Are Rhode Islanders experiencing price gouging at the pumps?

Learn more about what you should keep your eye out for.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – It’s a term we’re hearing a lot as gas prices continue to soar; price gouging.

But what is price gouging exactly and is it happening in Rhode Island? Short answer.. no, says Attorney General Peter Neronha.

The circumstances surrounding price gouging are outlined differently by every state. In Rhode Island, it’s when businesses increase the price of any essential commodity to an “unconscionably high price” immediately before or during a declared state of emergency.

Neronha says the first aspect that is looked at when defining price gouging, is what’s happening on a larger scope in the overall market?

“You have to look, is the overall market rising? And plainly now, it is, apparently because of the global situation,” he adds, elaborating that the high prices in Rhode Island aren’t unusual or isolated.

The second aspect to price gouging, needs to show a clear outlier when looking at prices across the board.

“If gas was at $5 a gallon among 50 gas stations, and then there were one or two gas stations that were charging $6 a gallon… $6.50 a gallon… I would consider that unconscionably high compared to other retailers in the market…” he adds.

But even that answer isn’t so plain and simple. To prove price gouging, a full scale investigation would need to happen- to look into aspects like how much the gas station bought the gas for from the supplier.

During the early phases of the pandemic, Neronha says state investigators spotted and squashed several price gouging scenarios on goods like hand sanitizer.

Just because price gouging has not been reported yet in Rhode Island- doesn’t mean it won’t happen on gas prices. Neronha and his team want you to report any gas prices that seem unreasonably high. Click here for more.