LETTERS

Re: “Grocers, brands at odds on costs,” March 2:

The Times has reported that conglomerates such as Nestle, Proctor & Gamble and Kellogg are consciously pushing their consumer prices higher during the worst economic conditions in a generation, as tens of thousands lose their homes, hundreds of thousands, their jobs.

Why are they doing this? Because they can. In a free market model, this is “good” for their investors. In a model where the social contract among people, business, government is still important, this is obscene.

Lee Moldaver

Santa Barbara