Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned companies that plan to gouge prices ahead of Hurricane Irma, vowing to prosecute and publicly shame them.
“When I see babies, when I see women, when I see children, when I see elderly people who cannot afford a $30 bottle of waters, that’s illegal,” Bondi told Michael Smerconish on CNN. We will fine you $1,000 every violation. Up to $25,000 every single day. And I will be saying your name all over this country. Not to do business with you again.”
Bondi said she reached out to 7-Eleven corporate after she discovered they were price gouging ahead of Irma. The attorney general said that following the call, the company donated $150,000 to the Red Cross and transported free water into the state of Florida.
“That’s wrong. That’s immoral. There’s plenty of water throughout this country. This is about a person trying to make a buck, a quick buck,” Bondi continued. “When we are at our lowest. And during our most vulnerable state in Florida.”
Price gouging is often a problem during hurricanes. Just last month, there were reports of price gouging in Texas after Hurricane Harvey hit.
Not just 7 Elevens. Palm Food Mart in Pembroke Pines was charging $15 for a 12 pack of bottled water. The offer ‘If you take picture, I gonna brake you phone’ was free, I assume.
https://www.facebook.com/jazzymontana89/posts/1655909984442804
Neal Boortz, libertarian, said price gouging is good.
In an emergency situation or anything that causes a shortage of certain goods, rising prices indicate the need for more of that item. If forced to sell at pre-disaster prices, the item would quickly be gone and that’s that. But when people see an opportunity to make a nice profit they will bring that item into the area of the shortage. If I see that bottles of water are going for $30 at 7-11, I might be motivated to truck in hundreds of gallons and sell them just outside the 7-11 parking lot for $15.
And, why don’t people in a hurricane zone have dozens of gallons of bottled water in their basement or garage all the time?
Just gouge white people they deserve it.
The link I posted was from the 6th. On the 7th, it went to $20.
On topic, things are beginning to look a bit sporty for the PSL neck of the woods. The Everglades is setting up to get a brand new outfit too.
Solution For These Assholes : Make them sell Everything at 1/2 Price Until October First !!!
Everyone has a camera phone with video. Run around and snap photos and record store owners, they will screw themselves out of business.
Where is THAT kind of activism when we need it?
It’s their stuff and they can sell if for whatever they want to. By the same token, people can boycott them when the emergency situation subsides.
What Doug said.
Also, Big Brother gonna save you?
Wonder what the Clintons have in store to turn a buck on this crisis. Haiti proved to be an irresistible attraction for the grifters how can they pass this up.
So, different prices at different locations is fine, most of the time. But, when a storm approaches “We will fine you $1,000 every violation. Up to $25,000 every single day.” Because, you know, an “unexpected” disaster is no reason to extort people.
TO grool
Yep. Cato, AEI and others as well.
Dis. Gus. Ting.
To a certain sector everything’s free. Even your electronics and anything not nailed down.
On the one hand, the stock on your shelves is your property and you have the right to quintuple the price, if that’s what you choose to do. Even in a dire emergency, it’s your stuff. If that’s your choice, it’s your choice. I may think you’re wrong but I would not try to deny you that choice. But I can’t help but have a problem with store owners who likely may not even be in business for some time because of the storm, using “I have to charge more NOW because I have to pay more to replenish my stock NOW” as an excuse to jack prices. I’m as capitalist as the next guy but sorry, I just don’t buy that argument.
At the same time, I also have NO sympathy for people who knew for well over a week that this storm could be coming their way (it’s Florida, for crying out loud) but either did not leave, could not leave or, staying put, did NOT adequately prepare for a worst case scenario of weeks without power or access to food and water. I understand being unable to leave/having nowhere to go but not being prepped on basics with this much advanced notice is sheer foolishness and I have zero sympathy for foolishness.
But I can’t help but have a problem with store owners who likely may not even be in business for some time because of the storm, using “I have to pay more to replenish my stock” as an excuse to jack prices. I’m as capitalist as the next guy but sorry, I just don’t buy that argument.
I said that last paragraph twice, please ignore the 2nd time.
It’s fucking raining and people are buying water?
How fucking stupid can you get?
Yep – they need the state to look after them …
izlamo delenda est …
The 1st problem is the use of the term ‘price gouging’. It’s a pejorative shoved down our throats by the leftist media and unfortunately a lot of people on the ‘right’ buy into it. I saw some knucklehead CEO of Home Depot on Cavuto’s show calling for the death penalty for gougers. Seriously? This isn’t gouging, it is the free market (which we supposedly LOVE) at work. Supply and demand. Demand goes up, supplies go down and prices rise. This isn’t rocket science.
Here is a good article explaining the benefits of the free market at work during a natural disaster: https://mises.org/blog/3-good-things-about-price-gouging
In Florida, Republican Governor Rick Scott suspended all toll collection statewide.
In New Jersey they likely doubled the tolls during Sandy.
My brother and his wife in Orlando, at the first hint of a hurricane approaching, fill every container in the house with tap water and assemble food that mostly doesn’t need cooking. They have a camping stove for coffee and a little cooking.
She bakes these cookies or bars full of nutritious stuff (including oatmeal and chocolate chips) that will fill you up with a couple bites, in addition to other stuff they stash away.
I don’t understand the rush for bottled water when you can get containers at the dollar store and fill them with tap water and save a bundle instead of loading up on bottled water. She also freezes heavy-duty baggies full of water that can be used in ice chests when the power goes out.
After 30 years in Florida, they have their survival routine pretty well down.
90% of survival is common sense, which has become very Un common.
I suppose it’s OK to gouge men in this situation judging from the statement. I’m seriously offended.