President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington, May 21, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the postponement of two Biden-era EPA refrigerant rules, arguing the move would cut costs for businesses and save consumers money at the grocery store.
The administration estimates that American businesses and families will save more than $2.4 billion under the new rules.
“Our actions allow businesses to choose the refrigeration systems that work best for them, saving them billions of dollars,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement.
“This will directly impact American families through lower food prices,” he said.
But it was unclear Thursday if and how businesses such as grocers would use those savings to make filling their carts more affordable for shoppers. The changes would not force grocers to take steps to reduce prices, at a time when many households are seeing their budgets strained by soaring gas prices and years of high inflation.
The rules target hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and widely recognized as contributing to global warming. Under the Biden administration, the EPA finalized regulations in 2023 aimed at reducing leaks and emissions from these systems, affecting industries ranging from grocery stores and food distribution to semiconductor manufacturing.
Now the EPA is delaying compliance by revising the 2023 rule and another 2024 regulation.
The administration’s message appears to speak directly to inflation-weary consumers, especially as food prices remain politically sensitive as this fall’s midterm elections approach. Food retailers rely heavily on refrigeration infrastructure, and complying with EPA rules would have required upgrades, leak detection systems and new refrigerants in some cases.
At the time the rules were put in place, the EPA claimed they would save businesses and consumers $4.5 billion over time through energy efficiency and cheaper refrigerants. Food and grocery industry groups have warned that the transition could cost the industry billions in initial equipment and compliance expenses.
Big chains like Walmart, Kroger And Costco have already been investing in “natural refrigerant” systems for years, so larger operators were generally better placed to absorb the transition. Smaller regional grocers and independent stores may have felt the cost burden most acutely.
“An orderly equipment transition reduces both capital costs and operating costs, and ultimately it’s good for consumers because we’re able to take that into account and use it to lower prices,” Kroger CEO Greg Foran said at a White House event.
It remains to be seen whether grocers will pass the savings on to consumers. Interviewed at the signing, Foran said the company was “right in the middle” of passing the savings on to the consumer and making sure they were “paying the right price.”
Earlier Thursday, before Trump’s policy announcement, Bloomberg News reported that Foran planned price cuts at Kroger to allow the grocer to better compete with Walmart and Costco.
Food inflation is driven by a wide range of factors, including labor, transportation, feed costs and raw material prices, and some of these expenses have increased in recent months due to the war in Iran. Refrigeration compliance costs represent a small portion of overall grocery store operating expenses.