Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Prices - I'll pull recent inflation data to compare today's store prices versus a year ago.

No - prices in stores overall are not lower than a year ago, though the month-to-month change in September was flat to slightly down for groceries.

In the United States - the most recent data available:

•The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment over the 12 months ending September 2026. The Labor Department said the CPI rose 3.7% in September compared with a year ago, up from 3.4% in August.

•On a monthly basis, costs jumped 0.6% from August to September, reported as increased 0.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in September after rising 0.4 percent in August.

•Food: The food index increased 2.5 percent over the last year.

•Food at home (grocery store prices) - the index for food at home fell 0.1 percent in September and The food index was unchanged in September, while the index for food purchased at grocery stores declined 0.1%.

•But compared to a year earlier, grocery prices remained 1.8% higher than a year earlier, and in detail The food at home index rose 1.8 percent over the 12 months ending in September.

•Grocery prices fell 0.1 percent in September and are up just 1.8 percent over the year.

Some grocery categories were cheaper year-over-year, but not the total basket:

•The dairy and related products index fell 0.7 percent over the year, with Several common grocery items became less expensive during the month. Beef prices fell 1%, milk prices dropped 2%, and the broader category of meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined 0.5% on a monthly basis.

•Used cars and trucks remained 1.5% below their September 2025 level on a year-over-year basis, but most other store categories were higher.

In other words, there was a modest 0.1% decline in grocery-store prices from August to September 2026, providing short-term relief, but prices in stores are still about 1.8% higher for groceries and 3.7% higher overall than in September 2025 - not lower.

Exception: In some markets outside the US, food was slightly cheaper year-over-year - for example in Switzerland In September 2026 food and non-alcoholic beverages cost 1.0% less than in September 2025, while consumer prices overall rose 1.0% - but that is not representative of the US or most major economies where September 2026 inflation was +3.3% in Germany and 3.7% in the US.

Citations (2)

1bls.govGovernment
Consumer Price Index Summary
Backs: “No - prices in stores overall are not lower than a year ago, though the month-to-month change in September was flat to slightly down for groceries. In the United States - the most recent data available: The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment over the…”
statistic, official document, points to no. Claim: CPI-U rose 3.7 percent over the 12 months ending September, with a 0.6 percent seasonally adjusted monthly increase.
2robinspost.comLow provenance
Consumer News: Inflation accelerated in September as gasoline prices surged
Backs: “Food at home (grocery store prices) - the index for food at home fell 0.1 percent in September and The food index was unchanged in September, while the index for food purchased at grocery stores declined 0.1%.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Grocery prices fell 0.1 percent in September but remain up 1.8 percent over the year; overall inflation accelerated.