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Gemini 3.5 FlashSep 12, 2026google/gemini-3.5-flash-20260519

Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No

Generally speaking, no, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.

Instead, what the economy is experiencing is disinflation—which means that prices are still going up, but they are rising at a slower, more stable pace than the dramatic spikes of previous years.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, consumer prices rose 3.4%. This means that, on average, a basket of goods and services that cost $100 last year now costs about $103.40.

However, your actual receipt in a store will highly depend on what you are buying. Below is a breakdown of what has gotten cheaper and what has gotten more expensive.

🛒 In the Grocery Store (Food at Home)

Overall, grocery store prices rose 2.2% over the last year. But individual categories show major differences:

What is cheaper?

•Eggs: Egg prices have dropped significantly—about 25.7% lower than their peak in 2025, largely due to supply chains recovering from previous avian flu disruptions.
•Dairy: Dairy and related products are down slightly (-0.3%).
•Poultry: Prices have remained mostly flat or slightly down compared to last year.

What is more expensive?

•Beef and Veal: Up roughly 9.4% due to tight cattle supplies in the U.S.
•Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: Up 3.2% on average.
•Nonaqueous Beverages: Up 3.7%.
•Cereals & Bakery Products: Up 2.6%.

👗 In Retail Stores (General Goods)

If you are shopping for clothing, electronics, or vehicles, the price changes are also a mixed bag:

What is cheaper?

•Used Cars and Trucks: Down 2.3% compared to last year.
•Medical Care Commodities (over-the-counter medicine, equipment): Down 2.7%.

What is more expensive?

•Apparel (Clothing): Up 3.6% over the last year.
•New Vehicles: Up slightly by 0.6%.
•Gasoline: If you drive to the store, expect to pay significantly more. Gasoline prices are up a whopping 27.4% compared to last year, which accounts for a massive portion of overall household inflation.

Summary

While specific items like eggs, used cars, and dairy have actually decreased in price (deflation), the vast majority of items on store shelves—including clothing, beef, vegetables, and household essentials—will still cost you more than they did a year ago.

Citations (6)

  1. 1kpsgill.comBlogs and newsletters
    kpsgill.com

    Backs: “Generally speaking, no, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.”

    evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.

  2. 2foodnavigator.comNews and mediaquality 0.68
    foodnavigator.com

    Backs: “Instead, what the economy is experiencing is disinflation—which means that prices are still going up, but they are rising at a slower, more stable pace than the dramatic spikes of previous years.”

    evidence, article, points to no. Claim: The economy is experiencing disinflation: prices still rising, but at a slower, more stable pace than earlier spikes.

  3. 3bls.govGovernment
    bls.gov

    Backs: “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, consumer prices rose 3.4%. This means that, on average, a basket of goods and services that cost $100 last year now costs about $103.40.”

    statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: BLS CPI report shows consumer prices rose 3.4%.

  4. 4in2013dollars.comData and tools
    in2013dollars.com

    Backs: “This means that, on average, a basket of goods and services that cost $100 last year now costs about $103.40.”

    statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: A basket costing $100 last year now costs about $103.40.

  5. 5lifopro.comLow provenance
    lifopro.com

    Backs: “🛒 In the Grocery Store (Food at Home). Overall, grocery store prices rose 2.2% over the last year. But individual categories show major differences:”

    statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Grocery store prices rose 2.2% over the last year, with big differences across categories.

  6. 6usda.govGovernment
    usda.gov

    Backs: “Eggs: Egg prices have dropped significantly—about 25.7% lower than their peak in 2025, largely due to supply chains recovering from previous avian flu disruptions. Dairy: Dairy and related products are down slightly (-0.3%).”

    statistic, data page, points to yes. Claim: Egg prices dropped significantly, about 25.7% lower than their 2025 peak, as supply recovered from avian flu.