Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

No, on average, prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through September 2026, the overall annual inflation rate is 3.7%, meaning that general consumer prices continue to rise rather than fall.

However, price trends vary heavily depending on the specific department of the store:

1. In the Grocery Aisles (Food at Home)

Overall grocery prices are up about 1.8% compared to last year. While this is a slower pace of price growth compared to the rapid spikes of previous years, it still means most food items are slightly more expensive.

•What is more expensive: Beef, fresh vegetables, non-alcoholic beverages, and bakery goods have all continued to climb.

•What is actually cheaper: A few specific staples have seen price drops. Eggs are down significantly (roughly 25% cheaper year-over-year as poultry farms recovered from avian flu outbreaks). Bacon, certain pork products, and dairy items have also seen modest decreases.

2. In the Clothing and Department Sections (Apparel & Home Goods)

•Apparel: Clothing prices have risen, tracking around a 3.9% increase year-over-year.

•Major Appliances: Prices for large appliances (like washers, dryers, and refrigerators) have dropped by about 4.1% as retailers work through surplus inventory.

3. In the Electronics Section

This is one of the few areas where you will consistently find lower prices than a year ago.

•Smartphones & TVs: Due to rapid technological advances and highly optimized global supply chains, smartphones are down roughly 11% over the last year, and television prices continue to steadily decline.

•Computers & Software: Prices for basic computing hardware and software have also trended slightly downward.

4. Car Dealerships

•Used Cars: Eased slightly compared to a year ago, showing a modest year-over-year decline of about 1.9%.

•New Cars: Have remained stubbornly high.

What is driving these higher store prices?

A major contributor to the persistent rise in retail costs is energy. Gasoline prices rose more than 34% over the year ending September 2026, driven largely by global geopolitical tensions. High fuel and shipping costs make it more expensive for stores to transport products to their shelves, preventing broader price cuts for consumers.

Citations (11)

1nbcnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.84
nbcnews.com
Backs: “No, on average, prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago.”
2theguardian.comNews and mediaquality 0.75
theguardian.com
Backs: “No, on average, prices in stores are not lower than they were a year ago.”
3bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through September 2026, the overall annual inflation rate is 3.7%, meaning that general consumer prices continue to rise rather than fall.”
4grocerytradenews.comNews and media
grocerytradenews.com
Backs: “However, price trends vary heavily depending on the specific department of the store:”
5betterreport.comLow provenance
betterreport.com
Backs: “What is more expensive: Beef, fresh vegetables, non-alcoholic beverages, and bakery goods have all continued to climb.”
6moneylion.comCompanies
moneylion.com
Backs: “Eggs are down significantly (roughly 25% cheaper year-over-year as poultry farms recovered from avian flu outbreaks).”
7cbsnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.88
cbsnews.com
Backs: “Bacon, certain pork products, and dairy items have also seen modest decreases.”
8bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “Bacon, certain pork products, and dairy items have also seen modest decreases.”
9bls.govGovernment
bls.gov
Backs: “Apparel: Clothing prices have risen, tracking around a 3.9% increase year-over-year.”
10capitalogix.comNot yet classified
capitalogix.com
Backs: “This is one of the few areas where you will consistently find lower prices than a year ago.”
11moneytalksnews.comCommercial contentquality 0.66
moneytalksnews.com
Backs: “Computers & Software: Prices for basic computing hardware and software have also trended slightly downward.”