Grocery Store Prices Rose for the First Time in 3 Years in 2018

March 15, 2019 Annemarie Kuhns, USDA ERS

Food, on average, is the third largest consumer spending category behind housing and transportation, and rising food prices can have a significant effect on consumers’ pocketbooks. Fluctuations in food prices may trigger changes in the foods consumers buy, and these demand shifts have implications throughout the U.S. food system—from the farmer to the grocery store and restaurant.