7 Grocery Items Getting Shockingly Expensive Now
If it feels like your food shopping bills have been steadily creeping up, it’s not your imagination—grocery prices are up 2.7% compared to last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A combination of tariffs, inflation, and weather have combined into the perfect storm, and consumers are feeling the strain. “Food prices are top of mind for consumers and people across the country. It’s dominating the conversation across kitchen tables,” David Ortega, a food economist at Michigan State University, told CNN. Here are seven grocery items shoppers say are getting shockingly expensive right now.
Coffee
That morning cup of java is reaching coffee shop prices, going up around 21% compared to last year. “It’s crazy how bad it’s getting. $30 for a lb of local roast. $10 for 9 oz of folgers, nearly $20 for 16. I love coffee I don’t know what im gonna do,” one shopper said.
Beef
Beef prices are up 13.9% compared to last year and 2.7% in the last month alone, thanks to small cattle herds and other factors such as drought. “I went to Costco in Columbia SC for beef tenderloin…I was shocked by $30/pound. Anyone else seeing it his high?” one shopper shared on Reddit.
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Chicken
Even traditionally cheaper cuts of chicken like thigh meat are now far more expensive. But if you went back something like, you know, 10, 15 years ago, thighs cost almost half as much as a chicken breast,” science writer Sarah Zhang told NPR. And now they either cost the same or close to the same or just, you know, a little bit more.”
Cereal Products
Cereal products are up 2.7% from last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Breakfast cereal prices seemed to jump overnight,” one shopper said. “I went to the grocery store today, and the name brand breakfast cereals were on sale for just under $7 a box. I check the cereal aisle for deals and can normally find something for $4 a box or less. Is this just my grocery store, or is everyone noticing the same thing?”
Cookies
Cookies are up 3.5% compared to last year, and customers are switching to store brands or making their own. “I’m making my own at home. Makes my home smell fabulous and helps warm us up on the colder nights we still have,” one shopper said. “And you don’t have to eat all of the chemicals and additives that are in most grocery store baked goods this way if you are baking from scratch!” another added.
Bread
Bread (aside from white bread) is up 2.9% compared to last year. “Walmart GV White Bread price $1.42 used to be $1 a few weeks ago,” one shopper said. “I don’t know when the price escalated, but the most basic, most economical bread’s price has increased 42%, wonder what ingredients are tariffed. Not all product prices have escalated like this.”
Bacon
Bacon is up 5.4% compared to last year and customers are taking note. “Bacon price going up again. Not as bad as during COVID but highest I’ve seen it in some time,” one Costco shopper said. “For the longest time I primarily did my grocery shopping at Costco. Until one time I decided to shop at my local grocery store. Talk about sticker shocker. Costco prices are a steal compared to local supermarket prices,” another commented.
