After several consecutive months of slowing food price increases, the food index increased 0.4% in September, as reported in the latest Consumer Price Index report. This surpasses the small 0.1% increase in August, and food prices have gone up 2.3% over the past year.
Food at home
The food at home index also went up 0.4% in September, with price increases in five of the six major grocery store food groups. Driven by an 8.4% rise in egg prices, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs jumped 0.8% over the month.
Price changes for the other major grocery store groups included:
- Fruits and vegetables: +0.9% (-0.2% in August)
- Cereals and bakery products: +0.3% (-0.1% in August)
- Other food at home: +0.2% (-0.3% in August)
- Dairy and related products: +0.1% (+0.5% in August)
- Nonalcoholic beverages: unchanged (-0.7% in August)
Over the past year, the index for food at home experienced a 1.3% rise, with food group increases ranging from 0.1% (cereals and bakery products) to 3.9% (meats, poultry, fish, and eggs).
Food away from home
Food away from home continued to become more expensive in September. The index rose 0.3%, following the same increase in August. The full service index went up 0.4%, while the index for limited service meals inched up 0.2%.
The food away from home index has increased 3.9% over the past 12 months.
