Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Prices vs a year ago? I'll pull the latest inflation data to compare.

No — overall store prices are higher than a year ago, though the rate of increase has slowed and some specific items are cheaper.

•Overall inflation: In August, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted

•That also matches other reporting that Consumer Price Index increased 3.4% in August from year-ago levels after seeing the same 3.4% rate in July

•Food overall still up year-over-year:

•Food | 2.7%

•Food at home | 2.2%

•Numerator measure of everyday household purchases: prices for everyday goods are up 2.2% versus a year ago

•Grocery outlook: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting that grocery prices will rise approximately 1.7% in 2026 — marking a decrease from 2.3% in 2025 but still an increase, after grocery costs inflate by more than 25% over the past five years

A few categories are lower than a year ago:

•Dairy and related products | -0.3%

•Eggs, −23.0 percent — USDA expects egg prices to deflate this year by 22.2% and dairy by 0.9%

•Used cars and trucks | -2.3%, Medical care commodities | -2.7%

So stores are not cheaper in general compared to a year ago — most categories you buy in stores are up about 2-3% year-over-year, with only select items like eggs, dairy, used cars showing year-over-year declines.

Citations (3)

1bls.govGovernment
Consumer Price Index (CPI) News Release : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Backs: “No — overall store prices are higher than a year ago, though the rate of increase has slowed and some specific items are cheaper. Overall inflation: In August, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted”
2bls.govGovernment
12-month percentage change, Consumer Price Index, selected categories
Backs: “That also matches other reporting that Consumer Price Index increased 3.4% in August from year-ago levels after seeing the same 3.4% rate in July”
3money.comCommercial contentquality 0.59
Grocery Prices Are Cooling, but Some Foods Cost More in 2026 | Money
Backs: “Numerator measure of everyday household purchases: prices for everyday goods are up 2.2% versus a year ago. Grocery outlook: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting that grocery prices will rise approximately 1.7% in 2026 — marking a decrease from 2.3% in 2025 but still an increase, after grocery costs…”