A deal with the White House to forego profits has expired, making tests costlier — if they are even in stock.
Not only are home coronavirus test kits, they’re also becoming more expensive. Retailers Kroger and Walmart are raising prices on scarce over-the-counter rapid tests after both companies fulfilled pledges to offer Abbott Laboratories‘ kits to consumers at cost for 100 days, forgoing any profits during the initial sales period. In 2021, Kroger, Walmart and Amazon or at a discount of up to 35% for three months in an effort to expand testing options for Americans. Without the retailer markups, the kits sold through select retail outlets and containing two tests cost consumers $14. But that deal, which had been trumpeted by the White House, is now over. A spokesperson for Kroger told CBS MoneyWatch that the supermarket chain had fulfilled its commitment to the Biden administration to make home COVID-19 tests available at cost. saying that the „pricing program has now phased out and retail pricing has been reinstated.
