Monthly Grocery CPI Average

Cyclospora-linked lettuce recalls threatened to compound already-high produce costs.

• ↗Between prices and a diarrhea-causing parasite, lettuce is causing hard times at some restaurantshttps://apnews.com/article/39083c579b4ba7d3d5d8a23ea3fd5b00
• ↗Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora Illnesses: Iceberg Lettuce (July 2026)https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026

A 75-year-low cattle herd kept beef expensive, lifting grocery prices.

• ↗Food Price Outlook - Summary Findingshttps://ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-price-outlook/summary-findings?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618
• ↗Small US cattle herd is one reason beef prices are so high | AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/beef-cattle-ranchers-steak-hamburger-ab7141857a9ea236b884acf4e8648b96

Screwworm-related import limits tightened cattle supplies, adding pressure to beef and grocery prices.

• ↗Explainer-How flesh-eating screwworms in cattle could raise US beef priceshttps://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/explainerhow-flesheating-screwworms-in-cattle-could-raise-us-beef-prices-4725885
• ↗Ranchers herd it all as fewer cattle pressure beef prices; screwworm lurkshttps://www.dallasfed.org/research/swe/2026/swe2612
• ↗New World Screwworm: Current Issueshttps://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12558

Iran-war energy costs and tight beef supplies pushed grocery prices sharply higher.

• ↗Iran war's full impact on US grocery prices may take months to appear | AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-food-groceries-war-fuel-f5e442ef60858c96a2fc4b4ee9e18780
• ↗Grocery saw their biggest spike in 4 yearshttps://qz.com/grocery-prices-biggest-monthly-jump-four-years-cpi-april-2026-051326

Unseasonable heat reduced vegetable supplies, adding pressure to grocery prices.

• ↗Vegetables and Pulses Outlook: April 2026https://www.ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/outlooks/114097/VGS-378.pdf?v=57161
• ↗Vegetable prices surged nearly 50% but the increase may not hit your grocerieshttps://www.axios.com/2026/03/18/vegetable-prices-spike-february-ppi

Rebuilding egg flocks contributed to March’s brief decline in grocery prices.

• ↗US egg prices fall sharply as flock rebuilds after HPAI losseshttps://www.thepoultrysite.com/news/2026/06/us-egg-prices-fall-sharply-as-flock-rebuilds-after-hpai-losses