Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No — overall, prices in stores are still higher than they were a year ago, not lower. The most recent data (September 2026) shows:

Overall inflation is rising, not falling:
Prices compared to a year ago are up 3.7%, which is up from 3.4% in August and 3.0% in September 2025. This increase was driven largely by energy — gasoline jumped 9.1% in a single month and is up about a third over the year.

Wholesale prices are climbing too, which often signals more consumer price increases ahead: wholesale inflation soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022.

Groceries: a mixed bag, but mostly still higher
It's not all one direction in the grocery aisle:

•Grocery prices dropped 0.1% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, but they remained 1.8% higher than a year earlier.

•Some specific items are cheaper than last year — for example, bacon costs 3.3% less than it did a year ago, and eggs, chicken and dairy are cheaper than a year ago, with eggs down 37%.

•But others are significantly more expensive — ground beef averaged $6.92 a pound in August 2026, up 9.6% in a year.

Core inflation (excluding food/energy) is also up: core CPI rose 0.3% for the month and was up 2.6% on an annual basis.

Bottom line: While a handful of specific grocery items (eggs, chicken, bacon, dairy) are cheaper than a year ago, the overall basket of goods and services — including groceries as a whole — remains more expensive than it was a year ago. Inflation has actually been accelerating recently rather than reversing, driven mainly by surging gas prices.

Citations (9)

1wichitaliberty.orgNot yet classified
September 2026 CPI Report: Inflation Rises to 3.7%
Source excerpt: “The Headline Numbers **Prices vs. a year ago: 3.7%.** That is up from 3.4% in August and 3.0% in September 2025. ”
2wichitaliberty.orgNot yet classified
September 2026 CPI Report: Inflation Rises to 3.7%
Source excerpt: “Bottom Line Prices are 3.7% higher than a year ago, and gasoline is the main reason: it jumped 9.1% in a single month and is up about a third over the...”
3news4jax.comNews and mediaquality 0.72
Wholesale inflation reaches levels last seen in 2022
Source excerpt: “The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from...”
4abcnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.67
Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Overall, grocery prices dropped 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month, leaving them 1.8% higher than a year earlier, U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta...”
5aol.comNews and mediaquality 0.77
Some grocery prices are soaring, while others are plunging. Here's what to know - AOL
Source excerpt: “The cooldown in meat prices hit a range of products, including bacon, which costs 3.3% less than it did a year ago.”
6duneed.appCompanies
Grocery Prices 2026: What's Up, What's Down, What's Next - Duneed
Source excerpt: “Some items are down: eggs, chicken and dairy are cheaper than a year ago. ”
7duneed.appCompanies
Grocery Prices 2026: What's Up, What's Down, What's Next - Duneed
Source excerpt: “Eggs fell 37%, ground beef rose 10%. ”
8duneed.appCompanies
Grocery Prices 2026: What's Up, What's Down, What's Next - Duneed
Source excerpt: “Ground beef averaged $6.92 a pound in August 2026, up 9.6% in a year, and US”
9cnbc.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
CPI inflation report September 2026
Source excerpt: “# Consumer prices rose 3.7% annually in September as gas prices skyrocket Stripping out volatile food and energy costs, the so-called core CPI rose 0....”