Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Short answer: No. On average, store prices are higher than a year ago.

•Overall consumer prices were up about 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (latest data available as of October 9, 2026).[1]

•Grocery-store prices specifically (“food at home”) were up 2.2% versus August 2025. Dining out (“food away from home”) was up 3.4%.[1]

•Some categories are cheaper: for example, used cars and trucks were about 2.3% lower than a year earlier, and dairy was down 0.3%.[1]

Note: The next CPI report (covering September 2026) is scheduled for October 14, 2026.[1]

If you had specific items in mind (e.g., groceries, electronics, or clothing), tell me which and I’ll pull the latest figures for that category.

Citations (1)

1bls.govGovernment
Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “Overall consumer prices were up about 3.4% year over year in August 2026 (latest data available as of October 9, 2026).”