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GPT-5Sep 15, 2026openai/gpt-5-2025-08-07
Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Short answer: No—on average, prices are higher than a year ago.
Details as of September 15, 2026:
•Overall consumer prices rose 3.4% over the 12 months ending in August 2026 (latest CPI).[1]
•Grocery prices (“food at home”) are 2.2% higher than a year ago. Within groceries, some items fell (for example, dairy products down 0.3% year over year), but most categories rose.[1]
•Big movers like gasoline are up sharply year over year, which lifted the overall index.[1]
•Another broad inflation gauge, the PCE price index, was up 3.7% year over year in July 2026 (its latest reading).[2]
If you’re thinking about a specific type of store or product (e.g., groceries, electronics, clothing), tell me which and I can pull the latest category-level changes.
Citations (2)
- Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “Overall consumer prices rose 3.4% over the 12 months ending in August 2026 (latest CPI).”
- Personal Income and Outlays, July 2026 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Backs: “Another broad inflation gauge, the PCE price index, was up 3.7% year over year in July 2026 (its latest reading).”