Walmart and Kroger Raise Prices for COVID-19 At-Home Tests

Walmart and Kroger have joined other retailers in increasing their prices for at-home COVID-19 test kits.

According to a White House statement, Kroger and Walmart previously agreed to sell Abbott Laboratories' kits for 35 percent less, or at-cost, through mid-December 2021, forgoing any profits during the initial sales period.

Without the retailer markups, the two-test kits originally cost $14, and now that the agreement to sell the kits for a lower price has ended, the prices have since risen to $23.99, according to CBS News.

According to a Walmart spokesperson, the company continued to offer the tests for the lower price through the holidays but currently Walmart’s kits that were originally priced lower are currently listed at $19.98 and are out of stock online. 

Other retailers, such as CVS, had already been selling kits at a higher price, and are also out of stock, according to CBS News.

The companies are struggling to keep up with the demand for testing kits that has come alongside the infections with the Omicron variant, according to CBS News.

"We have seen significant demand for at-home Covid-19 testing kits and are working closely with our suppliers to meet this demand and get the needed product to our customers," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.

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