Five US House members have called out pricing practices at the US’s two largest convenience store chains in response to an investigation by the Guardian. The Guardian found that 7-Eleven and Circle K stores frequently charge customers more at the register or pump for snacks, gas and other items than the prices they promise on the shelf or on outdoor fuel signs. As Trump and Republicans continue to skyrocket the cost of food and other basic necessities, businesses need to keep their prices transparent and fair.” Balint and Barragán are part of a growing wave of politicians who have made inflation and affordability centerpieces of their pitches to voters.
Others include New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani; the Texas Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico; and Rick Fazio, a Republican state legislator who is running for governor in Connecticut. Donald Trump has dismissed affordability concerns as a “hoax” and “con job” perpetrated by Democrats. An AP-NORC poll released on Thursday found that just 17% of Americans approve of the president’s handling of the cost of living.
The Guardian’s convenience store investigation included a review of customer complaints and state and local price-accuracy inspections. Between 2023 and 2025, for example, 7-Eleven failed 41% of its price inspections in Arizona and 47% of price inspections in both Colorado and Utah. Over the same span, Circle K failed 35% of its inspections in Florida, 39% in Arizona and 62% in North Carolina.
The two chains did not answer detailed lists of questions from the Guardian. In brief statements, 7-Eleven said it takes pricing accuracy “very seriously” and Circle K said it is “committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations”. Convenience stores are not the only retail outlets where customers often pay more at checkout than what shelf tags declare.
The Guardian reported in December that the nation’s two largest dollar store chains, Dollar General and Family Dollar, had repeatedly failed to honor their shelf prices, charging more at checkout for everything from frying pans to Frosted Flakes. Both chains told the Guardian they were committed to pricing accuracy. In response to the findings, 30 US House members signed a letter demanding answers from the two dollar store chains about their pricing practices.
The lead author of the letter, the Illinois representative Nikki Budzinski, said the Guardian’s new reporting on convenience stores “shows the problem goes even deeper … We will not let up on federal oversight until these chains fix this glaring issue and treat consumers with the fairness and respect they deserve.” In response to the new reporting on convenience stores, the Illinois representative Delia Ramirez said she is concerned about people in her district who are vulnerable to unfair practices in the marketplace. Our communities want their representative to put an end to corporate greed” and to fight for lower prices and higher wages. In Los Angeles county – where 7-Eleven stores failed 37% of their price-accuracy inspections between 2023 and 2025 – the Democratic representative Laura Friedman said the “last thing” families already paying high prices for gas and groceries need is to be charged more at checkout than what is promised on the shelf.
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