Food prices rose 0.7% in July, up 0.1% from June’s increase of 0.8%, according to data from the most recent CPI report. This month marks the seventh consecutive month there has been an increase in prices.
Food at home
The food at home index rose 0.7% in July, marking a continued increase in prices for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. The grocery store group rose 1.5% over the month, following a 2.5% increase in June.
The index for fruits and vegetables was the only major grocery store group to decline in July, falling 0.9% after rising 0.7% the previous month. Within this category, the index for fresh fruits declined 1.8% during the month of July.
Price changes for the other major grocery store groups included:
- Cereals and bakery products: +1.2% (-0.3% in June)
- Other food at home: +0.8% (+0.2% in June)
- Nonalcoholic beverages: +0.7% (+0.9% in June)
- Dairy and related products: +0.6% (+0.2% in June)
Over the past 12 months, the food at home index has gone up 2.6%, with all six major grocery store group indexes rising during the period. Price growth ranged from 1.1% (nonalcoholic beverages) to 5.9% (meats, poultry, fish, and eggs).
Food away from home
The food away from home index also rose during the month of July, with a 0.8% increase in July after June’s 0.7% increase. This is the largest monthly increase since February 1981. Both limited service and full service meals increased this past month.
- Limited service meals: +1.0% (+0.6% in June)
- Full service meals: +0.6% (+0.8% in June)
The food away from home index has risen 4.6% over the past year. Limited service meals have risen 6.6% over this time period, and full service meals have risen 4.3%.
