Inflation has been spiking the cost of a number of items that are hurting the pockets of American consumers.
With the national inflation rate standing at 8.3%, prices for nearly every item have gone up over the last 12 months. The balloon in prices have been driven, in part, by existing supply chain issues and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Grocery items in particular are measured via the Food at Home Index, which monitors year-round price changes in major grocery items, namely cereals, meat, dairy and produce. The Food at Home Index saw a pronounced 13.5% increase, also outpacing the 11.4% increase seen in overall food prices.
The data was released by the Department of Labor as part of the Consumer Price Index, a monthly release detailing year-over-year price changes in different industries.
Here's the grocery store items that had the highest price increases over the past 12 months:
- Eggs: 39.8%
- Margarine: 38.3%
- Butter: 24.6%
- Flour and prepared flour mixes: 23.3%
- Fats and oils: 21.5%
The price of cereals and bakery products saw a 16.4% jump over the past 12 months, outpacing the increases seen for both food at home and food overall.
Local
A steep hike in the prices of dairy and related products was also observed over the past year, with a 16.2% jump from last August.
Here's a full look at the price increases by percentage for different food items from August 2021 to August 2022:
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Cereals and Grains
- Flour and prepared flour mixes: 23.3%
- Breakfast cereal: 16.4%
- Rice: 13%
- Bread: 16.2%
- Fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins: 17.1%
- Cakes, cupcakes and cookies: 14.4%
Meat, Eggs and Seafood
- Beef and veal: 2.5%
- Pork: 6.8%
- Chicken: 16.6%
- Fish and seafood: 8.7%
- Eggs: 39.8%
Dairy
- Milk: 17%
- Cheese: 13.5%
- Ice cream: 14%
Fruits and Vegetables
- Apples: 3.8%
- Bananas: 8.3%
- Oranges and tangerines: 14.4%
- Potatoes: 15.2%
- Lettuce: 10.7%
- Canned fruit: 16.6%
- Canned vegetables: 16.1%
- Frozen fruits and vegetables: 11.4%
Beverages
- Carbonated drinks: 12.9%
- Nonfrozen, noncarbonated juices and drinks: 13.4%
- Coffee: 17.6%
Sweets
- Sugar and sugar substitutes: 15.9%
- Candy and chewing gum: 10.9%
Baking, Snacks and Baby Food
- Butter: 24.6%
- Margarine: 38.3%
- Fats and oils: 21.5%
- Peanut butter: 15.2%
- Snacks: 16.7%
- Spices, seasonings, condiments and sauces: 15.4%
- Baby food: 12.6%
