In her new book, 'Gouged: The End of a Fair Price – and What That Means for Your Wallet,' Lindsay Owens, head of the Groundwork Collaborative, posits that the current economic climate for American shoppers is defined by systemic price gouging. Owens argues that consumers are not responsible for their financial frustration, but are instead victims of a 'reinvention of the rip-off' that has become pervasive across the economy.

Owens contends that the rising tide of consumer anger is a rational response to these conditions, which she claims are actively eroding trust in the broader economic system. According to the author, the solution to this problem is twofold: a significant consumer uprising and the implementation of strict new government regulations. The Guardian reports that Owens views these measures as essential to restoring fairness to the marketplace, suggesting that current market mechanisms are failing to protect the average shopper from predatory pricing practices.