The rumor gained widespread traction after being amplified by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, leading many to take the false report seriously.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Amid ongoing discussions regarding ID requirements at New York City’s newly introduced grocery stores, a bizarre rumor recently surfaced online. The claim alleged that shoppers at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s municipal grocery stores are required to bear special markings on their hands or foreheads. The claim quickly sparked online amusement and criticism, prompting a closer look at the facts.
The Claim: Special body markings required at Zohran Mamdani’s grocery stores
According to the viral falsehood, government-run grocery outlets in NYC mandated that customers could only purchase food if they displayed specific marks on their hands or foreheads.
The narrative began with a viral social media post sharing an image of Mamdani alongside a woman marked with a ‘666’ on her forehead inside a grocery store setting.
The picture was overlaid with text reading, “Government-run stores to allow anyone to buy groceries as long as they have a special mark on hand or forehead.”
The post also featured the caption, “We strongly urge everyone to participate.”
Belief in the rumor surged after billionaire tech executive and Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared the post, causing numerous followers to accept it as truth.
Fact Check: The viral story is entirely satirical
In reality, the claim is entirely fabricated. There is zero evidence indicating that shoppers need physical marks of any kind to buy items at NYC’s public grocery stores.
Comprehensive searches across major search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing returned no legitimate news coverage. A policy of this nature would undoubtedly have drawn widespread attention from major news agencies such as Reuters, the Associated Press, and Fox News.
Instead, internet searches traced the origin of the claim back to an X account belonging to ‘The Babylon Bee.’ The publication explicitly describes itself in its bio as a satire site, stating: “The Babylon Bee is the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims. We write satire about Christian stuff, political stuff, and everyday life.”
What to expect from Zohran Mamdani’s grocery initiative
Putting aside internet hoaxes, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) reports that the mayor’s grocery stores are actually designed to offer essential goods at prices roughly 30% lower than standard market rates.
The discounted items include everyday staples such as fresh meat, seafood, dairy, pantry goods, and refrigerated products.
City authorities have emphasized that these reduced prices will be accessible to all residents regardless of income level, and price points will remain stable rather than fluctuating weekly.
According to municipal estimates, the program aims to cut the typical New Yorker’s grocery expenses by about 15%, translating to household savings of approximately $90 per month, or roughly $1,000 annually.