Democrats push Pepsi to prove it doesn't offer sweetheart pricing to big retailers

Top-ranking Democrats are pressing Pepsi for information on its pricing, renewing pressure on a major consumer brand as inflation concerns persist under the new Republican administration.

Top-ranking Democrats are pressing Pepsi for information on its pricing, renewing pressure on a major consumer brand as inflation concerns persist under the new Republican administration.

The letter, sent Sunday evening by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York and seen by NBC News, asks Pepsi to explain alleged disparities in the prices it charges big-box chains versus smaller retailers. It asks the beverage and snack foods giant to respond by May 25 with details on how it charges retailers for its products, and whether the company or its subsidiaries offer preferential discounts or advertising opportunities to large chains.

“Pepsi’s actions may have harmed local mom-and-pop stores’ ability to compete against big-box grocery chains, leading to higher prices and fewer options for consumers,” they wrote in the letter, which was also signed by seven other Democratic lawmakers.

A PepsiCo spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter revives a Biden-era focus on price-gouging. Whereas Democrats blamed corporate greed and purported anticompetitive behavior for contributing to consumer price hikes, Republicans are more focused on trade. They accuse foreign countries of “ripping off” Americans and back sweeping tariffs as a solution.