Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Short answer: No. Overall consumer prices in U.S. stores were about 3.7% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025, not lower.[1]

If you’re thinking specifically of groceries, “food at home” prices were up about 1.8% year over year, though a few categories (like dairy) were down slightly.[1]

If you have a particular category or store type in mind, I can pull the latest numbers for that.