Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.

According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall consumer prices rose by 3.7% over the 12-month period ending in September 2026. This means that, on average, a basket of goods and services is more expensive now than it was in late 2025.

The price changes for different store and retail categories compared to last year include:

1. Grocery Stores (Food at Home)

•Overall Increase: Groceries are 1.8% more expensive than they were a year ago.

•Fruits and Vegetables: Up 3.7%.

•Nonalcoholic Beverages: Up 3.8%.

•Cereals and Bakery Products: Up 2.1%.

•Meats, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs: Relatively flat, but still up 0.3%.

•Dairy: One of the very few exceptions to the trend, with dairy and related products falling slightly by 0.7% over the year.

2. Restaurants (Food Away from Home)

•Dining out is significantly more expensive, with restaurant and food service prices up 3.5% compared to a year ago.

3. Retail Goods and Apparel

•Core commodities (such as apparel, recreation, and education products) have continued to tick upward.

•In some categories, retail price increases have been compounded by supply chain costs and tariff pressures. Research from the New York Federal Reserve noted that without certain duties, prices on dozens of everyday consumer items would have slightly declined, but instead they stayed elevated.

4. Energy and Gasoline

•If you are driving to the store, getting there is much more expensive. The energy index surged 20.4% over the past year, driven by a 34.2% spike in gasoline prices.

While individual items or specific promotions might occasionally yield lower prices, the vast majority of goods in supermarkets and retail stores cost more now than they did at this time last year.

Citations (4)

1bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.”
2in2013dollars.comData and tools
in2013dollars.com
Backs: “No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago.”
3bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “Retail Goods and Apparel. Core commodities (such as apparel, recreation, and education products) have continued to tick upward.”
4instagram.comSocial media and video
instagram.com
Backs: “In some categories, retail price increases have been compounded by supply chain costs and tariff pressures.”