In some cases there is price gouging going on but in many cases things are just more expensive today due to price inflation. As our national debt skyrockets so does price inflation because the value of the dollar is negatively impacted/diluted in purchasing power. It is a combination of greed, corruption and really bad economic policy. At this rate it is only going to get far worse, no matter who you vote for next election it will continue to get worse and worse. Ask the British how their empire died and look what happened to the UK.... that's coming to the USSA.