PRICES

USA Facts -  Grocery prices overall have risen during the past year, but some prices have risen comparatively steeply while others have risen more slowly or even dropped. How these changes affect your wallet all comes down to what’s in your cart and how inflation impacts grocery aisles in unique ways. 

• From September 2023 to September 2024, grocery prices rose by 1.3%. This was smaller than the 2.4% rise for commodities such as gas, utilities, and clothing. It was also below the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target. 

• When it comes to specific staples, egg prices increased the most, rising from $2.06 to $3.82 per dozen over the year. One of the biggest causes of this 85% increase? An avian flu outbreak. 
  
  
• Staples such as beef and tomatoes also increased more than the 1.3% average. Beef prices went up by 11%, tomato prices by 5%, and chicken prices by 4.1%. However, bananas, cheese, and potatoes were cheaper, with potatoes down 3.6%, cheese down 2%, and bananas down 0.2%. 
  
  
• Several factors affect food prices, including supply chain challenges (think COVID-19 and global events like the war in Ukraine), inflation, higher labor and transportation costs, animal disease (such as the avian flu, which affects eggs and chicken), and weather that damages crops and livestock.