Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Short answer: mostly no. As of the latest published data (August 2026 vs August 2025), overall consumer prices are up 3.4%. Grocery prices (“food at home”) are up 2.2% year over year, and eating out is up 3.4%. A few categories are lower, such as used cars and trucks (−2.3% YoY) and dairy products (−0.3% YoY), but most in‑store prices are higher than a year ago.[1]

Note: September 2026 CPI is scheduled for release today (Wednesday, October 14, 2026). If you’d like, I can check it as soon as it posts and update these figures.[1]