance to some may be life-impacting to others. Not everyone can actually afford to pay these inflated prices, and price gouging is more widespread at small shops in low-income communities. Many lower-income consumers live in food deserts, where the scarcity of grocery stores leaves them with slim options for accessing crucial supplies that is only exacerbated by hoarding and price gouging. Even if consumers in food deserts turn to online sellers to get these essentials, price spikes are rampant on platforms like Amazon and the lack of affordable supplies can leave consumers unable to get what they need to protect themselves and their loved ones. The larger conversation regarding access to essential items must continue, but the essential first step is to push legislation to stop price gouging during emergencies. 

We must have stronger protections in place so that consumers do not continue being taken advantage of. Loopholes in California’s existing price gouging law has left consumers vulnerable. A new California bill, SB 1196, will strengthen the current law to protect all Californians. We need to voice our support of this legislation and continue to push for better protections for the public.

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By Louise de Oliveira, CALPIRG Community Outreach Intern.

Video by Louise de Oliveira and Callie Fausey, CALPIRG Media Intern.