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GPT-5Oct 11, 2026openai/gpt-5-2025-08-07
Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Short answer: No—on average, prices are higher than a year ago.
•Latest data: As of August 2026 (the most recent CPI available on October 11, 2026), overall consumer prices were up 3.4% year over year. Grocery “food at home” prices were up 2.2% versus August 2025. Core goods sold in stores (excluding food and energy) were roughly flat-to-up at +0.7% year over year. Some specific items did fall, such as used cars and trucks (−2.3%) and dairy (−0.3%). The September CPI is scheduled for release on October 14, 2026.[1]
If you had a particular type of “in-store” purchase in mind (e.g., groceries, clothing, electronics), tell me and I can pull the exact year-over-year change for that category.[1]
Citations (1)
- Consumer Price Index News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “The September CPI is scheduled for release on October 14, 2026.”