Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
No, overall prices in stores are generally not lower than a year ago; they are higher on average, though the picture is mixed by category, with some items cheaper and ongoing promotions/discounts common.[1]
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for August 2026 (the most recent full monthly release as of early October 2026):
Category Highlights (YoY changes, August 2026)
Lower or flat in some cases:
Higher:
Grocery prices specifically remain elevated versus a year earlier (around +2.2% for food at home), even if monthly changes have been modest or flat recently, and USDA forecasts point to further (slower) increases rather than declines for 2026.[5][6] Some individual items (e.g., certain produce, meats, or dairy) can be cheaper depending on the store, season, or promotions, and shrinkflation has affected unit pricing in the past.
Broader Context
In short, while inflation has moderated significantly from its peaks and shoppers can find lower prices on select items or via sales, average prices for goods in stores are higher than a year ago per official CPI measures. Experiences vary by location, store, shopping habits (e.g., buying on sale or store brands), and specific basket. For the absolute latest monthly data, check BLS releases (next CPI around mid-month).
Citations (10)
- https://www.bls.gov/cpi/latest-numbers.htm
Backs: “No, overall prices in stores are generally not lower than a year ago; they are higher on average, though the picture is mixed by category, with some items cheaper and ongoing promotions/discounts common.”
- https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t01.htm
Backs: “Food (overall): +2.7%; food at home (groceries): +2.2% (flat month-over-month in August).”
- https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t03.htm
Backs: “Durables: slightly down (~-0.3% in related aggregates).”
- https://www.al.com/news/2026/09/grocery-costs-remained-flat-in-august-but-are-still-more-expensive-in-2026.html
Backs: “Eggs have seen large declines in some periods (e.g., recovering from prior avian flu spikes).”
- https://www.agbull.com/usda-trims-food-inflation-outlook-for-2026-and-2027/
Backs: “Grocery prices specifically remain elevated versus a year earlier (around +2.2% for food at home), even if monthly changes have been modest or flat recently, and USDA forecasts point to further (slower) increases rather than declines for 2026.”
- https://foodtradenews.com/2026/09/23/are-groceries-getting-cheaper-why-your-bill-may-say-otherwise/
Backs: “Grocery prices specifically remain elevated versus a year earlier (around +2.2% for food at home), even if monthly changes have been modest or flat recently, and USDA forecasts point to further (slower) increases rather than declines for 2026.”
- https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2024/12/18/2024-was-the-year-of-discounts-price-cuts-and-more-affordable-assortments
Backs: “Discounts, sales events, and private-label options remain widespread, so effective prices paid can be lower than list prices for deal-seekers.”
- https://www.investopedia.com/shoppers-could-be-seeing-lower-prices-this-holiday-season-8729096
Backs: “Discounts, sales events, and private-label options remain widespread, so effective prices paid can be lower than list prices for deal-seekers.”
- https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5241014
Backs: “Prices remain substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels (e.g., groceries often +25% or more cumulatively since 2019 in tracked baskets), which is why many shoppers still feel the pinch even as the rate of increase has cooled from 2021–2022 peaks.”
- https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/shop-price-inflation-slows-retailers-230100462.html
Backs: “(e.g., UK shop price indices), recent readings have shown low single-digit inflation or occasional deflation in non-food categories like furniture/clothing due to discounting, but not broad declines.”