Zohran Mamdani’s Socialist Grocery Stores: A Recipe for Economic Distortion

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, has proposed a bold plan to establish city-owned grocery stores in each of the city’s five boroughs. Touted as a “public option” to combat rising food prices and address food insecurity, the initiative aims to offer groceries at lower costs by eliminating profit motives, rent, and property taxes.

While the proposal may appeal to those frustrated with high grocery bills, it represents a significant intervention in the free market, introducing artificial competition that could destabilize the grocery industry, harm consumers in the long run, and repeat historical failures of state-run enterprises.