Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Short answer: No, prices overall are still higher than a year ago — but a few specific items have gotten cheaper.
The big picture
Overall inflation has not reversed — prices are still rising, just more slowly than during the 2021-2022 spike. The all-items Consumer Price Index, a measure of economy-wide inflation, increased 0.6 percent from August 2026 to September 2026 and was up 3.7 percent from September 2025.
For 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.
Where prices HAVE dropped (year-over-year)
Not everything is more expensive — some items have actually seen notable price declines:
Where prices are still HIGHER year-over-year
Bottom line
As one analysis put it: some foods cost less than they did a year ago, but across the grocery basket, prices remain higher. And more broadly, shoppers pay today's prices, which include increases accumulated over several years — slower inflation in 2026 does not reverse that buildup. So while you might notice cheaper eggs, butter, or dairy at the store, your overall grocery bill and most non-food goods are still costing more than they did a year ago — just not rising quite as fast as during the peak inflation years of 2022.
Citations (13)
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “The all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of economy-wide inflation, increased 0.6 percent from August 2026 to September 2026. It was up 3.7...”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “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...”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “Egg prices increased 1.0 percent from August 2026 to September 2026 but were 20.6 percent lower in September 2026 than in September 2025. ”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “An ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that began in 2022 has caused egg prices to increase by reducing egg-layer flocks and ...”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “However, USDA is projecting an increase in egg production in 2026 over 2025. ”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “Retail dairy prices decreased by 0.9 percent from August 2026 to September 2026 and were 0.7 percent lower in September 2026 than in September 2025. ”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “The cooldown in meat prices hit a range of products, including bacon, which costs 3.3% less than it did a year ago. ”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Butter prices plunged 10.3% last month compared to a year earlier, while prices for ice cream, milk and cheese each fell more than 2% over that period...”
- Food Price Outlook - Summary Findings | Economic Research Service
Source excerpt: “Beef and veal prices decreased by 1.3 percent from August 2026 to September 2026 but were 3.5 percent higher in September 2026 than in September 2025....”
- Some Grocery Prices Are Finally Going Down — Here’s What’s Getting Cheaper - Better Report
Source excerpt: “Coffee prices also continued to climb, with instant coffee up 15.8% year over year, roasted coffee up 12.2%, and coffee overall up 9.4%. ”
- Consumer Price Index Summary - 2026 M09 Results
Source excerpt: “The index for gasoline rose 9.1 percent in September, accounting for over half of the monthly all items increase. ”
- Are Groceries Getting Cheaper? Why Your Bill May Say Otherwise - Food Trade News & Food World
Source excerpt: “Some foods cost less than they did a year ago. Across the grocery basket, prices remain higher.”
- Are Groceries Getting Cheaper? Why Your Bill May Say Otherwise - Food Trade News & Food World
Source excerpt: “First, shoppers pay today’s prices, which include increases accumulated over several years.USDA reports that food-at-home prices rose 11.4% in 2022 an...”