Recently, this influential estimate has drawn questions about whether it artificially inflated chicken prices and elicited scrutiny from the U.S. Agriculture Department. A deviation in supermarket chicken prices of that magnitude would have cost U.S. grocery shoppers billions of dollars in recent years. The chicken companies are not asked to show receipts or other documentation proving that their figures are accurate. For that reason, the index could have rightfully diverged from other chicken prices. Among supermarkets, Walmart, Safeway and others confirmed using the Georgia Dock, as well as other factors, when negotiating chicken prices.

Source: Washington Post November 17, 2016 10:52 UTC