Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?

[1][2]No, overall prices in stores are not lower compared to a year ago (as of the latest data from September 2026). The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all items rose 3.7% year-over-year.[1]

Key Details from BLS CPI Data (September 2026)

•Overall CPI: +3.7% YoY (up 0.6% month-over-month in September, driven heavily by energy).[3]

•Food at home (groceries): +1.8% YoY (down slightly 0.1% month-over-month). Food overall (including away-from-home) was +2.5%.[2]

•Core CPI (all items less food and energy): +2.6% YoY.[3]

•Commodities less food and energy commodities (a proxy for many core store goods): +0.7% YoY.[4]

•Durables: Flat (0.0% YoY).[5]

•Energy: +20.4% YoY, with gasoline (all types) +34.2% and fuel oil much higher. This heavily influences transportation and some retail costs.[6]

Mixed Picture for Specific Store Categories and Items

Prices vary widely by category and item—some have fallen or stayed flat, while others rose:

•Down or soft: Used cars and trucks (−1.5%), dairy and related products (−0.7%), medical care commodities (−3.3%), eggs (average price for a dozen large Grade A down ~35% to around $2.27), bacon (down ~7%), and some other staples like certain cheeses or produce items in spot checks.[7][8]

•Up: Apparel (+3.4%), fruits and vegetables (+3.7%), nonalcoholic beverages (+3.8%), cereals/bakery (+2.1%), new vehicles (+0.6%), and many meats or other staples in aggregate.[4]

•Average retail prices (BLS) for items like milk were roughly flat to slightly down, while ground beef and coffee saw increases in various reports.[7]

Retailers (e.g., in prior periods like 2024) have used promotions, rollbacks, and discounts on thousands of items amid softer demand, and goods inflation has been much milder than services or energy. However, this has not translated into a broad decline in the store price level versus a year earlier.[9][10]

Context and Caveats

•Inflation cooled significantly from 2022 peaks, with periods of very low goods inflation or mild deflation in some categories (especially 2023–2024), but it reaccelerated in 2026 largely due to energy shocks. Cumulative prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels (e.g., groceries substantially higher since 2019/2020).

•“Store prices” focus more on goods (commodities) than services like shelter or medical care, where increases have been stickier. Core goods are only mildly higher.

•Experiences vary by location, store (discount vs. premium), shopping habits (sales, private label, bulk), and basket composition. Spot checks (e.g., Walmart baskets in earlier years) sometimes showed near-flat or mixed changes.

•Data is U.S.-centric (BLS CPI); other countries differ. Figures are not seasonally adjusted for YoY comparisons unless noted.

In short, while some items feel cheaper and promotions are common, the average prices paid in stores for a typical basket are higher than a year ago according to official measures. For the most current figures, check the latest BLS CPI release.

Citations (10)

1bls.govGovernment
https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
Backs: “[[1]](https://www.bls.gov/cpi/)”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: U.S. CPI for all items rose 3.7% year-over-year, so overall prices are not lower than a year ago.
2grocerytradenews.comNews and media
https://www.grocerytradenews.com/us-grocery-inflation-september-2026/
Backs: “[[2]](https://www.grocerytradenews.com/us-grocery-inflation-september-2026/)”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Food at home rose 1.8% YoY and overall food 2.5%, showing grocery prices are higher.
3advisorperspectives.comNews and media
https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2026/10/22/cpi-consumer-price-index-inflation-september-2026
Backs: “Key Details from BLS CPI Data (September 2026). Overall CPI: +3.7% YoY (up 0.6% month-over-month in September, driven heavily by energy).”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Overall CPI +3.7% YoY, up 0.6% monthly, and core CPI +2.6% YoY.
4bls.govGovernment
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t01.htm
Backs: “Core CPI (all items less food and energy): +2.6% YoY. Commodities less food and energy commodities (a proxy for many core store goods): +0.7% YoY.”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Core goods commodities +0.7% YoY; apparel, fruits and vegetables, beverages, and new vehicles rose.
5bls.govGovernment
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t03.htm
Backs: “Commodities less food and energy commodities (a proxy for many core s”
statistic, data page, neutral. Claim: Durables were flat (0.0% YoY).
6bls.govGovernment
https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2026/prices-for-gasoline-increased-34-2-percent-over-the-year-ended-september-2026.htm
Backs: “Energy: +20.4% YoY, with gasoline”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Energy up 20.4% YoY and gasoline up 34.2%, influencing transportation and retail costs.
7datenus.comNot yet classified
https://datenus.com/economy/prices
Backs: “Down or soft: Used cars and trucks (−1.5%), dairy and related products (−0.7%), medical care commodities (−3.3%), eggs (average price for a dozen large Grade A down ~35% to around $2.27), bacon (down ~7%), and some other staples like certain cheeses or produce items in spot checks.”
statistic, data page, points to yes. Claim: Some items such as eggs and bacon fell in price; milk roughly flat to slightly down.
8thethirdpocket.comNot yet classified
https://thethirdpocket.com/blog/grocery-prices-falling-2026/
Backs: “Down or soft: Used cars and trucks (−1.5%), dairy and related products (−0.7%), medical care commodities (−3.3%), eggs (average price for a dozen large Grade A down ~35% to around $2.27), bacon (down ~7%), and some other staples like certain cheeses or produce items in spot checks.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Spot checks show some staples like cheeses or produce items getting cheaper.
9retailbrew.comNews and media
https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2024/12/18/2024-was-the-year-of-discounts-price-cuts-and-more-affordable-assortments
Backs: “Retailers (e.g., in prior periods like 2024) have used promotions, rollbacks, and discounts on thousands of items amid softer demand, and goods inflation has been much milder than services or en”
background, article, points to yes. Claim: Retailers used promotions, rollbacks and discounts on thousands of items in 2024 amid softer demand.
10investopedia.comCommercial contentquality 0.93
https://www.investopedia.com/shoppers-could-be-seeing-lower-prices-this-holiday-season-8729096
Backs: “However, this has not translated into a broad decline in the store price level versus a year earlier.”
background, article, points to yes. Claim: Shoppers could see lower prices from retail discounts and milder goods inflation.