REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
(New York, New York) – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says his administration is moving ahead with a plan to open city-owned grocery stores in all five boroughs.
Mamdani said the rollout would begin in the Bronx, with the goal of placing one publicly owned grocery store in every borough by 2029. Supporters of the proposal argue the stores could bring lower-cost food options to neighborhoods struggling with rising grocery bills and limited access to affordable fresh food.
Critics, however, are questioning whether City Hall should be running grocery stores at all. They argue the plan could become another expensive government program, especially if city-operated stores struggle to compete with private supermarkets on pricing, staffing, supply chains, and day-to-day management.
The proposal fits into Mamdani’s larger economic agenda, which has focused heavily on affordability and expanding the role of city government in basic services.
