Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No — overall, prices in stores are not lower than a year ago. Prices are still rising, just at a somewhat more moderate pace for some categories, and a few specific items have actually gotten cheaper.

Overall inflation:
The annual inflation rate in the United States was 3.7% for the 12 months ending September, up from 3.4% in August, according to U.S. Labor Department data released October 14, 2026. That means the average cost of goods and services is about 3.7% higher than it was a year ago — not lower.

Groceries specifically:
The food-at-home (grocery store or supermarket food purchases) CPI increased 0.1 percent from August 2026 to September 2026 and was 1.8 percent higher than in September 2025. So grocery prices overall are still higher than last year, just rising more slowly than the economy-wide rate.

Mixed picture by item — some things are cheaper, many aren't:

But many other grocery staples are still more expensive:

Why your overall bill likely doesn't feel lower: As one analysis put it, some foods cost less than they did a year ago. Across the grocery basket, prices remain higher. Importantly, shoppers pay today's prices, which include increases accumulated over several years — food-at-home prices rose 11.4% in 2022 and 5% in 2023, followed by smaller increases in 2024 and 2025, and slower inflation in 2026 does not reverse that buildup.

Bottom line: Prices are not broadly lower than a year ago — both overall inflation (3.7%) and grocery inflation (1.8%) remain positive, meaning the general price level is still rising. However, a handful of specific items (eggs, butter, milk, cheese, bacon, chicken) have gotten cheaper, while others (coffee, beef, produce) have gotten notably more expensive, so your personal experience at the register depends heavily on what's in your cart.