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GPT-5Oct 1, 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 are higher than a year ago.
•Overall CPI: up 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (latest data, released September 11, 2026).[1]
•Groceries (food at home): up 2.2% vs. August 2025.[1]
•Store-bought goods excluding food and energy: up 0.7% year over year.[1]
•Some individual categories are lower (e.g., used cars and trucks down 2.3% year over year; dairy slightly down), but that’s not the broad trend.[1]
If you had a specific type of store or category in mind (groceries, clothing, electronics), tell me and I’ll pull the exact numbers.[1]
Citations (1)
- Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “Overall CPI: up 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (latest data, released September 11, 2026).”