Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago. While the rapid, double-digit spikes in inflation seen in previous years have moderated, prices for the vast majority of retail and grocery items continue to rise, making them more expensive on average than they were in late 2025.

A breakdown of the data reveals how prices in different categories compare to last year:

1. Overall Inflation

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the year-over-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate stood at 3.7%. This means that, on average, a broad basket of consumer goods and services costs 3.7% more than it did at the same time last year. Core inflation (which excludes volatile food and energy costs) is up about 2.6%.

2. Grocery Store Prices (Food-at-Home)

Overall supermarket prices are roughly 1.8% to 2.5% higher than a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects that average grocery bills will end the year about 2.3% higher than in 2025.

However, your checkout experience depends heavily on what is in your cart:

•What is more expensive: Beef and veal (up roughly 3.5%), fresh fruits (up 4.9%), fresh vegetables (up 2.8%), nonalcoholic beverages (up 4.4%), and sugar and sweets (up 6.5%).

•What has actually gotten cheaper: Eggs are a major bright spot, costing over 20% less than they did a year ago as poultry flocks recovered from the devastating avian influenza outbreaks of previous years. Dairy products have also seen minor relief, dropping about 0.4% to 0.7% compared to last year.

3. Retail Goods (Clothing, Electronics, and Home Goods)

Prices in retail and department stores have also largely increased over the past 12 months:

•Apparel: Clothing and footwear prices are roughly 3.4% more expensive than a year ago.

•Household Goods & Electronics: Items like furniture, appliances, and electronics have remained elevated. Economists note that while some goods prices were on track to fall, the implementation and pass-through of import tariffs throughout 2025 and 2026 have kept retail goods prices higher than they otherwise would have been.

Why Store Bills Still Feel So High

Even though inflation is rising at a slower pace than it did during the peak inflation years of 2022 and 2023, prices are not reverting to pre-inflation levels. Instead, today's smaller price increases are compounding on top of the permanent price hikes of the last few years.

Additionally, volatile expenses outside of stores—particularly gasoline, which surged over 34% year-over-year—continue to strain household budgets, making everyday shopping trips feel even more expensive.

Citations (8)

1foodtradenews.comNews and media
foodtradenews.com
Backs: “No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago. While the rapid, double-digit spikes in inflation seen in previous years have moderated, prices for the vast majority of retail and grocery items continue to rise, making them more expensive on average than they were in late 2025.”
2grocerytrack.foodNot yet classified
grocerytrack.food
Backs: “No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago. While the rapid, double-digit spikes in inflation seen in previous years have moderated, prices for the vast majority of retail and grocery items continue to rise, making them more expensive on average than they were in late 2025.”
3bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the year-over-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate stood at 3.7%.”
4moneytalksnews.comCommercial contentquality 0.66
moneytalksnews.com
Backs: “Overall supermarket prices are roughly 1.8% to 2.5% higher than a year ago.”
5usda.govGovernment
usda.gov
Backs: “Overall supermarket prices are roughly 1.8% to 2.5% higher than a year ago.”
6fibre2fashion.comNews and media
fibre2fashion.com
Backs: “Apparel: Clothing and footwear prices are roughly 3.4% more expensive than a year ago.”
7nbcnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.84
nbcnews.com
Backs: “Household Goods & Electronics: Items like furniture, appliances, and electronics have remained elevated.”
8economy.acNonprofits and think tanks
economy.ac
Backs: “Economists note that while some goods prices were on track to fall, the implementation and pass-through of import tariffs throughout 2025 and 2026 have kept retail goods prices higher than they otherwise would have been.”