The prices of groceries are through the roof in several US states, but perhaps the worst hit is New York City. Reports claim that grocery prices in the city rose by a whopping 65.8% between 2012-13 and 2022-23, leaving low and middle-income customers often struggling to make ends meet. Therefore, when a new store opens up in the city that promises to provide groceries for free, it is not strange that hundreds of New Yorkers line up to take advantage of the opportunity.
The store is being touted as the city’s first-ever free grocery store, but there is controversy surrounding the organization that launched it: Polymarket. Polymarket is a prediction betting platform that allows users to gamble on world events like military actions and political outcomes. It is under heavy scrutiny currently for several reasons. People have expressed concern about the possible use of classified or otherwise “insider” information to gamble.
New York Attorney General Leticia James warned Americans against using the platform, stating that it could cause significant financial damage. State Assembly member Clyde Vanel (D-Queens) introduced a bill last year that categorized such prediction market contracts as unlicensed gambling. However, the residents of NYC who were concerned with free groceries couldn’t care less. While affordability in the current economy is a crisis in every American household, who could say no to freebies, regardless of the intent?
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has long been an advocate for government-run grocery stores, and he posted a cheeky message on X. “Heartbreaking: The worst person you know just made a great point,” he wrote. For the people of the city, this is a big win, as about 400 people lined up outside the grocery store for hours in order to cash in on the opportunity, as per a report in The New York Post.
“Times are hard. Things are very expensive, so this helps. It goes a long way,” said Forest Hills resident Tori Hall. Others did not care if this new store was nothing more than a publicity stunt. They even hoped that the store would remain open in the long term. “If it is [a publicity stunt] then I got some free food coming out of here…This is exactly what a food bank does,” Hall added. The report claims that she was at the location from 6 am, becoming one of the first in line.
She grabbed items like socks, tampons, toilet paper, bananas, apples, ground beef, and cartons of organic eggs. “I hate going grocery shopping because I’m spending $150 to $200 every time. We just need a helping hand,” the 58-year-old explained. “Groceries cost a lot. It’s terrible,” said East Harlem resident Dayna V., who was the very first in the line. “I love Polymarket! I hope they … create more of it, and I hope this is really here to stay in the future.”
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