LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
I visited H-E-B in San Marcos this week, and the prices took me by surprise. Eggs were $3.94, milk close to $5, and shredded cheese at $2.98. Flour tortillas were nearly $3, while bananas were about $2 a bunch. Coffee products, like Café Olé pods, hit $29, turkey breast nearly $8 a pound, and olive oil over $8 a bottle. Even everyday items like peanut butter, pinto beans, and oats are soaring in price.
When I looked into this later, I found a report from KSAT. Back in April, eggs were $3.98, milk was $3.76, and a can of coffee cost $5.98. By September, many prices had risen by around a dollar or more. Coffee and turkey jumped nearly $2. This aligns with what I saw in-store: a steady rise in costs.
These price hikes aren’t just random inflation. In April, a 10% tariff was imposed, with some tariffs going up to 50% on food supplies. This sends ripples through the supply chain, making everything more expensive for consumers.
Take coffee, for example. Much of it comes from Brazil and Colombia. Tariffs add extra costs at every shipment, pushing the price of a can well above what it was just a few months ago.
Eggs and milk depend on feed made from corn and soy, which are also affected by tariffs on imported fertilizers and grains. That’s why milk jumped from $3.76 to nearly $5.
Even tortillas and cheese are facing pressure. While tortillas rely on domestic wheat, their plastic packaging is hit by tariff costs. Cheese, too, sees rising prices due to increased milk costs and packaging.
Bananas are imported from Central and South America, and tariffs add to their cost at the port, raising the price of a bunch from just over $1 to nearly $2.
Turkey breast may be domestic, but feed prices influenced by tariffs still drive up costs. Similarly, olive oil from Europe is facing both tariffs and supply shortages, with prices rising above $8.
Seafood, especially shrimp from India and Vietnam, experiences direct tariffs, making prices soar into $7-$8 per bag. Even staples like pinto beans, peanut butter, and oats have felt the sting of these policies.
In short, tariffs act like hidden taxes. They don’t just hit foreign governments; they burden families here in Hays County. A dollar more for milk, another for tortillas, and two dollars for coffee can quickly add up, leaving families scrambling to make ends meet.
H-E-B does a commendable job in these tough times. Their sales and coupons help alleviate some pressure. They have the power to negotiate prices and absorb some costs. But what about the small businesses and local grocers? They don’t have that same advantage and often can’t offer discounts. Rising prices affect them the hardest, leading to fewer choices for customers and putting strain on our community.
If our leaders had to shop in H-E-B every week—or even run a small store under these tough conditions—they would understand the impact of their policies. They would see firsthand that decisions driving up grocery costs hurt families and small businesses when they can least afford it.
Sincerely,
Christopher Jones II
San Marcos, TX
