Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Are store prices down from last year? I'll check the latest inflation data to compare.

No - in general prices in stores are higher than a year ago, not lower, although a few specific items and promotions are lower.

Nationally, inflation remains positive year-over-year:

•The annual inflation rate slowed to 2.4% in January 2026

•By August 2026 headline inflation was 0.4% month over month and 3.4% year over year

•Year over year CPI is also known as the "Inflation Rate," and here we are steady at +3.4% for the past two months

•The U.S. isn't facing deflation in 2026 - Prices aren't falling

For groceries specifically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics measure of grocery store prices is also up year-over-year:

•Food at Home (Groceries): Up 2.7% over the past 12 months

•Other recent BLS reporting: Grocery prices were unchanged overall [month-over-month], ... Over the past year, food-at-home prices increased 2.2 percent

•FMI statement on August CPI: a 2.7% rise on a year-over-year basis [for food-at-home] or flat for August and a 2.2% increase over the last 12 months

•Since January 2020, U.S. grocery prices are up 32.0%

•Department of Agriculture is predicting that grocery prices will rise approximately 1.7% in 2026

Why you may see claims of "lower" prices:

•Thanksgiving / seasonal promotions: For a typical Thanksgiving dinner in 2025, consumers can expect groceries to be around 2% to 3% less than the previous year, according to an analysis by Wells Fargo. Specific Thanksgiving staples were cited as down, e.g. Turkeys are down 3.7%

•Selected retailer assortments: Almost a third of the items in [Aldi's] everyday in-store assortment are now less expensive than they were in 2025

•Category-specific deflation: Much of the easing comes from plummeting prices for eggs and dairy products, which are actually expected to deflate this year, by 22.2% and 0.9%, respectively, according to the USDA

•Short-term monthly dips: Overall grocery prices declined in May 2025, with the average cost of a 24-item basket falling ... $3.85 (2.5%) year-over-year compared to May 2024, according to the ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index and Across 14 stores tracked ... the average basket is up 7.6% over the past [year] ... QFC is actually cheaper than it was a year ago, down 8.2% - showing wide store-to-store variation.

So while you may find a specific basket, store, or seasonal item cheaper than last year, the broad store average price level is still 2-3% higher than a year ago, not lower.

Citations (2)

1zacks.comData and tools
CPI Comes in Line With Expectations - September 11, 2026 - Zacks.com
Backs: “The annual inflation rate slowed to 2.4% in January 2026. By August 2026 headline inflation was 0.4% month over month and 3.4% year over year. Year over year CPI is also known as the "Inflation Rate," and here we are steady at +3.4% for the past two months”
2wutv29.comNot yet classified
Thanksgiving dinner costs drop as Wells Fargo finds grocery prices lower than last year
Backs: “Department of Agriculture is predicting that grocery prices will rise approximately 1.7% in 2026. Why you may see claims of "lower" prices: Thanksgiving / seasonal promotions: For a typical Thanksgiving dinner in 2025, consumers can expect groceries to be around 2% to 3% less than the previous year, according to an…”