March 12, 2025 Washington, D.C. – The National Grocers Association (NGA) BB #:163424, the nation’s leading trade association representing independent grocers and wholesale distributors, welcomes the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) historic efforts to reduce regulatory burdens that disproportionately impact small Main Street businesses, including independent community grocers.
At the start of the second Trump Administration, NGA spearheaded support for these actions with advocacy action alerts for members, meetings with White House officials, and a letter of support to Administrator Zeldin.
“Reducing unnecessary regulations, particularly those that impose significant financial and administrative burdens, is a crucial step toward leveling the playing field for independent grocers who are less equipped to deal with costly new compliance requirements,” said NGA Chief Government Relations Officer Chris Jones.
“With the Trump Administration’s dedication to cutting through red tape, the EPA’s actions can now free up resources for independent grocers to focus on improving store operations, expanding local job opportunities, and keeping grocery prices affordable for American families.”
The agency’s deregulatory action, under the leadership of Administrator Zeldin, will provide much sought-after relief for independent supermarkets by:
- Rolling back burdensome restrictions on the manufacture, import, sale, and use of products that use higher global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
- Eliminating the requirement that low GWP HFC refrigerants be used in the retail grocery sector.
For too long, independent grocers have faced excessive and costly regulatory requirements that limit their ability to reinvest in their stores and employees, strain operational capacity, and ultimately increase costs for American consumers. Without the economies of scale of national chains, regulatory compliance often hits small grocers the hardest, making it more difficult to navigate complex rules and regulations while continuing to provide essential goods and services to communities nationwide.
“I’m tremendously grateful to President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin for taking this extraordinary step to lower the cost of living for American families and businesses,” said Congressman Neal Dunn (R-FL-02).
“With this announcement, the Administration will protect small businesses such as grocers and restaurants from onerous regulations that would drive up operating costs and force them to pass that cost on to the consumer. This is why I introduced a resolution under the Congressional Review Act to nullify these Biden-era regulations,?like the technology transition and HFC management rules. Today’s announcement is a massive victory for American business owners and families,” the congressman concluded.
NGA continues to support commonsense policies that balance environmental stewardship with the need for economic sustainability, such as repealing the Management Rule through Rep. Dunn’s and Sen. Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) Congressional Review Act resolutions.
We look forward to working with Members of Congress, EPA officials, and the White House to ensure that independent grocers can continue serving their communities without the undue regulatory and financial strain Washington imposes.
About NGA
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
