Washington, D.C. – The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, released the following statement from NGA President & CEO Greg Ferrara:
“Today, a group of National Grocers Association members joined President Trump in the Oval Office to celebrate his pivotal decision to roll back the Technology Transitions Final Rule that would have placed an outsized and unsustainable burden on America’s independent community grocers. This historic deregulatory effort is a meaningful step toward leveling the playing field for the family-owned, locally rooted businesses that anchor neighborhoods across the country.
Independent supermarkets operate on razor-thin net profit margins of just 1 to 2 percent, leaving virtually no room to absorb the billions of dollars in refrigeration compliance costs that community grocers were facing before today’s announcement. The Technology Transitions Final Rule is a clear example of a one-size-fits-all federal mandate that fails to account for the realities independent operators face.
The stakes for our sector and the consumers we serve could not be higher. The independent grocery industry generates more than $557 billion in annual economic activity, supporting 1.5 million American jobs.
Every dollar a small grocer is forced to spend on excessive refrigeration compliance is a dollar that cannot go toward keeping prices low, hiring local workers, upgrading stores, or expanding access to fresh, nourishing food in the communities that need it most. Cutting unnecessary federal red tape is, in effect, direct relief for American consumers and the families who shop at independent grocery stores every day.
We applaud President Trump for recognizing the real-world impact of costly regulations on small businesses, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to advance a regulatory environment that allows independent grocers to thrive.”
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About the National Grocers Association
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.