Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

On average, no, prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago.

While the rate of inflation has slowed down from its peak a few years ago (a trend known as disinflation), prices are still rising, meaning that most items in grocery and retail stores are more expensive today than they were at this time last year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, overall consumer prices rose by 3.4% over the 12-month period ending in August 2026.

Here is a breakdown of how prices in stores compare to last year across different categories:

1. Grocery Store Prices (Food-at-Home)

On average, grocery store prices are 2.2% higher than they were a year ago. How this impacts your wallet depends heavily on what is in your shopping cart:

2. Clothing and Apparel

If you are shopping for clothes, you will generally find higher price tags than last year. The CPI for apparel increased by 3.6% over the past 12 months.

3. Electronics and Durable Goods

Tech and hardware are some of the few areas where you might find lower prices than last year, though the trend is mixed:

4. Getting to the Store

If you drive to the physical stores, the trip itself is significantly more expensive. Driven by surges in global energy markets, gasoline prices are up 27.4% compared to a year ago, and overall energy costs have risen by 16.3%.

Summary

While you may find select deals or minor price drops in specific aisles (like the dairy case or certain electronics), a standard basket of groceries and retail goods will cost you more today than it did a year ago.