DOJ targets 8 major grocery chains in skyrocketing beef price probe

Packaged meat is displayed for sale at a supermarket in Houston, Texas, on September 2, 2026. US President Donald Trump announced on August 21, 2026 that the United States would temporarily allow a greater volume of foreign beef imports, in his latest bid to lower costs for American consumers as midterm elections approach.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the expansion of its probe to eight major United States retailers to investigate soaring beef prices, among a broader push by the Trump Administration to lower the costs of grocery staples for Americans.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI), retail prices for beef and veal were 9.4% higher in July 2026 compared to the same 12-month period ending in July 2025.

Ground beef prices jumped 9%, uncooked steaks rose 9.6% and uncooked roasts surged 13.5% — all far exceeding the overall inflation rate of 3.4%.

 

According to the DOJ on Tuesday, the department’s Antitrust Division has expanded its investigation to include eight U.S. grocery chains amid soaring beef prices — which have risen 10% over the past year.

 

@JusticeATR has expanded its investigation to include 8 of the largest grocers when it comes to beef affordability. @ASGWoodward sent letters to the following regarding the recent increases in the retail price for beef:

-Kroger
-Publix
-Walmart
-Albertsons
-Aldi
-Ahold…

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) September 2, 2026

Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. sent letters to Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Albertsons, Aldi, Ahold Delhaize USA, Costco and Amazon, centering on “the recent increases in the retail price for beef,” according to the DOJ.

The letters, dated July 16^th, called beef prices “a matter of critical concern to the American public, and a priority for the United States Department of Justice.”

“We will be seeking data and information that we anticipate to be in your company’s records relating to your company’s retail sales and prices, wholesale purchases and prices, costs and margins for beef products, pricing and purchasing strategy, your company’s analyses of market trends in the wholesale or retail price of beef, and information about factors influencing beef prices,” the statement continued.

Sent to the company’s legal teams, the letters called for prompt disclosure regarding the retailer’s beef pricing, margins, and costs, alongside an “explanation and analysis of trends in the retail and wholesale beef markets.”

The rising costs are driven by several factors, including severe droughts across major cattle-producing regions that have reduced pastureland and increased feed costs, forcing ranchers to liquidate herds and pushing U.S. cattle inventories to multi-decade lows.

Because of cattle’s multi-year biological growth cycle, rebuilding those supply levels takes years rather than months. Consequently, constrained supply alongside elevated production and feed costs continues to drive retail prices higher despite steady consumer demand.