Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Overall, store prices—especially groceries—are generally still higher than a year ago, though inflation has slowed and some specific items have actually gotten cheaper.
The big picture: Prices are still rising, just more slowly
As of the latest data (September 2026), grocery prices dropped 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month, leaving them 1.8% higher than a year earlier, according to BLS data. Overall inflation is running hotter: the US annual inflation rate rose to 3.7% in September 2026, up from 3.4% in each of the previous two months.
But it's a mixed bag depending on what you're buying
Some items are notably cheaper than a year ago:
Other items are still pricier:
Important context: "slower growth" isn't the same as "cheaper"
Even where inflation is cooling, that doesn't mean prices have dropped back to previous levels. The inflation rate measures how quickly prices are changing, not whether prices have returned to previous levels. Even when inflation slows, consumers may still pay more than they did several years ago. In fact, prices never retreated to pre-2020 levels — the BLS index level for Food at Home is roughly 25 to 30% higher today than it was in January 2020.
Bottom line: If you're comparing to exactly one year ago, you'll likely pay a bit more at the register overall, but a handful of items — notably eggs, butter, dairy, and some meats — are genuinely cheaper than last year, while coffee, tomatoes, and beef remain significantly more expensive.
Citations (10)
- 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 S...”
- Fact Check Team: How does this year's economy compare with 2024?
Source excerpt: “MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: A shopper looks for items in a grocery store on October 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida.The Labor Department data released tod...”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Egg prices plummeted more than 20% over the year ending in September, indicating continued recovery from a shortage caused by an outbreak of bird flu....”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Butter prices plunged 10.3% last month compared to a year earlier, while prices for ice cream, milk and cheese each fell more than 2% over that period...”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
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. ”
- Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling? - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Meat prices, for instance, dipped 0.9% in September, putting them 1.3% higher than a year earlier. ”
- Some Grocery Prices Are Finally Going Down — Here’s What’s Getting Cheaper - Better Report
Source excerpt: “Coffee prices also continued to climb, with instant coffee up 15.8% year over year, roasted coffee up 12.2%, and coffee overall up 9.4%. ”
- Grocery inflation slowed in March, but some prices are still rising
Source excerpt: “Take tomatoes, which cost 22% more than they did a year ago. ”
- Fact Check Team: How does this year's economy compare with 2024?
Source excerpt: “However, the inflation rate measures how quickly prices are changing, not whether prices have returned to previous levels. Even when inflation slows, ...”
- Grocery Prices Rising in 2026 Even as Overall Inflation Holds Steady
Source excerpt: “But context matters: prices never retreated to pre-2020 levels. The BLS index level for Food at Home is roughly 25 to 30% higher today than it was in ...”