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Shoppers who found their grocery shopping a huge strain on their budgets last month were proven right by Department of Labor data released this week, with household food costs rising 0.7% in April, marking the largest monthly increase since 2022.
Food economist and Michigan State University professor David Ortega said the cost of groceries has increased 2.9% over the year, and pressure on food prices is now coming from multiple directions simultaneously. These price increases, along with the soaring price of gasoline, which has increased 28.4% over the year, are putting an economic strain on Americans.
Due to rising food prices, some people are cutting prices in other areas as well.
Ed Moore, 79, of Louisville, Kentucky, said prices at his local grocery store have increased significantly over the past year. His recent trip cost him $95 for one week’s worth of food. Retired and living on a fixed income, he said he doesn’t have much cash for emergencies, and the rising prices of essential goods are making it more difficult to save for emergencies.
In response, he stopped buying new clothes, except for Skechers, which he purchased using credit card benefits. He shops for deals, avoids big-name brands, and shops at Kroger to earn points that can be redeemed for discounts on gas.
“But with gas prices so high, I don’t know how much this discount will help,” Moore said, adding that since the Iran war began, he has gone from filling up twice a month to just once and driving less.
Increases in various parts of the supply chain
Ortega told USA TODAY that the energy costs of the war are starting to show up in food prices through the so-called cold chain, or supply chain for fresh produce and goods.
“Refrigerated trucking runs on diesel, and diesel prices are rising rapidly,” he said. “Categories most reliant on the cold chain, such as fresh produce, dairy products, and prepared salads, saw the steepest monthly increases. For example, prepared salads rose about 3% over the month.”
Ortega said layered on top of that are category-specific issues that already exist, such as record beef prices. “Demand for beef remains unusually strong, with cattle herds at their lowest levels in decades and widespread high-protein trends that have reshaped the way consumers think about their diets.”
In addition, tomato supplies in Mexico and Florida have been hit by weather issues, and imports from Mexico are also subject to tariffs. He said coffee prices reflected the lingering effects of last year’s coffee import tariffs, as well as constraints from past harvests.
“Consumers are not facing one shock, but multiple shocks at the same time. The energy-related impact of the Middle East conflict is likely to increase in the coming months,” Ortega said.
Ortega said further increases in food prices could be affected by higher fertilizer prices due to the Iran conflict, but the full effects may not be felt until next year.
“And with price increases now outpacing wage growth, affordability is paramount for many households, leaving them with less of a buffer to absorb shocks than they did a few years ago,” he said.
Even some high-income earners are changing their behavior in response to rising prices. Koji Hosokawa, 65, of Norwalk, Conn., takes home about $10,000 a month, but said he is shifting investments into dividend-paying stocks to reduce expenses and increase cash flow to support his wife and recently laid-off son.
“I cannot control the prices of products such as food and gasoline,” Hosokawa said. “That’s natural. So what you can control is your income.”
Save money by choosing alternatives
The rise in meal-in costs in April was due to a 1.8% increase in fruit and vegetable prices and a 1.3% increase in the province’s Meat, Poultry, Fish and Eggs Index as beef prices rose 2.7% in the same month.
Michael Swanson, chief agricultural economist at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Research Institute, said the choices you make about purchasing meat protein can impact your entire grocery tab.
“When it comes to protein, do you want beef on the table? … It’s what you buy that has a big impact on the checkout price,” Swanson says. Meanwhile, chicken and egg prices have fallen, while pork prices have remained flat, he said.
Similarly, in the produce section, while prices have increased for some items and others are flat from last year, shoppers could potentially adjust, Swanson said.
“If you want to keep your tomatoes for the next month or so until the next crop is harvested, you can erase that number from your budget,” he said.
How to save money on groceries
Here’s how shoppers can save money on groceries, according to Ortega.
- Let’s go shopping. Grocery stores compete for your business and run promotions on certain products. Shop around, compare weekly ads, take advantage of promotions, and save big over the course of a month.
- Shift your protein sources whenever possible. While beef prices have risen sharply over the past year, chicken and pork are more affordable and have remained relatively flat or down over the past month. Eggs are also significantly cheaper than a year ago as chicken flocks have been rebuilt. Replacing just one or two meals a week can significantly reduce your food costs.
- Whenever possible, buy seasonal produce locally. Seasonal and local produce tends to be less expensive to transport over long distances, so it can be a good way to save money on items hit hard by rising diesel prices.
- Consider store brands and private labels. These products are usually sold at much more affordable prices, and the quality of most staples is on par with national brands.
