GPT-5Sep 142 citations
Are prices lower in stores compared to a year ago?
Short answer: No. On average, U.S. consumer prices were higher than a year ago. As of August 2026, the CPI was up 3.4% from August 2025. ([dol.gov](https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/economicdata/cpi09112026.pdf?utmsource=openai))
If you mean things you typically buy in stores:
- Groceries (food at home): up about 2.2% year over year. ([dejavu.org](https://www.dejavu.org/cgi-bin/get.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%