The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the National Grocers Association (NGA) have joined the newly-formed Main Street Competition Coalition, a cross-sector effort to push back against big corporations that use market dominance to squeeze out smaller competitors.
NCPA and NGA are founding investors in the project. Both groups represent thousands of Main Street businesses that often defend themselves against the practices of vertically-integrated corporate giants. The coalition is nonpartisan and seeks to restore competitive markets across the economy.
“Main Street Businesses are done being pushed around,” said Chris Jones, executive director of the Main Street Competition Coalition.
“Small business is the backbone of the economy and the heart of the American dream. Unfortunately, the worst actors often have the loudest voice in Washington, D.C., and the resources to steamroll small businesses in court. That changes today.”
Health care and grocery sectors targeted
NCPA has battled large insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers and their affiliated corporate pharmacies for decades. Conglomerates including CVS Health/Aetna, Cigna/Express Scripts and UnitedHealth/OptumRx use their size to steer patients and manipulate markets, according to the announcement.
“NCPA spends most of its time fighting monopolistic corporations in the health care sector. And today, I would like you to know why broadening that fight across the economy is important to our members and small businesses everywhere, and why we are proud to partner with the National Grocers Association to launch the Main Street Competition Coalition,” said B. Douglas Hoey, NCPA CEO.
“What we’re all up against is a familiar pattern: consolidation that concentrates decision-making far away from the communities affected; vertical integration that turns gatekeepers into competitors; and dominant firms that can dictate terms across a supply chain. When a handful of powerful players can pick winners and losers, the market stops being a market and it most certainly isn’t free.”
NGA represents independent grocers in an industry also dominated by corporate heavyweights.
“Independent grocers are seeing growing consolidation and dominant corporations use their size and leverage to tilt the playing field against Main Street businesses,” said Laura Strange, NGA’s chief public affairs officer.
“Local grocers fight every day to serve their communities and keep food affordable, but fair competition matters. That is why NGA is proud to partner on the Main Street Competition Coalition to support consumer choice and ensure independent businesses still have a level playing field.”
Policy agenda
The kick-off event was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., featuring independent business owners, policy experts and bipartisan voices.
The coalition released a formal letter to President Trump and congressional leaders arguing that market concentration in grocery, pharmacy, agriculture and other sectors is driving up prices and squeezing independent businesses out of the marketplace.
The coalition’s policy agenda spans grocery, pharmacy, health care, agriculture, beverage alcohol, digital markets and legal reforms, with plans to expand. It draws on findings from the Federal Reserve, the FTC, USDA, and congressional investigations documenting how market concentration can increase costs for consumers and restrict competition.
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