The food price index rose by only 0.1% in March, slightly less than February’s 0.2% increase, according to the most recent CPI report. Prices within food at home and food away from home also inched up.
Food at home
Food at home prices went up by 0.1%, following a 0.3% jump in February. Only two of the six major grocery store groups had price increases in March. Prices jumped significantly for fruits and vegetables (+1.0%), while dairy and related products dipped by 0.5%, continuing the category’s recent downward trend.
- Fruits and vegetables: +1.0% (+0.7% in February)
- Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs: +0.1% (+0.3% in February)
- Other food at home: Unchanged (+0.1% in February)
- Cereals and bakery products: -0.1% (+0.5% in February)
- Nonalcoholic beverages: -0.2% (-0.1% in February)
- Dairy and related products: -0.5% (-0.2% in February)
Within the last 12 months, the food at home index rose by 3.3%. Prices for all six grocery store groups increased for the period, ranging from 1.6% (dairy and related products) to 5.4% (meats, poultry, fish, and eggs).
Food away from home
The index for food away from home also rose by 0.1% in March, after an increase of the same amount in February. Both limited service and full service meals had price growth for the month:
- Limited service meals: +0.5% (+0.4% in February)
- Full service meals: +0.2% (+0.3% in February)
The overall food away from home index jumped 3.7% over the past year. With an increase of 6.5%, limited service meals set a new record for its largest 12-month increase in the index’s history. Prices for full service meals grew by 3.2% over the period.
