Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Broadly speaking, no, overall prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago. While the rapid rate of price increases (inflation) has moderated from its pandemic-era peaks, overall prices are still climbing.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.7% over the 12 months ending in autumn 2026.
However, whether you are paying more or less depends heavily on what you are shopping for. A category-by-category breakdown reveals how store prices compare to last year:
1. Grocery Stores & Supermarkets (Food-at-Home)
Overall grocery prices increased by about 1.8% to 2.5% over the past year. While this represents a return to a more "normal" rate of inflation compared to the double-digit spikes of 2022, groceries are still more expensive on average.
2. Clothing & Apparel
If you are clothes shopping, you are likely paying more. Apparel prices in stores rose about 3.4% compared to the previous year.
3. Furniture & Home Goods
Home goods have seen some of the most consistent price drops. Prices for furniture and bedding are down about 2.4% year-over-year, largely due to stabilizing global supply chains and retailers using promotions to clear inventory.
4. Electronics & Appliances
Prices for core consumer goods like appliances and electronics have remained mostly flat or drifted slightly downward into negative territory, offering some minor relief for holiday shoppers.
The Bottom Line: "Cooling" Inflation is Not "Deflation"
Many shoppers search for lower prices expecting them to return to pre-inflation levels. However, "cooling inflation" simply means that prices are rising more slowly than they used to, not that they are going down. Because the massive price jumps from 2021 to 2024 are permanently baked into store shelves, a typical grocery or retail basket remains significantly more expensive than it was a few years ago, even if a handful of items (like eggs and furniture) have gotten cheaper over the last 12 months.
Citations (9)
- grocerytradenews.com
Backs: “Broadly speaking, no, overall prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago. While the rapid rate of price increases (inflation) has moderated from its pandemic-era peaks, overall prices are still climbing.”
- grocerytrack.food
Backs: “Broadly speaking, no, overall prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago. While the rapid rate of price increases (inflation) has moderated from its pandemic-era peaks, overall prices are still climbing.”
- bls.gov
Backs: “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.7% over the 12 months ending in autumn 2026.”
- netchoice.org
Backs: “Overall grocery prices increased by about 1.8% to 2.5% over the past year.”
- moneytalksnews.com
Backs: “Eggs: The biggest relief for shoppers has been egg prices, which dropped roughly 20% to 29% year-over-year as poultry flocks continued to recover from the avian influenza outbreak.”
- usda.gov
Backs: “Dairy: Prices for dairy products dipped slightly, down about 0.4% to 0.7%.”
- fibre2fashion.com
Backs: “Apparel prices in stores rose about 3.4% compared to the previous year.”
- cso.ie
Backs: “Home goods have seen some of the most consistent price drops.”
- ycharts.com
Backs: “Prices for furniture and bedding are down about 2.4% year-over-year, largely due to stabilizing global supply chains and retailers using promotions to clear inventory.”