Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Are prices down from last year? I'll pull the latest year-over-year inflation and store price data to compare.

No — on average, prices in stores are still higher than a year ago, but inflation - the rate of price increase - has slowed.

Latest official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

•Over the 12 months ended July 2026, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 3.4 percent and also described as the all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending July after rising 3.5 percent for the 12 months ending June

•Prices for energy increased 14.7 percent, while food prices increased 3.0 percent. The BLS news release also notes The food index increased 3.0 percent over the last year.

•Within food:

•Prices for food away from home rose 3.4 percent

•Prices for food at home rose 2.7 percent

•Detailed table shows Food at home 2.7% and Food away from home 3.4%

That means grocery store prices (food at home) are up about 2.7% year-over-year, not down.

Other reports confirm the same trend:

•Grocery price increases slowed in March, offering some relief, but food costs remain higher than a year ago

•Food prices overall remain about 2.7% higher than a year ago

•Overall grocery inflation slowed to 1.9% year-over-year, but the picture is uneven

What is lower than a year ago?

A few specific categories have seen outright price declines, which can make it feel like prices are falling:

•Consumers paid lower prices for used cars and trucks (−1.9 percent) and medical care commodities (−2.7 percent) in July 2026 compared with a year earlier

•The index for dairy and related products fell 0.5 percent over the year

•Egg prices are sharply lower than a year ago, with the average cost down more than 34% from early 2025 levels

The BLS describes this as disinflation, not deflation: The rate of increase is slowing after the 2022 peak, but the price level is still rising. The Consumer Price Index news release for August 2026 is scheduled to be published on Friday, September 11, 2026, so July is the latest final reading available.

Citations (2)

1bls.govGovernment
Consumer prices up 3.4 over the year in July 2026 : The Economics Daily : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Backs: “No — on average, prices in stores are still higher than a year ago, but inflation - the rate of price increase - has slowed. Latest official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:”
background, article, points to no. Claim: Introduces the latest official BLS data showing inflation has slowed but prices remain higher than a year ago.
2bls.govGovernment
Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M07 Results
Backs: “Bureau of Labor Statistics: Over the 12 months ended July 2026, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 3.4 percent and also described as the all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending July after rising 3.5 percent for the 12 months ending June”
statistic, official document, points to no. Claim: CPI-U rose 3.4 percent over the 12 months ended July 2026, after 3.5 percent in June.