Washington, D.C. – The Nationwide Grocers Affiliation applauds the passage of the FY 2026 appropriations minibus, which advances important reforms addressing main challenges going through impartial neighborhood grocers and the purchasers they serve. The bundle consists of long-sought pharmacy profit supervisor reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and equity within the prescription drug market, reflecting years of advocacy by NGA and its companions to rein in practices which have pushed up affected person prices, strained neighborhood pharmacies, and obscured how prescription drug {dollars} stream via the system.
The laws additionally reinforces the significance of competitors throughout the grocery, pharmacy, and retail sectors. Via the accompanying committee report back to H.R. 7006, lawmakers clearly urge the Federal Commerce Fee to totally make the most of its current statutory authorities to advertise truthful competitors, significantly in rural and underserved communities the place restricted competitors can result in increased costs and diminished entry to important items.
“Congress is sending a transparent sign that competitors issues for affordability,” stated Chris Jones, Chief Authorities Relations Officer of the Nationwide Grocers Affiliation. “The FTC already has the instruments it must decrease costs and restore stability in meals, pharmacy, and retail markets. The Robinson-Patman Act was designed for precisely these circumstances, and that is the second to make use of it to make sure impartial grocers and neighborhood pharmacies can compete on a degree enjoying area.”
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Concerning the Nationwide Grocers Affiliation
NGA is the nationwide commerce affiliation representing the retail and wholesale neighborhood grocers that comprise the impartial sector of the meals distribution business. An impartial retailer is a privately owned or managed meals retail firm working a wide range of codecs. The impartial grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 % of the nation’s general economic system and is accountable for producing greater than $250 billion in gross sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members embrace retail and wholesale grocers situated in each congressional district throughout the nation, in addition to state grocers’ associations, producers and repair suppliers.
