Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Prices - I'll check current inflation and retail data versus a year ago.

No, on average prices in stores are not lower than a year ago - they are higher, although the rate of increase has slowed for groceries and some specific items are cheaper.

Overall prices are higher year-over-year

•The US Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 3.7% year-over-year in September 2026, up from 3.4% in August. On a monthly basis it rose 0.6% seasonally adjusted.

•Food prices overall were unchanged for the month and 2.5% higher than a year ago.

•The food-at-home index, which represents grocery store prices:

> showed a decline of 0.1% last month and has been nearly unchanged since May. Food-at-home is 1.8% higher since September 2025

Other reporting of the same BLS data:

> Although at-home food prices didn't rise between August and September ... last month's average household grocery costs were up by 1.8% year over year

> Grocery prices, measured by the food-at-home index, fell 0.1 percent over the month and were up 1.8 percent from a year earlier

That 1.8% was described as the lowest 12-month grocery inflation rate since December 2024, but still an increase - not a decrease.

In other words, lower inflation does not mean lower prices - it means prices are rising more slowly.

Some specific store items ARE cheaper than a year ago

The average is pulled up by most categories, but several grocery and retail categories have seen deflation:

•Meat / pork: Pork is now 0.7% cheaper than a year ago. Within pork, bacon and related products are now 3.3% lower from 12 months ago.

•Dairy: Milk prices fell 2.0%, while the wider dairy category was 0.7% cheaper than a year earlier.

•Eggs: Retail egg prices were 23.0% lower in August 2026 than in August 2025, and other CPI data shows eggs down 22 percent over the past year as supply recovered after bird-flu disruptions.

•General merchandise:

•Toys are almost 3 percent cheaper this Christmas than last

•Washing machines cost 12 percent less than a year ago

•Smartphones are 10.93% lower in 2026 versus 2025

•Used cars and trucks (−1.9 percent) and medical care commodities (−2.7 percent) in July 2026 compared with a year earlier

So while you may find some items on sale for less than last year - especially eggs, pork/bacon, dairy, toys, appliances and electronics - the typical grocery basket and overall store prices are still about 1.8% to 3.7% more expensive than a year ago.

Citations (1)

1meatingplace.comNot yet classified
Grocery Meat Prices Fell in September Despite CPI Surge
Backs: “The US Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 3.7% year-over-year in September 2026, up from 3.4% in August. On a monthly basis it rose 0.6% seasonally adjusted. Food prices overall were unchanged for the month and 2.5% higher than a year ago.”