Gas Price Gouging in Jacksonville: Enough Is Enough!

Gas Price Gouging in Jacksonville: Enough Is Enough!

Yesterday, gas in Jacksonville was $2.69 per gallon. Today—March 25, 2025—it jumped to $3.19. That’s a 50-cent increase overnight. Not over a week. Not because of a major hurricane. Not because of a fuel shortage. Overnight. That’s a 19% price hike in 24 hours with no valid explanation.

This isn’t just shocking—it’s criminal. It’s price gouging, and it reeks of collusion. As a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, I’ve had it with this nonsense. And I know I’m not alone.

Let’s be real: when every gas station in a city jumps 50 cents per gallon on the same day, that’s not a coincidence. That’s a coordinated move. It doesn’t take a lawyer to smell the stink of anti-competitive behavior. But just in case you need the legal backup—Florida law is on our side.

The Legal Definition of Price Gouging

According to Florida Statute 501.160, price gouging is defined as “unconscionable prices for essential commodities during a declared state of emergency.” While we may not be under a current state of emergency, the law sets a precedent: Florida has declared that drastic and unjustified price increases are illegal during times when consumers are most vulnerable.

The law was designed to protect the people. And just because a hurricane hasn't made landfall doesn’t mean these sharp price increases are any less exploitative. Especially when gas is an essential part of everyday life—for getting to work, taking kids to school, and simply surviving.

If gas stations are abusing their power when there’s no emergency, we can only imagine what they’re capable of during one.

Let’s Talk About Collusion

What’s equally troubling is how all the gas stations managed to raise their prices at the same time. That’s not competition. That’s not market fluctuation. That’s collusion—an illegal agreement between businesses to fix prices, eliminate fair competition, and screw the consumer.

Under Florida Statute 542.18, “Every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce in this state is unlawful.”

When every gas station in Jacksonville bumps prices on the same day by the same amount, it sure looks like a conspiracy in restraint of trade. This isn’t just a gut feeling—it’s a violation of Florida’s antitrust laws. And it’s time the authorities start investigating these practices.

The Consumer Has Had Enough

It’s hard enough to make ends meet these days. Inflation is through the roof. Food costs are rising. Rent is insane. And now, we’re being mugged at the gas pump, with zero accountability.

This kind of sudden price spike isn’t just frustrating—it’s demoralizing. It makes you feel helpless, like you're at the mercy of greedy corporations and faceless executives who care more about profits than people.

But we are not helpless. We have the power to push back. And it starts by knowing how.

What You Can Do Right Now

If you’re angry—and you should be—do something about it. Florida gives consumers the tools to fight back against price gouging and collusion. Here’s what you need to do:

1. File a Complaint Online

Go to the Florida Attorney General’s website:
www.myfloridalegal.com
Use their online form to report suspected gas price gouging.

2. Call the Price Gouging Hotline

Dial 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226). It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s the first step toward justice.

3. Document Everything

Take photos of gas station signs showing the price jump. Save your receipts. Write down the time, date, and location. If every driver in Jacksonville documented just one incident, we’d have hundreds—if not thousands—of data points for the Attorney General to review.

4. Share Your Story

Talk to friends, family, and neighbors. Post your receipts and photos online. Use hashtags like #StopPriceGougingJax and #GasGreedFL to draw attention. When enough people speak up, the media pays attention—and so do lawmakers.

This Is About More Than Just Gas

You might think this is only about a few extra bucks at the pump—but it’s not. It’s about integrity, accountability, and fairness. If we let this kind of behavior slide, what comes next? Grocery stores hiking milk prices 30% overnight? Pharmacies jacking up prescription costs in tandem?

We live in a free-market economy. That means competition is supposed to protect the consumer. But when companies conspire to set prices, it’s not a free market. It’s a rigged game, and we’re the ones losing.

Gas Stations: This Is Your Warning

To the corporate owners and managers of Jacksonville’s gas stations: we see you. We know what you’re doing. You may think you’re getting away with it, but the tide is turning.

We’re filing reports. We’re documenting prices. We’re talking to lawmakers. And if you're caught violating price gouging or antitrust laws, we’ll make sure every penalty is enforced to the fullest extent.

Greed will no longer go unchecked. Jacksonville is watching.

Let’s Make Our Voices Heard

If you’re angry about this price hike, you’re not alone. Let your voice be heard. One complaint might feel like a whisper, but 10,000 complaints is a roar.

Tell your story. Share this article. Talk about it at work, at church, at school pickup. Pressure the Attorney General’s Office to investigate. Demand that lawmakers close any loopholes that allow this kind of predatory behavior to continue.

We can no longer afford to look the other way. These corporations are counting on our silence. Let’s prove them wrong.

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Enough Is Enough

A 50-cent spike in gas prices in one night is not normal. It’s not acceptable. And it’s not legal.

This is price gouging, this is collusion, and this is our call to action.

Let’s stop the greed. Let’s stop the games. Let’s fight back.

Because if we don’t stand up for ourselves, no one else will.