Answers

Short answer: No. Overall consumer prices in the U.S. are higher than a year ago. Details as of the latest data: - Headline CPI rose 3.7% year over year in September 2026 (release dated October 14, 2026), so the overall price level is up, not down. ([bls.gov](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/CPI.htm)) - For typical “in-store” goods: - Groceries (food at home) are up about 1.8% versus September

Short answer: No. As of September 2026, overall consumer prices were about 3.7% higher than a year earlier, per the U.S. Consumer Price Index. That means the average “basket” of goods and services in stores costs more than it did in September 2025. ([bls.gov](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi10142026.htm)) Another broad gauge, the PCE price index, was up 3.4% year over year in August

Short answer: No—on average, prices are higher than a year ago. Details as of September 15, 2026: - Overall consumer prices rose 3.4% over the 12 months ending in August 2026 (latest CPI). ([bls.gov](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi09112026.htm)) - Grocery prices (“food at home”) are 2.2% higher than a year ago. Within groceries, some items fell (for example, dairy products down 0.3%