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GPT-5Sep 21, 2026openai/gpt-5-2025-08-07
Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Short answer: generally no. On average, U.S. consumer prices were 3.4% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, per the latest CPI release (published September 11, 2026).[1]
Details:
•Groceries (food at home): up 2.2% year over year; dining out: up 3.4%.[1]
•Energy costs rose sharply; gasoline was up 27.4% from a year earlier.[1]
•Some categories did fall: used cars and trucks were down 2.3%, and dairy products were down 0.3% year over year.[1]
If you have a specific store, product, or region in mind, tell me and I can look up more targeted numbers.
Citations (1)
- Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “On average, U.S. consumer prices were 3.4% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, per the latest CPI release (published September 11, 2026).”