Grocery prices rose 0.3% in February after rising 0.4% in January, and they advanced 10.2% from a year earlier, according to data published March 14, 2023, by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS). As recently as August, the year-over-year level at 13.5% was the highest inflation rate for groceries since March 1979.
The BLS surveys food prices as a part of their Consumer Price Index (view CPI data), a measure of U.S. inflation at the consumer level. Food inflation, which most recently increased 9.5% year-over-year compared to 10.1% previously, is based on prices for "food at home" items (supermarket or grocery store prices) and pricing items for "food away from home" (foodservice or restaurant purchases).
The information on the rest of this page focuses on the grocery component of food inflation. (Look here for information about overall food inflation.)
Chart: Annual Change in Grocery Prices
The following chart shows the change in grocery prices by calendar year since 2000. For 2023, it displays the change in grocery prices from February 2022 to February 2023.
Chart: Grocery Prices by Month and Year
The following chart plots prices from some grocery store foods and how they have changed from January 2015 through February 2023. Simply hover over the chart to view the data. You can also select a food’s legend key which is found at the right of the chart. (Just click or tap on it.) That will visually highlight the selected food’s line in the chart to easily locate and track its pricing over the years.
Table of Inflation Rates for Groceries (Percent Change in Grocery Prices 1948-2023)
The following table display "food at home" inflation on an annual basis by month and calendar year. In clearer terms, it shows the percent increase or decrease in grocery prices over the listed periods. As the figures are 12-month based, look to the December column to find the overall change in food prices by calendar year. The last column, “Ave,” shows the inflation rate for groceries by year.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Ave |
| 1948 | 13.9 | 12.3 | 6.3 | 10.8 | 12.4 | 12.2 | 12.0 | 10.3 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 2.2 | -1.1 | 8.5 |
| 1949 | -2.2 | -2.6 | 0.0 | -2.5 | -3.9 | -4.6 | -6.9 | -6.6 | -5.2 | -5.3 | -3.3 | -3.7 | -3.9 |
| 1950 | -4.4 | -2.3 | -2.6 | -2.6 | -1.5 | -0.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 9.5 | 1.5 |
| 1951 | 13.4 | 15.8 | 14.9 | 14.4 | 13.9 | 11.9 | 9.4 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.6 | 7.6 | 11.0 |
| 1952 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | -1.3 | 1.7 |
| 1953 | -1.9 | -1.3 | -1.3 | -2.6 | -2.3 | -0.6 | -2.2 | -2.2 | -1.6 | -1.6 | -3.2 | -1.6 | -1.6 |
| 1954 | -0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -0.3 | 0.3 | -0.7 | -2.0 | -2.0 | -1.3 | -2.3 | -0.7 |
| 1955 | -3.0 | -2.0 | -1.7 | -1.7 | -2.6 | -2.6 | -2.6 | -3.0 | -1.0 | -1.7 | -1.7 | -1.0 | -2.0 |
| 1956 | -1.7 | -2.4 | -2.0 | -1.7 | -0.3 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| 1957 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 |
| 1958 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 4.6 |
| 1959 | 0.3 | -0.6 | -3.4 | -4.3 | -4.3 | -3.1 | -2.8 | -2.8 | -2.2 | -1.9 | -2.2 | -1.3 | -2.5 |
| 1960 | -1.9 | -1.6 | -0.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 1.0 |
| 1961 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | -0.3 | -1.6 | -1.6 | 1.0 |
| 1962 | -0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| 1963 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| 1964 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| 1965 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 2.4 |
| 1966 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.0 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 5.1 |
| 1967 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -0.9 | -1.7 | -0.9 | 0.0 | 0.3 | -0.6 | -1.1 | -1.1 | -0.6 | 0.3 | -0.3 |
| 1968 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.4 |
| 1969 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 7.1 | 4.7 |
| 1970 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 5.0 |
| 1971 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 2.5 |
| 1972 | 4.3 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 4.4 |
| 1973 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 11.1 | 13.2 | 14.5 | 15.5 | 15.1 | 23.4 | 21.6 | 21.1 | 21.4 | 22.0 | 16.4 |
| 1974 | 21.3 | 22.3 | 19.7 | 16.9 | 16.6 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 7.7 | 10.9 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 14.9 |
| 1975 | 11.1 | 8.1 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 8.7 | 12.1 | 9.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 8.2 |
| 1976 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | -0.6 | -0.8 | 2.1 |
| 1977 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 5.9 |
| 1978 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 10.5 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.0 | 11.4 | 12.5 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 10.5 |
| 1979 | 13.3 | 13.9 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.7 | 10.8 |
| 1980 | 7.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 9.5 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 11.1 | 10.5 | 8.1 |
| 1981 | 10.4 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 7.2 |
| 1982 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 3.5 |
| 1983 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.0 |
| 1984 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| 1985 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
| 1986 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 2.9 |
| 1987 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| 1988 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 4.2 |
| 1989 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.5 |
| 1990 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 6.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.5 |
| 1991 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 2.6 |
| 1992 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | -0.5 | -0.9 | -0.2 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 2.9 |
| 1995 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.3 |
| 1996 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 3.7 |
| 1997 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 2.5 |
| 1998 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 |
| 1999 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| 2000 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 2.3 |
| 2001 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 3.3 |
| 2002 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | -0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| 2003 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 3.8 |
| 2005 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| 2006 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 |
| 2007 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 4.2 |
| 2008 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 6.4 |
| 2009 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | -0.9 | -1.6 | -2.5 | -2.8 | -2.9 | -2.4 | 0.5 |
| 2010 | -2.0 | -1.5 | -0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| 2011 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 4.8 |
| 2012 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.5 |
| 2013 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| 2014 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.4 |
| 2015 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | -0.4 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | -0.5 | -0.3 | -0.5 | -0.3 | -0.7 | -1.3 | -1.6 | -1.9 | -2.2 | -2.3 | -2.2 | -2.0 | -1.3 |
| 2017 | -1.9 | -1.7 | -0.9 | -0.8 | -0.2 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | -0.2 |
| 2018 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| 2019 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| 2020 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| 2021 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| 2022 | 7.4 | 8.6 | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 12.2 | 13.1 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 11.8 | |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 10.2 | Avail. April 12 |
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Food at home in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted. Base Period: 1982-84=100.