US retail giant raises prices for COVID-19 testing kits!

Recently, according to foreign media reports, after the agreement signed with the Biden administration to sell antigen self-test kits at cost price expired, retail giants Walmart and Kroger both raised the price of BinaxNOW rapid COVID-19 test kits from US$14 to US$19.98.

It is understood that in September 2021 , the two companies, together with Amazon, reached an agreement with the White House to sell the coronavirus test kit developed by Abbott Laboratories for US$14 for a period of 100 days .

A Walmart spokesperson said in a statement that the program ended in mid-December 2021 , and while other retailers raised prices in mid-December , Walmart allowed a buffer period before raising prices .

The tests are being sold in Walmart stores and online, the company said, while noting that purchasing limits are in place due to "substantial demand" for at-home coronavirus tests . The BinaxNOW test is currently out of stock on Walmart.com.

A Kroger spokesperson also confirmed to the relevant media that since fulfilling its commitment to the Biden administration, the pricing plan has now been phased out and retail pricing has been restored . Kroger currently charges $23.99 for two test kits .

However, due to the limited supply of test kits, compared with Walmart and Kroger, Amazon currently has no BinaxNOW test kits available for sale . Amazon has not responded to this.

The high infectiousness of the omicron variant has driven a surge in demand for COVID-19 testing , making it difficult to find and keep local test kits in stock. The average number of tests conducted each day is close to a record high, according to reports .

As the supply of test kits is close to shortage, Amazon began to limit the number of test kits purchased last month. From setting limits on quantity to raising prices by some retailers, it reflects the great demand for them among local people.

According to previous reports, the seven-day average of new tests on December 23, 2021 exceeded 1.76 million, and the number of new tests per day in December 2021 was close to a record level , which also led to a surge in demand for COVID-19 testing reagents.

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