I remember reading stories about the depression when companies really did right by customers and tried desperately to keep prices consistent and provide value for those experiencing bad times
Utter propaganda. Herbert Hoover instituted price controls which meant destroying the supply of some goods, such as milk, vegetables, and other farmed goods, in order to increase the demand of other goods, such as textiles and machinery, which led to massive shortages in everything. This terrible strategy continued with FDR and exacerbated a severe recession (caused by very similar monetary conditions we see from the federal reserve today) into an outright depression.