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GPT-5Sep 26, 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 higher than a year ago. The latest Consumer Price Index shows overall prices up 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (the most recent data as of September 26, 2026).[1]
•Groceries (food at home): up 2.2% vs. August 2025.[2]
•Some store goods are cheaper: used cars and trucks −2.3%, furniture and bedding −0.8%, and IT hardware/services −1.1% year over year.[2]
•Energy is a big outlier pushing costs up: gasoline prices were about +27% year over year.[2]
If you have a specific category (e.g., groceries, electronics) or city in mind, I can pull the latest figures for that.
Citations (2)
- Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “The latest Consumer Price Index shows overall prices up 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (the most recent data as of September 26, 2026).”
- Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, 12-month analysis table - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “Groceries (food at home): up 2.2% vs. August 2025.”