Biden continues to push agency efforts to curb junk fees, halt price gouging, and limit mergers

To help consumers, the Biden administration is cracking down on junk fees, price-fixing and price gouging on food, and mergers.

President Joe Biden announced the actions Wednesday the day before the fifth meeting of White House Competition Council, which he appointed in 2021. The council is made up of 10 cabinet members and the heads of seven independent agencies.

“It’s about basic fairness,” Biden said when he addressed cabinet members and other council members. “Folks are tired of being played for suckers.”

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will be publishing their revised merger guidelines for public comment on Thursday.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will announce a new partnership with 32 attorneys general from states and the District of Columbia to increase enforcement of antitrust and consumer protection laws that will help stop practices such as price fixing and price gouging in grocery stores, meat and poultry processing, and other agricultural markets.

A new effort to curb housing rental fees also has been launched. Three of the largest rental housing platforms – Zillow, Apartments.com, and AffordableHousing.com – have agreed to disclose all the information on rental costs upfront such as application fees that can cost $100 or more for each application and other fees charged for items such as for paying rent online.

These actions will continue to move Biden’s agenda forward on helping consumers navigate these challenging economic times.

Comments

[azure]

Of course, we could just have far better consumer protection laws passed by a majority of Congress, including better consumer laws w/regards to banks, health care providers, major chains, etc., but I guess that's too much to expect these days. Also drafting laws that provide for easier class action status and for private causes of action w/award of attorney fees if the "consumer" plaintiff prevails, because it's clear that people in the US can't rely on the DOJ or allegedly consumer protection agencies/bureaus to do it for us. Too often the DOJ agrees to settlements w/no guilt/responsibility acknowledged by the corporation. And at least two banks, Well Fargo & BOA should lose their charters for their several ripoffs but again, I doubt if that will happen. Biden's urging seems pretty much like campaign theater. Just as is his claim to support unions, yet he sided w/Union Pacific et al when some RR workers were trying to get, gasp!, some paid sick leave days. Which probably all upper management at the freight RRs have.

Some of the state AGs offices have been more active (WA & CA among them & at one time Minnesota's AG) then the federal gov't has but they can do only so much, some consumer protection issues require action at the federal level.

[Rita]

azure, you're absolutely right. There's so much that Congress could in these consumer protection areas. However, with the Far Right so out of control, Congress can barely keep operating let alone pass more helpful consumer protection laws. Thank goodness Biden was elected. One of Trump's proposals was to curb consumer protection at the state level.