Affordability, especially of groceries, is a major issue for Americans as we head into the midterm elections. Following years of Bidenflation, thanks to the so-called "Inflation Reduction Act," Americans saw prices on grocery staples like eggs and beef skyrocket. In addition to making things more affordable for Americans, President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., want to make sure our food is healthy and nutritious, too. The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda is working to remove harmful ingredients from what we eat.
Several states have adopted state-level MAHA reforms regarding food and ingredients, which poses a conflict between the push for affordability and the MAHA agenda. One group is sounding the alarm on that — and offering a solution.
Americans for Ingredient Transparency (AFIT) says state-level ingredient regulations may lead to a 12 percent increase in grocery prices for the average family.
NEW Economic Study shows state patchwork of ingredient regulations will lead to 12% tax increase on groceries for the average American household. AFIT’s uniformity effort is designed to prevent this unintended consequence.
— Americans for Ingredient Transparency (@SafeIngredients) February 19, 2026
“Consumers across the country could face at least a 12%…
In a report issued by AFIT, the group says that the states of Louisiana, Texas, and West Virginia — all of which have recently passed laws mandating or banning disclosures of already-regulated ingredients in food and restricting certain ingredients in school meals.
AFIT estimates these regulations will cost "consumers, businesses, and local governments billions of dollars per year" in extra grocery costs, compliance costs, and spending on school-based meals. In the short term, AFIT estimates these laws will add $13.4 billion, with costs persisting at roughly $12 billion annually. This includes hundreds of millions in labeling, repackaging, and inventory costs.
"Consumers in Louisiana, Texas, and West Virginia will pay a combined $12.2 billion more per year on groceries, or about a 12 percent increase above their current grocery spending. For the average U.S. family, that increase is nearly $860 more per year. They will also spend the equivalent of nearly $200 million a year on extra time deciding their purchases," the AFIT report read. They also warn that other states will bear the costs of these laws, including businesses raising prices nationwide to offset the state mandates. This will especially impact neighboring states like New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, where more than a million consumers could see price increases.
But the good news is this: AFIT says this spike in prices can be avoided with a consistent national standard applied at the federal level. There's even better news for this, too. A majority of voters support a national standard for ingredient transparency and labeling.
From @DailyCaller: "With a new call for a uniform national standard for ingredient transparency, over 80% of swing district voters believe ingredient regulation and labeling should be handled nationally rather than state-by-state" according to a new poll from @FabrizioWard
— Americans for Ingredient Transparency (@SafeIngredients) October 24, 2025
Secretary Kennedy is on board with a national standard. In December, Kennedy told the media such a move would help the food industry navigate such changes.
“The fact that this is being driven by the states has brought the industry to the table with us because they don’t want to have rules in 50 different markets; that’s impossible,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy has also worked to get food manufacturers to have them voluntarily make changes, rather than respond to legislation. Several companies, including General Mills, Smuckers, Hershey, and Kraft Heinz, have already jumped on board.
Andy Koenig, AFIT Senior Advisor, said the looming price hikes prove the need for a consistent, blanket federal standard.
"The only way to prevent this massive cost hike is for Congress to take the lead instead of the states and pass a uniform national standard for ingredient safety and transparency that keeps food affordable," Koenig said.
Americans don't have to choose between affordable groceries and safe ingredients. They deserve both, and with grocery prices still top of mind for voters, lawmakers ignore costs at their peril. A 50-state patchwork quilt of rules isn’t reform; it's a regulatory quagmire, and working families will pay the price. If Congress wants to deliver on affordability, transparency, and the MAHA agenda, the path forward is clear: one national standard, applied evenly, that keeps food safe while keeping affordability front and center.