Forbes Street Market is the most convenient place to buy groceries in Oakland for many Pitt students. However, as food prices continue to rise, some students think the cost of shopping on campus is becoming “unsustainable.”
“I try to budget for my groceries, but every time I go [to Forbes Street Market], I feel like I always have to put things back,” Kayla Parks, a sophomore finance major, said. “A carton of eggs used to be a few dollars, and now it’s almost double. I don’t understand how students are supposed to afford this.”
Because of rising costs, some students are choosing to completely avoid shopping at Forbes Street Market, including Fatima Fall, a sophomore economics major.
“I used to stop by [Forbes Street Market] all the time because it was easy, but the prices aren’t worth it anymore,” Fall said. “Now, I take the bus to Giant Eagle or Trader Joe’s, even though it takes longer. I can get way more groceries for the same amount of money.”
Fall noted that taking the bus to and from the store can add an hour or more to her shopping trips, depending on wait times and how much she’s carrying.
“It’s super frustrating because I already have a really busy schedule with classes and work,” Fall said. “But I have to make my money stretch, so I go wherever the prices are lowest.”
While Parks feels the prices are “unfair,” experts say rising costs are not unique to Pitt’s campus stores. According to Marla Ripoll, an economics professor, inflation, tariffs and global supply shock are increasing grocery prices nationwide.
“Simply the announcement of tariffs can make prices go up. Grocers who import products from abroad will try to import as much as they can before the tariffs go in place,” Ripoll said. “By getting that extra demand, they are going to increase prices just based off the announcement of tariffs.”
On Feb. 1, President Donald Trump announced new tariffs, including a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff from China. These tariffs are expected to increase the costs of imported goods, including food products, contributing to higher grocery prices nationwide. Trump later agreed to pause tarrifs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, but it remains unclear what will happen after.
“[Canada and Mexico] are our main trading partners, especially for fruits and vegetables, so a tariff on Mexican imports would be really, really, really bad,” Ripoll said. “Importer companies will take the biggest hit from this. Instead of discouraging consumers by raising prices of all imported goods, some retailers will slightly raise the prices of everything else that’s not imported instead.”
The most significant factors contributing to the higher prices of groceries at Pitt compared to those in surrounding stores are likely labor costs and a lack of competitors in Oakland, according to Ripoll.
“It’s been harder and harder to staff people at grocery stores. “It’s not just about finding workers. You then have to pay workers more to convince them to come to work. [Pitt] understands that students don’t have a lot of time. They don’t have cars, so it’s harder for them to go far away to buy things,” Ripoll said. “This gives them some monopoly power.”
While inflation is primarily responsible for the increase in grocery prices, Ripoll noted that prices are unlikely to decrease — even if the inflation rate falls.
“When the federal reserve says inflation has gone down quite a bit, that just means prices will rise slower than before,” Ripoll said. “Those high prices will remain high, that’s the reality. For students buying groceries four or five years ago versus now, prices will absolutely be higher because of the inflation that’s happened.”
Pitt Eats, which manages Forbes Street Market, explained that prices are set based on “continuous market research” and close collaboration with suppliers.
“We conduct market analyses to compare our pricing with similar items in local grocery stores,” a representative for Pitt Eats said. “We negotiate pricing with manufacturers to help mitigate price increases and pass savings to students whenever possible. Our goal is to provide high-quality products while ensuring competitive pricing whenever possible.”
Parks believes the prices at Forbes Street Market are intentionally high, especially considering the store’s placement in the center of campus.
“It feels like they charge more because they know we don’t have many other options,” Parks said. “It feels pretty unfair considering how much we pay to go to school here.”
Ripoll cautioned that grocery prices will likely continue rising everywhere, especially with the potential for a trade war in the coming years. She also pointed out that future fire outbreaks in California could significantly affect prices.
“If Trump continues instating tariffs, other countries will begin to put tariffs on our products. It would be tough,” Ripoll said. “California produces almost 50% of all the U.S. consumption of fruits and vegetables. The water supply in California is a big issue that will affect our food supply.”
Pitt Eats advised students to take advantage of meal deals and combos across campus to help students manage costs, including a “rotation of discount deals” at Forbes Street Market.
“We’re committed to minimizing price increases,” the representative said. “We continue to monitor industry trends and adapt our strategies to provide students with accessible and affordable dining options.”