Smart & Final to pay $175K for egg price gouging in pandemic

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — California officials say grocery chain Smart & Final has agreed to pay $175,000 in penalties to resolve allegations that the grocer engaged in price gouging of certain organic and cage-free eggs at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Tuesday that in March and June 2020, Smart & Final sold over 100,000 cartons of eggs that were marked up by more than 10%, violating the law. Smart & Final says it “briefly and unintentionally raised the price of premium eggs” after suppliers raised the price on standard eggs. Smart & Final operates more than 250 retail stores throughout the western United States.