You may be talking turkey today, but grocery stores and restaurant suppliers are talking about chicken. Starting Monday, large poultry companies will be subject to new regulations when it comes to setting the price of chicken at the store.
Unlike beef and pork, chicken has never been subject to the same price reporting laws when being sold to grocery stores and restaurant chains.
Kelsey Gee with the Wall Street Journal covers the industry and says prices have been negotiated or, in the case of large stores like Walmart and Safeway, tied to an index called the “Georgia Dock Index,” a self-reported index by eight poultry companies, including Tyson Foods, Sanderson Farms and Pilgrim’s Pride.
“I think it’s fair to say in Arizona as well, there are likely chains that look at the Georgia Dock Index as well as some of the other indexes," Gee said. “No one is required by law to disclose 'here is my chicken pricing strategy.'"
The new policy requires all chicken companies who contribute to the Georgia Index submit an affidavit that says the prices are accurate and truthful.
