Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

Your question on prices vs. a year ago — I'll pull the latest inflation and store price data to compare.

No - prices in stores are still higher than a year ago, just rising more slowly in some cases.

•Overall consumer prices were 3.7% higher in September than a year earlier, up from 3.4% in August. The prior month report also showed overall prices increased 3.4% over the past year.

•For groceries specifically (food at home), prices were +1.8% over 12 months.

•Another breakdown: Grocery prices slipped 0.1% in September and were 1.8% higher than a year earlier.

•Same figure repeated: Overall, grocery prices dropped 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month, leaving them 1.8% higher than a year earlier.

That monthly drop does not mean the year-over-year level is lower - it just means September was 0.1% cheaper than August, but still 1.8% more expensive than September 2025.

Not everything rose:

•Car insurance −5.0%

•Used cars and trucks −1.5%

•In the grocery aisle, some items fell year-over-year: Eggs fell 20.6%, and butter prices plunged 10.3%, with milk and cheese each down more than 2% over that period.

But the average basket is higher, driven largely by energy. Gasoline rose 9.1% in a single month and is up 34.2% on the year, Energy overall was up 20.4%, while groceries, rent and most of the rest are rising at 2–3%.

Citations (3)

1calculatorai.appNot yet classified
Inflation 3.7% (Sept 2026 CPI): Cash, Raises, Budget
Backs: “a year ago — I'll pull the latest inflation and store price data to compare. No - prices in stores are still higher than a year ago, just rising more slowly in some cases.”
2foodworldnews.comNews and media
Grocery Prices Sit 22% Above 2021 Levels as Near-Record Diesel Raises Costs From Farm to Store
Backs: “The prior month report also showed overall prices increased 3.4% over the past year. For groceries specifically (food at home), prices were +1.8% over 12 months.”
3mycentraloregon.comNot yet classified
Which grocery prices are rising the fastest and which are falling?
Backs: “Another breakdown: Grocery prices slipped 0.1% in September and were 1.8% higher than a year earlier. Same figure repeated: Overall, grocery prices dropped 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month, leaving them 1.8% higher than a year earlier.”